Pacific Beach Elementary students let off STEAM at community event

Last month, more than 250 students, parents, and community members participated in a STEAM science night at Pacific Beach Elementary School. The event was free and welcomed the entire community to an evening of hands-on interactive STEAM activities provided by the Fleet Science Center.

STEAM is an acronym for science, technology, engineering, art, and math. It’s an integrated approach to learning that encourages students to think more broadly about real-world problems. This instructional approach helps students to ask questions, problem-solve, and develop innovative and creative thinking strategies.

“STEAM will move kids to those ‘Ah, now I get it’ and ‘OK, now I see how that works’ moments in their learning. It was a real-life opportunity to watch our students ‘connect the dots’ in their science learning,” said parent and PTO co-president Kerry Farrar.

Funded by Friends of Pacific Beach Elementary School, the event brought students, families, and community members together for an opportunity to explore and engage in the amazing ways that science impacts our everyday lives. The 10 interactive STEAM activities included learning about gravity, kinetic energy, conservation of energy, movement and friction, and buoyancy.

In addition to the Fleet Science Center, student volunteers from the Mission Bay High robotics team set up a special robotic station. And Boy Scout Troop 246 hosted a Pinewood Derby track.

“We have definite plans to capitalize on the excitement and success of May’s science night and host two more science evenings next school year,” added Farrar.