STEAMSPACE: Outdoor Learning Lab

K-12 STEAM education

Expand existing project, program, or initiative (expanding and continuing ongoing, successful work)

STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Math) subjects are important elements of a well-rounded elementary and middle school experience. Many schools are lacking in this area, leaving students to fend for themselves if they are interested in any of these subjects. Some students don’t know they are interested because they have never been exposed to it or been given the chance to try it. This limits their growth mindset and possibilities which then leads to trouble. Children need things to do. They need to be able to use their imagination, their hands to make and build things, work with others to solve a problem and come up with a solution and be proud of themselves for accomplishing goals. Kids need to be kids. This is a vulnerable age to learn and grow and we as a school should provide all we can to give them as many opportunities as possible.

Our Innovation Lab provides the Maker space for hands-on projects with wood, metal, cardboard, and plastic, and incorporates robotics, engineering, coding, digital design, and the use of a variety of computer software and machinery. In these classes, students have the chance to develop their manual dexterity and hand-eye coordination as well as discovering the satisfaction of transforming a raw material into a nicely polished form. Patience and persistence are also key skills honed during this process. With the outdoor learning lab expansion, we are looking to bring the classroom inside out, complete with a steel trellis and retractable awnings, glass retractable walls, additional storage, more equipment, and computer software, rolling tables, and chairs. This expansion would also include a power ceiling grid, and movable workstations. This would lead to creativity and new ideas and has been shown to improve test scores and problem-solving skills. It has also been known to decrease behavioral problems and minimize lack of focus, improving children’s overall health and well-being. Giving the students a space to be creative, try new things and be themselves is what makes Berkeley Hall school special, and we want to give this opportunity to as many students as we can.

Berkeley Hall proudly supports students of all socio-economic backgrounds. We work closely with the Independent School Alliance which serves as a resource for underserved Los Angeles youth and helps racially underrepresented students matriculate into independent schools. Access to this amazing innovation learning lab means that Berkeley Hall students from diverse backgrounds will experience a hands-on approach to learning that they may not otherwise have. This will spark their interest in various fields of STEAM, opening doors for them in the future. 200+ students per year will be preparing for high school, the current job market, and jobs that we cannot predict yet. With exposure to this technology and programming, there are no limits to what these children can do. For LA County, this leads to a more stable workforce, economic viability, and leadership in the technology fields. This project impacts the student, their families, future places of employment, and maybe even the world

Success for a program like this is measured by student involvement and engagement. As educators, we must find ways to engage our students creatively and tap into the many teachable moments we have every day. The number of Innovation Lab projects that are imagined, created, and finished as well as the number of students who engage in this program are our measurements of success. This lab will help our 200+ students develop skills and ideas like goal-setting, hand-eye coordination, design-thinking, collaboration, patience, delayed gratification, and accountability. Over time, we will be able to measure success based on the number of students who leave Berkeley Hall as fearless scholars in the STEAM subjects and pursue those careers.