STEAM in Georgia

Thursday, January 28, ,2016

There has been an increased interest of Georgia school districts in arts programs. In recent years, school leaders used the acronym STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Math) to stress the importance of those subjects. Many now use STEAM to include the arts. Schools are integrating arts into how they teach other subjects.

With this in mind I headed over to Powder Springs Elementary School on Thursday to see the A in STEAM in action. A portion of the teachers at PSES have already been trained to use the arts (which include not just visual arts but musical and performing arts as well) to help teach other subjects and over the next few years the rest of the teaching staff will be trained up as well.

Evan Young (right), Kaylee White and Shaena Wade read a passage from "Rump, the True Story of Rumpelstiltskin" before performing it in front of their class at Powder Springs Elementary School in Powder Springs on Thursday, January 28, 2016.

Evan Young (right), Kaylee White and Shaena Wade read a passage from “Rump, the True Story of Rumpelstiltskin” before performing it in front of their class at Powder Springs Elementary School in Powder Springs on Thursday, January 28, 2016.

Sydney Rodriguez (center) reads a passage from "Rump, the True Story of Rumpelstiltskin" to Jordan Edwards (left) and Jacqueline De La Sancha before performing it in front of their class at Powder Springs Elementary School in Powder Springs on Thursday, January 28, 2016.

Sydney Rodriguez (center) reads a passage from “Rump, the True Story of Rumpelstiltskin” to Jordan Edwards (left) and Jacqueline De La Sancha before performing it in front of their class at Powder Springs Elementary School in Powder Springs on Thursday, January 28, 2016.

Chasity Brown (right) and Trenyce Neal read a passage from "Rump, the True Story of Rumpelstiltskin" before performing it in front of their class at Powder Springs Elementary School in Powder Springs on Thursday, January 28, 2016.

Chasity Brown (right) and Trenyce Neal read a passage from “Rump, the True Story of Rumpelstiltskin” before performing it in front of their class at Powder Springs Elementary School in Powder Springs on Thursday, January 28, 2016.

Derick Moise (right), Lori Echavarrie, Star Ige and Josue Macias work together to draw a bug character during class at Powder Springs Elementary School in Powder Springs on Thursday, January 28, 2016.

Derick Moise (right), Lori Echavarrie, Star Ige and Josue Macias work together to draw a bug character during class at Powder Springs Elementary School in Powder Springs on Thursday, January 28, 2016.

Dequan Gaines (left), Hannah Glasl and Jaylan Watts work together to draw a bug character during class at Powder Springs Elementary School in Powder Springs on Thursday, January 28, 2016.

Dequan Gaines (left), Hannah Glasl and Jaylan Watts work together to draw a bug character during class at Powder Springs Elementary School in Powder Springs on Thursday, January 28, 2016.

Dequan Gaines draws a bug character with the help of his classmates at Powder Springs Elementary School in Powder Springs on Thursday, January 28, 2016.

Dequan Gaines draws a bug character with the help of his classmates at Powder Springs Elementary School in Powder Springs on Thursday, January 28, 2016.

Antar Green (left), Brianna Espinoza, Kathleen Alfaro and Nia Murchison work together to draw a bug character during class at Powder Springs Elementary School in Powder Springs on Thursday, January 28, 2016.

Antar Green (left), Brianna Espinoza, Kathleen Alfaro and Nia Murchison work together to draw a bug character during class at Powder Springs Elementary School in Powder Springs on Thursday, January 28, 2016.

Taiydaum Thompson (center) leads her classmates in counting out the sides of a polygon using drumsticks during class at Powder Springs Elementary School in Powder Springs on Thursday, January 28, 2016.

Taiydaum Thompson (center) leads her classmates in counting out the sides of a polygon using drumsticks during class at Powder Springs Elementary School in Powder Springs on Thursday, January 28, 2016.

Fifth grade teacher Nikki Clotfelter (center) talks with Sean Cobb and the rest of her class about how to use music to help with math problems at Powder Springs Elementary School in Powder Springs on Thursday, January 28, 2016.

Fifth grade teacher Nikki Clotfelter (center) talks with Sean Cobb and the rest of her class about how to use music to help with math problems at Powder Springs Elementary School in Powder Springs on Thursday, January 28, 2016.

Harry Tucker (center) leads his classmates in counting out the sides of a polygon using drumsticks during class at Powder Springs Elementary School in Powder Springs on Thursday, January 28, 2016.

Harry Tucker (center) leads his classmates in counting out the sides of a polygon using drumsticks during class at Powder Springs Elementary School in Powder Springs on Thursday, January 28, 2016.

Ember Correia (right) counts out the sides of a polygon using drumsticks during class at Powder Springs Elementary School in Powder Springs on Thursday, January 28, 2016.

Ember Correia (right) counts out the sides of a polygon using drumsticks during class at Powder Springs Elementary School in Powder Springs on Thursday, January 28, 2016.

Fifth grade teacher Nikki Clotfelter (top left) talks with her class about how artistPaul Klee uses polygons in his paintings at Powder Springs Elementary School in Powder Springs on Thursday, January 28, 2016.

Fifth grade teacher Nikki Clotfelter (top left) talks with her class about how artistPaul Klee uses polygons in his paintings at Powder Springs Elementary School in Powder Springs on Thursday, January 28, 2016.

Joyce Mitchell (right) learns about fractions by drawing different sections of a pizza during a math lab at Powder Springs Elementary School in Powder Springs on Thursday, January 28, 2016.

Joyce Mitchell (right) learns about fractions by drawing different sections of a pizza during a math lab at Powder Springs Elementary School in Powder Springs on Thursday, January 28, 2016.

Brooke Malone teaches her students using example of paintings by artist Piet Mondrian during a math lab at Powder Springs Elementary School in Powder Springs on Thursday, January 28, 2016.

Brooke Malone teaches her students using example of paintings by artist Piet Mondrian during a math lab at Powder Springs Elementary School in Powder Springs on Thursday, January 28, 2016.