STEAM is not just a teaching method but it is also a mindset. It encourages students to think critically, creatively, and collaboratively while building the kind of perseverance and grit they’ll need for both academic and life success.

Unlike most passing trends, the latest research is supporting STEAM as an effective teaching strategy. Science, tech, engineering, art and math are used as hands-on learning tools to deliver the curriculum – not change it. A STEAM centered classroom looks like hands-on learning, exploration, discussion and guidance. With a few quick and easy tips, teachers can incorporate a STEAM method of teaching and watch their students thrive!

Explore the unique ways to incorporate STEAM into your classroom while reinforcing the essential skills of rigor and perseverance. Whether you teach first grade or high school biology, the goal is the same: help students tackle challenges with confidence and curiosity.

Why STEAM?

Unlike siloed subject teaching, STEAM connects disciplines in a way that mirrors real-world problems. It encourages iterative thinking—trying, failing, rethinking, and trying again. This is where rigor and perseverance naturally emerge. Students learn that there’s rarely one “right answer,” and the process is often just as valuable as the result.

1. What is Design Thinking?

Introduce design thinking as a structured approach to creativity and problem-solving. Students identify a real-world problem they care about, research it, brainstorm solutions, prototype, and test.

What it teaches: This strategy requires deep research (rigor), revision (perseverance), and a strong sense of ownership. It also fosters empathy and inquiry.

Teaching Tips:

• Have students conduct interviews or gather data on a local issue.
• Guide them through the design thinking process: Empathize → Define → Ideate → Prototype → Test.
• Integrate subjects along the way: research skills from ELA, data analysis from math, physical construction from engineering, etc.
• Resource: Stanford d.school K12 Lab – Offers free guides and tools to get started with design thinking.

2. Start a STEAM-Based Failure Journal

Most students are conditioned to avoid failure. In a STEAM-driven classroom, failure is not the end—it’s part of the process. Introduce a Failure Journal where students reflect weekly on what didn’t go as planned, how they adjusted, and what they learned.

What it teaches: Builds resilience, reflective thinking, and a growth mindset.

Teaching Tips:

• Model this by sharing your own teaching “failures” and how you adapted.
• Tie journal entries to current projects, experiments, or creative challenges.
• Celebrate creative risks with a “Fail Forward Friday” routine.

Resource: Mindset Kit by Project for Education Research That Scales (PERTS) – Includes lessons and videos on growth mindset, helpful for this strategy.

3. Use the Arts to Explore Scientific & Mathematical Concepts

Bringing art into STEM deepens understanding and allows students to process abstract concepts in tangible ways. Have students create visual models or performance-based pieces that illustrate scientific or mathematical ideas.

What it teaches: Requires precision, imagination, and abstract thinking. Students must think deeply about the concept before expressing it artistically.

Teaching Tips:

• Use stop-motion animation to explain physics principles.
• Create infographics or scientific zines.
• Choreograph a math dance showing geometric transformations.

Resource: STEAM Powered Family – Great project ideas that blend arts with science and tech.

4. Gamify Long-Term Challenges

Turn complex projects into classroom competitions or collaborative games. Example: Task students with designing a city using sustainable energy (engineering + environmental science + budgeting + public speaking).

What it teaches: Long-term planning, systems thinking, teamwork, and adaptability. Gamification keeps students engaged and willing to push through challenges.

Examples:

• “The City of the Future” challenge where teams present mock city council pitches.
• STEAM Escape Rooms using integrated puzzles from multiple disciplines.Resource: Breakout EDU – STEAM-based “escape room” kits and challenges for all grade levels.

5. Integrate Real-World Experts Through Virtual Connections

Bring in guest speakers from STEAM fields to talk about the obstacles they’ve overcome. This shows students the human side of innovation.

What it teaches: Perseverance isn’t just a school skill—it’s a life skill. Real-world stories help students visualize futures they hadn’t considered.

Try This:

• Partner with local businesses for mini-challenges.
• Use Nepris or CareerVillage to connect students with professionals who can mentor or provide feedback.

Final Thoughts: Shift the Culture

To truly teach perseverance, students need consistent opportunities to wrestle with difficult tasks, fail safely, reflect honestly, and try again. That’s the culture we build through intentional STEAM integration.

STEAM isn’t about adding more content or different content—it’s about deepening understanding and strengthening the way students learn. It is a change in the delivery of the curriculum where students are given the freedom to learn by doing and teachers act as a guide. By giving learners a space where failure is expected and rigor is respected, we prepare them for a world that values not just answers, but the courage to keep asking questions.

More Useful STEAM Resources:

• org – Hands-on engineering activities aligned to standards.
• PBS Learning Media STEAM – Free multimedia lesson plans and resources for all grades.
• Tinkercad – Easy, web-based 3D design and coding platform.
• org – Great for integrating coding into any subject area.
• Exploratorium Educator Resources – Inquiry-based activities across STEAM disciplines

What’s one unique way you’ve brought STEAM to life in your classroom? Let’s build a bank of bold ideas together—drop your favorite project or strategy in the comments below!