What is STEAM?

STEAM Education focuses on integrating each element (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art & Design, and Mathematics into highly engaging projects that not only address our California Standards, but prepare students with the skills necessary for college and careers of the future. Students in our high-level STEAM school will work actively to solve problems, take ownership of their learning, and apply content in real-world contexts.

Santiago STEAM Magnet will focus on High Quality Project Based Learning to drive instruction throughout the day.

Project Based Learning is a teaching method in which students gain knowledge and skills by working for an extended period of time to investigate and respond to an authentic, engaging and complex question, problem, or challenge. In Gold Standard PBL, projects are focused on student learning goals and include Essential Project Design Elements:

• Key Knowledge, Understanding, and Success Skills - The project is focused on student learning goals, including standards-based content and skills such as critical thinking/problem solving, communication, collaboration, and self-management.
• Challenging Problem or Question - The project is framed by a meaningful problem to solve or a question to answer, at the appropriate level of challenge.
• Sustained Inquiry - Students engage in a rigorous, extended process of asking questions, finding resources, and applying information.
• Authenticity - The project features real-world context, tasks and tools, quality standards, or impact – or speaks to students’ personal concerns, interests, and issues in their lives.
• Student Voice & Choice - Students make some decisions about the project, including how they work and what they create.
• Reflection - Students and teachers reflect on learning, the effectiveness of their inquiry and project activities, the quality of student work, obstacles and how to overcome them.
• Critique & Revision - Students give, receive, and use feedback to improve their process and products.
• Public Product - Students make their project work public by explaining, displaying and/or presenting it to people beyond the classroom.

*From PBLWorks.org

Unit One

Big Idea:  My Place In The World

Driving Question:  What Do I Need From My World To Survive?

Project Storyline:  Kinder students are naturally curious about the world around them.  They love learning about animals and plants; they discover that they ARE an animal and so have the same survival needs.  They explore how they have grown from a baby to a kinder because of their parents helping them get what they need to survive.  

Students use observations to describe patterns of what plants and animals (including humans) need to survive.  Students will also begin to realize that humans depend on natural systems to survive (interdependence).  They are also learning about the foundations of literacy, so they begin to understand book features, concepts of print, and how we share our ideas by writing them on paper and assembling our big book.

Final Deliverables:

-Class Big Book that features individual student pages

-The Living Song- performed at Ignite Night with projects 1 and 2

---

Unit Two

Big Idea:  My Place In The World. How do I change the environment to meet my needs?

Driving Question:  How do my choices affect plants and animals?

Project Storyline:  Students have learned (in project 1) what plants and animals (including humans) need to grow and survive.  Through this project they will begin to realize that humans depend on natural systems to survive (interdependence).  Plants, animals, and humans depend on each other for food and shelter.  Humans can make choices to affect or not affect the environment around them.  

Students expand their  understanding of concepts of print.  They learn about features of informational text, and explore the roles of authors and illustrators.  By the end of the project they become authors and illustrators of their own informational book. 

Final Deliverables:

-Individual Student Books, displayed at Ignite Night along with Class Big Book.

-Perform “It is Living Song.”

---

Unit Three

Big Idea: My Place in the World

Driving Question: Why do I observe weather?

Storyline: Students learned in Projects 1 and 2 how humans and animals seek to get the things they need to survive. In order to take shelter from the elements of weather, we need to notice and track weather patterns.  We watch and listen to weather forecasters to find out what the weather will be tomorrow, this week, and next week.  We can keep ourselves comfortable and safe if we observe and track the weather.  

Students begin to describe the weather in qualitative terms (sunny, cloudy, windy, etc) and to record and track weather data. They practice describing the weather and by the end of the project they can deliver their own one-week weather report.

Final Deliverables:

-Students make a video presentation of our class weather chart and a written “script” of one week of weather (icons and labels) and a complete sentence

-Perform: "What’s the Weather?" Song and learn “Check out the Weather” song

---

Unit Four

Big Idea: My Place in the World

Driving Question: How do I use patterns to describe weather? (seasons)

Storyline: In Project 3, students learned to describe weather in qualitative terms (sunny, cloudy, windy, etc) and to record and track weather data. We learn that we watch and listen to weather forecasters to find out what the weather will be tomorrow, this week, and next week.  We can keep ourselves comfortable and safe if we observe and track the weather.   

Now students will begin to notice and record weather quantitatively on a temperature weather graph. They will begin to look closely at seasonal weather patterns and to understand that we can use those predictable patterns to prepare for major weather events (rainstorms, Santa Ana winds, etc.)

Final Deliverables:

-Group 4 Seasons of a Tree Art (with green screen) and group presentation 

-Students learn and perform The Four Seasons Song.

