2020 Poster Sessions
STEAM Tuesdays:
Storming through Traditional STEAM Programming

Intended Audience

Public Libraries, Media Center/School Libraries, Pre-Service Librarians & Library School Students
 

Poster Summary and Objectives

Summer reading programs are one way libraries can help young patrons stay engaged in continuous learning that will prepare them for the new school year. STEAM learning promotes not only reading, but fosters creativity and experimentation, develops observational skills, and engages reluctant readers or those with reading disabilities. STEAM Tuesdays is a new approach to traditional programming, one that is reactive and proactive to a growing need in the community.

During the course of the 8-week summer reading programs in 2018 and 2019, the four-member staff team for the children’s department developed lessons concerning science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics (STEAM). Themes differed between the first and second years, and in total a set of 16 lesson plans were developed. Each STEAM Tuesdays consisted of three parts: vocabulary, activities and/or demonstrations, and a craft. The materials necessary to operate the experiments, demonstrations, and crafts (other consumables) were minimal.

The target audience for STEAM Tuesdays were children who were not participating in organized summer camps or summer school between the ages 6 and 12. Participants learned vocabulary, reviewed topics learned in school, experimented with different materials, and used creativity while building upon STEAM concepts. STEAM Tuesdays provided a setting in which participants learned in a relaxed, non-competitive environment.
STEAM Tuesdays is a replicable programming model, and its elements can be incorporated into any summer reading program theme. STEAM Tuesdays also offered a unique opportunity for staff to expand their understanding of STEAM fields by researching, exploring, and preparing topics for presentation.

Presenters

Clarisa Arguello- Miami-Dade Public Library System

• The presenters have organized and developed curriculum and activities for 16 STEAM Tuesday programs between the 2018 and 2019 summers. Each event had approximately 35-45 attendees between the ages 6-12. Their efforts have created 16 different lesson plans each with vocabulary, activities and/or demonstrations, and a craft.