STEAM adds art and design to STEM. Both highlight fields that shape our world through innovation and discovery. National STEM/STEAM Day celebrates these important subjects and encourages students of all ages to explore them.
When is National STEM/STEAM Day?
National STEM/STEAM Day is celebrated on November 8th. This date was chosen to inspire students at the start of a new school year.
Why is STEM/STEAM education important?
There are many reasons why STEM/STEAM education matters:
- Critical thinking skills: Solving real-world problems requires analyzing information and designing solutions. STEM develops vital critical thinking abilities.
- Innovation: STEM fields lead to new scientific breakthroughs, technologies, and creative works. STEM lays the foundation for innovation.
- Career opportunities: STEM skills are extremely valuable for indemand careers. Expanding STEM education prepares youth for the jobs of the future.
- Economic growth: Research shows that STEM education strongly correlates with a country’s economic prosperity. Educating future generations in these fields fuels economic growth.
- Addressing global challenges: From climate change to public health crises, many of the world’s greatest challenges involve STEM/STEAM fields. Educating youth in these areas will help address these pressing issues.
How to celebrate National STEM/STEAM Day
There are many fun ways for students, parents and teachers to celebrate this special day. Here are some ideas:
For students:
- Conduct a science experiment at home
- Build something new with Legos or blocks
- Design artwork on a computer
- Learn coding or robotics
- Visit a science museum (virtual or in-person)
- Watch an educational STEM documentary or movie
For parents:
- Do a STEM/STEAM activity with your child
- Tour a local university’s engineering or science labs
- Take your child to see a movie with science, math or technology themes
- Introduce your child to someone working in a STEM/STEAM field
- Encourage artistic hobbies that use design and creativity
For teachers:
- Lead specially-themed STEM/STEAM lessons in class
- Organize a school assembly with STEM/STEAM guest speakers
- Arrange a class field trip to a science museum or tech company
- Start an after-school STEM/STEAM club for interested students
- Display STEM/STEAM projects completed by students
The key is making STEM/STEAM fun, engaging, and accessible to youth of all backgrounds. Getting kids excited about these fields early will inspire innovation for decades to come.
The future of STEM/STEAM
The future is bright for STEM/STEAM in education. Here are some trends in this space:
- New technologies like 3D printing, robotics and virtual reality are making their way into more classrooms
- Early STEM/STEAM education is expanding in elementary schools
- Universities are enhancing partnerships with K-12 districts to align STEM curriculums
- Many schools now integrate computer science as part of graduation requirements
- Colleges are breaking down barriers between STEM/STEAM silos to promote interdisciplinary learning
- Online courses and remote labs are increasing access to high-quality STEM/STEAM learning
With growing emphasis on hands-on education and real-world skills, STEM/STEAM fields will become integral across all academic levels. Students today are the innovators, creators and pioneers of tomorrow.
National STEM/STEAM Day celebrates this bright future and the emerging generations who will shape it.
Mentis Sciences is a leading ed-tech provider of virtual labs for college STEM courses. Its interactive simulations help universities engage students through remote experiential learning. By promoting lab accessibility and scalability, Mentis enables institutions to educate and inspire the next generation of innovators
