Cross-Curricular education allows multiple subject areas to intersect and overlap. Examples include when you have to be able to use math and writing in order to explain your statistical findings, use Engineering to isolate a problem and try to solve it through a design process and through the use of science and technology, or use science to connect with and create art. Below are some examples of how STEAM projects can be utilized by students to understand how they can address the issue of waste management. One main goal of these projects includes bringing about awareness to the problem of waste and how it affects people not just in their communities, but globally. Another goal is to focus on creating solutions to help manage waste in our world today.

Students can use the Engineering Design Process (EDP) to develop various ideas to tackle the waste problem.

Students could conduct a project in which makerspace waste is made visible, thus helping to become aware of how much waste they create themselves. Waste from technology such as a 3D printer, for example, could help them see how waste is generated. They could develop a plan to work on ways to reduce and/or reuse it, eventually putting forth one or more solutions. This can be projected onto the wider world for a real-life application.

Students can also start a series of projects that only use recycled materials in a makerspace. They can also separate makerspace waste into different types, just like separating recycling, to see the difference in materials used and the impact each kind of material can have on waste in the real world.

Learners will strive to reduce waste and bring about awareness of material usage during hands-on STEAM projects that require usage of various kinds of materials. This is a problem that we focus on and practice with our students, attempting to bring awareness to how waste affects the world as a whole.

In the classroom, we can also create a fun project in which students use the EDP to create a new product to replace plastic.

Adam Hart

Students will research statistics on waste management across a range of countries.

Students will do an exercise called “calculate your impact." In this exercise, students will try to figure out how much waste they personally create, how much their family creates, how much their school creates and how much their community creates.

Adam Hart

Students who will create something will plan and design their creation to scale which involves accurate measurements.

Students use reduced waste/awareness of material usage during STEAM projects - in this case art. Teachers can choose to do one or more of these projects with their students:

-Students will create a recycling art project to bring awareness to the waste problem. In this fun and integrated art project, students will repurpose and reuse waste materials.

-Each student can make a poster using Canva or something similar. Posters can talk about problems and solutions for waste management as well as why waste management is so important.

-Students can draw two pictures: one picture can illustrate what the world would look like if waste management continues as it is or gets worse. One picture can illustrate what the planet would look like if better waste management strategies are implemented.

-Students can draw out their ideas of innovative waste management ideas.

-Student can draw pictures of how litter affects animals and plant life.

-Students can design a poster to remind people not to litter.

Students will record and review their findings along the way.

Learners will reflect on the amount of waste they are producing and write a how-to-guide on how to reduce or reuse waste.

Students will write the story behind their artwork as well.

Students will write a blog post about their experience and post it online to raise awareness to this global problem.

Students can do projects related to waste management. For example, observing how organic and inorganic materials decompose. This could include seeing how biodegradable various materials are or creating a composting project. They could also practice recording food and packaging waste in their own school cafeteria, at home or in the greater community. A biofuel project could also be considered, which would entail turning food products and other organic waste into biofuel.

Adam Hart

Students who are creating models or art with recycled materials will view physics at work.

By working on this STEAM project, students will use 21st Century Skills. Students will need to use problem-solving to figure out, for example, how to turn what some would consider garbage from their recycling bins into super cool artwork or to create and improve other solutions using the Engineering Design Process. They will practice and strengthen collaboration skills with other students to create something more epic than they could have done on their own. This collaboration will of course require communication. Also, critical thinking will be employed as students puzzle over how to incorporate subjects such as history or science into an art project - all while using recycled materials. This will be an endeavor that will require creativity as students design something uniquely beautiful and original. Much of the information, media, and tech will require the more left brained areas of study like engineering, math and science. This interdisciplinary, cross disciplinary theme of waste management can combine all subject areas into one overarching project that students can collaborate on for a unique learning experience that will help students to focus on an important issue that can help to develop global awareness and give students a sense of social responsibility.