“Today is Tuesday. What does that mean?” Courtney Sommers, special education teacher at Lamar Elementary, asked of her students. “It’s STEM Lab Tuesday!” a chorus erupted with excitement. Each Tuesday in the Lamar Elementary classroom, Mrs. Sommers’ students enjoy experimenting and exploring as they migrate through four activities positioned around the room. 

Utilizing four learning stations which focus on the components of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math), students engage in activities and experiments related to the topic they have been studying. The students work collaboratively to design, build, create and explore each concept. Students have studied friction by racing balloons across different types of string, built architectural models with sticks and marshmallows and explored technology through iPads.

Mrs. Sommers said, “My students’ creativity during free time as they explored different activities is what inspired me to try STEM activities. Once we completed the first day of our STEM lab, I knew we were on to something great! The depth of content the students were able to comprehend exceeded my high expectations.”

Utilizing hands-on approaches to learning allows students to apply what they are learning in an authentic way. Mrs. Sommers continued, “It is easy to see the benefits STEM activities have provided, as my students are excited about learning, fully engaged and their self-confidence is growing with every new discovery.”

Sommers said of her mission as an educator, “It is my greatest hope as a teacher to allow my students to be their best self both inside and outside of the classroom.”

Expanding product oriented education and STEM learning into every classroom in Greenville ISD is an important mission. GISD introduced a STEM Academy in 2007 with specific focus on the field’s names in the STEM acronym – science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The vertically aligned program now begins at LP Waters, the district’s Pre-K campus, where students enjoy visiting a STEM lab weekly. For more information about STEM or Greenville ISD, please contact Kelli Tharp, Chief Communications and Business Development Officer, at 903.408.4483 or tharpk@greenvilleisd.com