INTEGRATED CURRICULUM (STEM, STEAM, STREAM & STEMIE)

INTRODUCTION

The Integrated Curriculum-- STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics), STEAM (adding Arts), STREAM (adding Reading) and STEMIE (adding Inclusion & Equity) is a fusion of different disciplines in order to help children learn to think creatively, experiment, and solve problems in an integrated way in early childhood by allowing children to explore the world playfully and through inquiry and creative expression (Carly and Adam, 2022).

IMPORTANCE

This direction stimulates creativity through an interdisciplinary practice and unrestrictive exploration. The children are facilitated to ask questions, design, test, modify, and reflect which are processes important to innovation. With integrated curricula, creativity is an inherent effect of collaborator, hands-on interaction with real world phenomena in many domains (Carly and Adam, 2022).

CREATIVITY THEORIES & PERSPECTIVES

The sociocultural constructivism that is laid out by Vygotsky focuses on the social scaffolding, collaboration, guided play and imagination as essential elements of creative thinking. Integrated curriculum places a child as an active co-builder of knowledge.
The A‑E Framework of Children Creativity (Agency, curiosity, connection, daring, Experimenting + focus) provides a framework to monitor the manifestation of creativity to interact during STEM learning, particularly in online and Face-to-face situations.
STEAM and innovation models posit that arts can be used to introduce divergent thinking, creative design, and enable equitable and inclusive teaching and learning activities and processes in STEM.

(Howard & Mayesky, 2022).

THINGS TO ENGAGE CHILDREN

RESOURCES

The open-ended play stations, sensory bins, blocks, recycled items, magnifying glasses, light table, books, natural materias and the art materials (Carly and Adam, 2022).

MATERIALS

The materials may include craft supplies (foil, paper, paint), construction materials (cardboard, straws, clay), natural objects (leaves, shells, stones), sensory materials (water, sand), musical instruments, recycled packaging, building toys (Carly and Adam, 2022).

DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES

Digital manipulatives like tablets with drawing or coding programs (e.g. Bee-Bots), video cameras, digital microscopes, digital voice-recorders, computer animations to record and retell stories (Carly and Adam, 2022).

LEARNING EXPERIENCES BY AGE

0-2 YEARS

1. Light & Shadow Exploration (STEAM): The children can manipulate translucent materials, blocks and colored filters using a light table. Teachers describe and demonstrate the invention of a shadow, stimulate sense perception and creative curiosity by means of forms and textures.

2. Water Tray Discovery (STEAM): Children pour liquid and splash colors of water into a tray that has cups and spoons. They are also trying out flow, volume and agent-cause, contributing to agency of senses and primer scientific concepts. The teachers note and co-play.

(Veziroglu-Celik et al., 2025).

2-3 YEARS

1. Ball and Ramp Inquiries (STEMIE): Toddlers also used to roll balls off of tubes made into ramps. They play with speed, angle and height, with the issues of gravity and movement, predictability. Educators encourage questioning and trial and error.

2. Loose-Part Construction (STEMIE): Blocks, loose, natural, materials, and art supplies are used by the kids to construct simple towers or nests. They experiment and archive equilibrium, reformulate designs, and exercise an aesthetic decision-making ability- a combination of STEMIE and design.

(Garvis et al., 2024).

3-5 YEARS

1. Foil Boat Challenge (STEM): During the preschool period, students create their foil boats to be able to transport tiny weights over a body of water. They envision, invent, experiment and work out. They combine science, engineering, and art with storytelling about their design using artistic decoration.

2. Magnet Maze Art (STEM): The children draw their own maze plates, use the magnetic wands to guide pieces through the walls, and then create their maze history by drawing about it. This is a combination of magnetism (science), planning (engineering), artwork (drawing) and literacy (storytelling).

(Clarke, 2024).

6-8 YEARS

1. Wind-Powered Machine Build (STREAM): At this challenge, teams create models of wind-mills with the aid of recycled materials. They are reading instructions, drawing diagrams, and assembling, testing it against a fan, and optimizing. They produce or deliver a science-engineering-reading-art wind story using a collaboration of discipline and additional writing.

2. Bug Hotel Design (STREAM): Children find out about local insects, plan hotel layouts on paper, make models out of natural and waste materials, label habitats and report on their study.

(ACARA, 2025).

DIGITAL EVIDENCE

CRITICAL REFLECTION & EVALUATION

I am stimulating creative thoughts by using visual thinking, by playing and experimenting with materials directly. This kind of practice results in more open-ended experiences that are multilayered and promote integrated learning. Moreover, I exhibit a spirit of inquiry, creativity, and persistence and I consider ambiguity and errors as a way of development. I also develop responsive and inclusive classrooms as part of the STEMIE framework where I treat the voices of all learners with respect. However, through inquiry in the form of a project I respond to authentic and meaningful problems in the classroom by encouraging reflection, exploration, and collaboration of the students through project based inquiry.

(Howard & Mayesky, 2022; Carly and Adam, 2022).

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