STEAM Carts in action

Eanes ISD is full STEAM ahead, thanks to some amazing new materials purchased for each school.  Each grade level at VVE will be receiving a STEAM cart, replete with materials that allow for open-ended exploration and play.  In our faculty meeting yesterday, we reviewed the many aspects of play and the way it can contribute to cognitive, language, social emotional, and even physical development.  We reviewed Jerome Bruner's discussions of how play "provides not only a medium for exploration, but also for invention" (1983, p. 61).  Further, Bruner states, "There is everything to be said, indeed, for letting the child loose in a decent setting with rich materials and some good cultural models to follow.” (Bruner, 1983, p.63)  We engaged in some open-ended exploration and play with several of the materials and are now working to design some STEAM based lessons for students across grade levels.  Thank you, Eanes Curriculum & Instruction Department, for sharing these amazing materials with us!