“STEAM Day” is an event organized by science and math teacher Ms. Alexandra Surdel and biology teacher Mrs. Tashia Lewis designed to have Upper School students inspire younger students’ interest and excitement in the fields of science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics.
The day consists of lower and middle school students visiting the Upper School to learn about STEM subjects and the arts.
STEAM Day transformed the community room. Different classes set up presentations about high school topics like Calculus and Chemistry. Presentations comprised a variety of topics: roasting marshmallows with light, calculating the volume of balloons, and more. The day consisted of four blocks of 75-minute sessions.
During each session, Lower and Middle school students visit all the stations for 30 minutes at a time, interacting with Upper School students. For many students in STEAM classes, this was seen as the culmination of everything they had learned in their respective courses. STEAM day was a day of learning, academic discussion, and a method for students to showcase their talents.
According to math teacher Mr. Jeremy Fus, “STEAM day was a great experience for the middle and lower school students to learn from upper school students, and it was a good way for upper school students to engage with the community.”
STEAM Day is a great example of how Haverford inspires and motivates younger students.
Mr. Fus’s Honors Calculus class was tasked with describing topics at three different levels, similar to the 5 levels of explanation series by WIRED. Using this method, lower schoolers were able to unpack and understand complex mathematical topics such as differentiation and integration. Teaching lower and middle school students about these topics helped reinforce understanding while studying for final exams. Another benefit of STEAM day is the mix between upper and lower school students, fostering brotherhood in the classroom.
STEAM Day is a great example of how Haverford inspires and motivates younger students.
