Term
Spring 2020
Capstone
Capstone Project
Degree Name
MAED: NSEE
Facilitator(s)
Trish Harvey
Content Expert
Michelle Hoefs
Abstract
Research has shown that both STEAM education and environmental education have similar goals: equipping students with 21st-century skills such as communication, collaboration, and critical thinking. These skills are essential for students to know in order to be successful in their future careers. However, while both STEAM education and environmental education have similar goals, they are often not taught together. This project takes time to answer the question: How can incorporating more environmental education into STEAM help create students that are equipped with skills needed for future careers? The supplemental curriculum designed for this project is intended to be woven into a pre-existing STEAM curriculum, Project Lead the Way (PLTW) Launch. The project involved creating two environmental education lessons to fit into current STEAM units. The lessons teach about the environment, contain a STEAM component, expose students to nature, and have a teamwork aspect. The curriculum is designed to fit within PLTW Launch, but lessons can be adapted to be stand-alone and be taught by any educator, regardless of position or experience. The goal of this project was to interweave STEAM education and environmental education to have students experience nature and teach essential communication, teamwork, and critical thinking skills to best prepare students for their futures.
Keywords
Curriculum, Environmental Studies, Interdisciplinary Teaching, Science
Recommended Citation
Malecha, Elise, "The Role of Environmental Education in Steam Education" (2020). School of Education and Leadership Student Capstone Projects. 463.
https://digitalcommons.hamline.edu/hse_cp/463
dc_type
text
dc_publisher
DigitalCommons@Hamline
dc_format
application/pdf
dc_source
School of Education Student Capstone Projects