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STEAM

We are cultivating a culture of “Students and Teachers Engaging Active Minds” by providing prekindergarten through 12th grade STEAM challenges that align with the district's Strategic Plan to support student-centered critical thinking, creativity, innovation, problem solving, collaboration and communication.

The challenges culminate with the GISD STEAMposium, an interactive full-day event at the Curtis Culwell Center with a keynote speaker and award ceremony. Participants develop team-work and self-confidence while effectively staying engaged and learning in a STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math) culture.

STEAM framework

The STEAM educational framework is for all disciplines and types of learners with the goal of being more engaging and naturally successful. Students can participate in many different ways.

Engineering iconEngineering

Engineering design challenges engage learners in hands-on, authentic challenges and coordinates with state and national STEM standards.

Robotics iconVEX Robotics and Vex IQ

STEAMletes collaborate, construct and program innovative robots to respond to a new scenario every year using the VEX system.  Teams compete with their robots to score points in competitive matches and skills challenges.

Maker Tank iconMaker Tank

To inspire the next generation of engineers, inventors, and innovators, Maker Tank, a “Shark Tank” style challenge, is designed to showcase student makers exploring new forms and technologies that address real needs. Participants pitch their products utilizing their entrepreneurial skills.

Science Fair iconScience

Students conduct their own investigation to discover the “why” while developing skills to collect and evaluate evidence. District and regional science and engineering fairs as well as STEAMposium's science fair and forensics challenges provide opportunities for students to demonstrate skills and describe their findings.

Coding iconCoding

Coding challenges inspire students to acquire skills necessary to unleash their potential to problem solve through code, words, pictures or numbers. 

Arts iconArts

STEAMletes express wonder and perspective of their world through their design of media in many forms including music, video, animation, and costume design to support STEAM connections.  

Mathematics iconMathematics

Game-based competitions in both digital and traditional formats encourage evaluation, analysis and problem solving to engage the whole family.  

STEAMposium

STEAMposium is an interactive event that brings campus winners from across the district to face off against one another in various science, technology, engineering, art and math challenges for the chance to be crowned districtwide champions. Students qualify for STEAMposium through their campus or other district events such as the Science Fair.

STEAMposium is the area’s largest showcase of student engineers and inventors and features projects from all phases, enlightening seminars, guest speakers and good-hearted fun. The presentation of the STEAMLY Cup—a recreation of the famed Stanley Cup—ends the event each year, awarding the winning schools with a traveling trophy.

STEAMposium 2020

This year's event is April 18.

Challenges 2018

Engineering

Engineering challenges include:

  • Prekindergarten- What Goes Up
  • Kindergarten - Maze
  • Grade 1 - Parachute Challenge
  • Grade 2 - Designing the Big Bad Wolf
  • Grade 3 - Balloon Powered Car
  • Grade 4 - Rubber Band Powered Car
  • Grade 5 - Roller Coaster
  • Grade 6 - Rube Goldberg Machine
  • Grade 7 - Clean Water on the Go
  • Grade 8 - Catapult
  • High school - Trebuchet
Robotics and coding

VEX IQ Robotics challenges are for elementary and middle school students. VEX Robotics challenges are for middle and high school students. 40 spots are open to all VEX IQ and VEX teams on a first come, first serve basis.

Coding challenges include:

  • First Move Chess for elementary students
  • UTD Coding Club Challenge, Dimension U and BB-8 coding maze for elementary and middle school students
  • TI Innovator Coding Club and drone investigations for high school students
Maker Tank

The Maker Tank challenge asks students to explore a need and develop a prototype that addresses it. The product can be a unique invention or improvement on an existing idea. At STEAMposium, students will present their process and pitch their idea to a panel of Maker Tank STEAMvestors.

Science

Science Fair projects from all campuses are showcased at STEAMposium. Students will have the opportunity to present and share their project with the community.

There are also three high school forensic challenges, one of which requires students to obtain evidence using a drone.

Fine Arts

Fine arts challenges include movie trailer, musical score and t-shirt design at all levels. Middle and high school students can also participate in a STEAMpunk cosplay challenge.

Family Fun

Families can join the fun too. We have multiple challenges that do not require any registration such as:

  • Bricks and MiniFigs Brick Derby
  • National Geographic Virtual Reality
  • Dallas Stars STEM Center
  • Digital Scavenger Hunt
  • DimensionU Parents and Teacher Challenge and more

STEAM in the news