Teachers strive to make connections between subjects and real-world content to enhance student learning. For example, second grade students completed a chick hatching project. Throughout the unit of study, students observed, journaled, asked, and answered questions about the egg incubation process. Students were able to observe both successful and unsuccessful incubations to support critical thinking opportunities and strengthen their learning. Some students also got the opportunity to extend their learning by homing the chicks they hatched at school.  

All educators in the DA elementary division create fun and engaging, STEAM-focused learning opportunities that foster student associations to real-world problem solving strategies. Learners participate in STEAM tasks within a variety of instructional environments, oriented to grade-specific units, content, and standards ranging from preschool through 5th grade. Davidson Academy elementary students actively engage in STEAM and inquiry-based learning opportunities within the classroom learning environment and through weekly STEAM class in our STEAM Lab. Other related arts classes, including Art, Library, Music, Spanish, and Technology regularly provide learning opportunities for students to implement STEAM related processes and practices as well. Student projects and work are often displayed in our Creativity Cabinet or hallways to promote confidence and a sense of belonging for our students.  

DA elementary provides evidence that families feel connected to the purpose and work of our STEAM program. Projects, activities, initiatives and other engagements are clearly communicated to stakeholders through multiple methods. Teachers use the ClassDoJo communication app to regularly send pictures, videos and descriptions to parents about STEAM related student activities happening at school. Parents and other stakeholders also receive the "Elementary Connection" newsletter from our principal, classroom newsletters from teachers, as well as "The Bear Facts", our weekly school-wide newsletter, which features current STEAM happenings across all grade divisions of Davidson Academy.  

An innovative project for students that requires the involvement of families is the 5th grade Inventor's Project. Students are assigned the task to create, describe, and present their very own inventions engineered from only recyclable materials that solve a problem in their everyday lives. Students are required to go through the Engineering Design Process, both on their own and collaboratively with classmates. Through the use of their inventor's notebook, students have to rethink common purposes of ordinary materials. They track their progress, eliminating what does not work and figure out ways to overcome challenges. They communicate their findings by preparing a display showing the design process and demonstrating their invention to parents and students. This is a partially home-based project bridging learning environments and expectations from home to school.  

At Davidson Academy, we are deeply committed to fostering interdisciplinary learning experiences that align with the mission and vision of our STEAM program. An engaging experiment that displays this commitment is the Sugar Shake experiment conducted in our 6th grade science class as part of the "Will a Mountain Last Forever?" lesson. This experiment not only integrates all the disciplines of STEAM but also reinforces our belief in hands-on, experiential learning. By using sugar cubes to simulate erosion, students actively engage in the scientific process of observation, hypothesis testing, and data analysis. Through this activity, students not only grasp fundamental concepts of geology and environmental science but also develop critical thinking skills as they explore the effects of varying factors such as the duration and intensity of shaking on erosion rates. By participating in experiments like the Sugar Shake, students not only gain a deeper understanding of scientific principles but also cultivate a passion for inquiry and discovery, reflecting the core values of our school and STEAM program.

The engagement of learners, families, and educators in the purpose and work of our STEAM program is evident through various initiatives, including the recent recycled mosaic project undertaken by our 7th grade students. This project not only aligned with our desire to promote sustainability and creativity but also fostered a sense of connection to our values and norms. By using recycled materials to create art, students were encouraged to think critically about environmental issues such as plastic pollution and the importance of recycling and upcycling. Through internet research and visual references, learners demonstrated their commitment to understanding real-world problems and finding creative solutions. Additionally, the use of woodworking tools and techniques, alongside ancient mosaic art forms, reflected our belief in interdisciplinary learning and hands-on exploration. The active involvement of families and educators in supporting students throughout this project further illustrates our school community's alignment with the mission and vision of our STEAM program. Overall, activities like the recycled mosaic project serve as tangible evidence of D.A.'s commitment to fostering a culture of innovation, sustainability, and creative problem-solving.

In Grades 6-8, students can choose Robotics as an elective. Davidson Academy uses Vex Robotics as a portion of our Robotics program. By familiarizing students with programming, sensors, and automation, they hone critical computational thinking skills needed to succeed in both the 21st century's workforce and in everyday life. Beyond science and engineering principles, VEX Robotics solutions encourage creativity, teamwork, leadership, passion, and problem-solving among groups.

High school students have the opportunity to enroll in a Web Design course that lends itself to many future STEAM careers. Students learn the HTML and CSS coding languages to create and maintain a basic website. In addition to learning these web-based coding languages, throughout the course students also develop their own multi-page website on a topic of their choice by incorporating what they have learned in this course while following best-practice web design standards. Students follow a planning process throughout the course while working on their personal project. After choosing a topic for their website, students consider their target audience and creatively design an interface that meets the needs of that audience by using wireframes to draw out their web pages and then build them with code. Students use frequent feedback from the instructor and their peers as they build their website to ensure accuracy, user-friendliness, and consistency throughout the website. A final presentation of their website is made to the class to showcase their work and explain the design choices that were made.

In Davidson Academy's World History class, students explore the development of early human civilizations. Through engaging discussions, they identify five essential characteristics of a thriving civilization: specialized workers, advanced city planning, innovative technology, record keeping, and complex institutions. With this foundation, students embark on an exciting project to create their own civilization.

Working in groups of three to four peers, students collaborate to name their civilization and define its unique culture. A key requirement is that their civilization must be located near a freshwater source, as access to water is vital for survival and growth. Once these foundational decisions are made, the creative process begins.

Each group designs their civilization, ensuring it incorporates the five key characteristics. After completing their designs, students present their civilizations to the class. During these presentations, they explain how their creations align with the criteria for a successful civilization.

While one group presents, classmates take notes and later vote on whether they would want to live in that civilization. To add a fun twist, students also decide if their group’s civilization would be an ally or an enemy to those created by their peers. This element introduces the concept of early trade and bartering systems, deepening their understanding of historical alliances and conflicts.