---

Unit Five

Big Idea: My Place In This World 

Driving Question: How am I affected by sunlight?

Storyline: In Projects 3 and 4, students learned about how to observe weather conditions (qualitatively) and temperature (quantitatively).  They learned to record their observations and notice weather patterns (seasons).  Within their study of seasons, they learned about how the earth tilts on its axis toward the sun.  Consequently, we have the most hours of daylight and warmest temperatures in summer and the least in winter. 

In Project 5, students will study the role of the sun (connecting to photosynthesis in project 2) and its effects on living things.  They begin to understand that we rely on the sun for so many things on our earth, but we also need to protect ourselves from its rays.  We can use our observations of the sun to protect ourselves.

Final Deliverables:

-Model of a shelter for an animal (animal made out of UV beads) that will protect it from the effects of sunlight

-Performance of “You Are My Sunshine.”

---

Unit Six

Big Idea:  My Place in the World

Driving Question: How do I make responsible choices?

Storyline: I can make responsible choices to protect natural resources in my world.

In Projects 1 and 2, students learned all about the needs of humans, plants, and animals for growth and survival.  Towards the end of Project 2, they began to explore cause and effect- how all living things are interdependent upon each other for growth and survival.  In Project 6, they will really dive deep into how humans in particular affect other animals and plants- and how we can make responsible choices to protect the things we care about.

Final Deliverables:

-Collaborative model of a project to save resources, with a poster and opinion writing piece 

-Artwork to accompany the song “It’s a Wonderful World.”

---

Unit Seven

Big Idea: My Place in the World

Driving Question: How can I make changes or find solutions?

Storyline: I can change force or direction to affect an object.  

In Project 6 we began to explore cause and effect.  In Project 7 students conduct trials and make observations about forces and motions and how they can affect an object with pushes and pulls-- and different strength levels.

Final Deliverables:

-Students set up a course to rescue an animal (decorated golf ball) from a flood 

-Students must get that golf ball into a cup (at a higher level)

---

Unit Eight

Big Idea: My Place In The World

Driving Question: How can I tell if my change or solution is effective?

Storyline: I can use pushes, pulls, and direction changes to avoid obstacles and get a ball through a maze.

In Project 7 students conducted trials and made observations about forces and motions and how they could affect an object with pushes and pulls-- and different strength levels. 

This work continues in Project 8 as students learn to use force to affect changes in direction. Students collect data to show if their changes were effective, and explain how the final solution works.

Final Deliverables:

-A course to get an animal safely to food while avoiding a predator (with 3 other objects in its path) 

-Write a narrative to describe the animal’s journey through the course 

-Code Ozobots to tell the story of the course 

Unit	Big Idea	Driving Question	Anchoring Phenomenon	Final Deliverable
1	My Place in the Universe	What are the different types of communities and how are they established? How can we create and design a community that is beneficial to the success of all living things?	Communities Look Similar and Different	Build Models and Blueprints of a Community with Green Screen Presentations
2	Communication in the Changing Universe	How can light and sound be used to solve problems with communication over a distance?	Synchronized Fireworks Show	Create codes to communicate messages using light and sound
3	Survival in the Changing Universe:  Survival on Earth - Biomimicry	How can we design a device that provides a solution to a given human problem by mimicking how plants and/or animals use external structures to survive, grow, and/or meet their needs?	Duck and Airplane Clip without Sound Biomimicry without Sound	Students design a device that provides a solution to the given human problem by mimicking how plants and/or animals use external structures to survive, grow, and/or meet their needs

 

Unit	Big Idea	Driving Question	Anchoring Phenomenon	Final Deliverable
1	Our Changing Environment	How is our environment changing and what is our impact?	Glacier National Park Video	TED Talk Podcast Skype/Google Chat- teaching another elementary class Green Screen:       -Recycling      -Composting      -Greenhouse Gases      -Renewable Energy Sources (wind, solar, water)     -Ocean Pollution (plastic pollution)
2	Habitat Biodiversity	How are plants and animals affected by the environment that they live in?	Habitat Flyover Video	Habitat Model
3	Systems & Interactions Within Ecosystems	How do living things interact with and depend on each other in an ecosystem?	Gallery Walk	Pollinator Engineering and Proposal
4	Solving Problems in Our Environment With Technology	How can we use technology to solve problems in our environment?	Ozobots & Scratch Jr.	Junior STEAM Shark Tank

 

Unit	Big Idea	Driving Question	Anchoring Phenomenon	Final Deliverable
1	Creating Community	How and why can groups form?	New Lake Forest Civic Center	Students will present a set of class rules and values (based on evidence from science and history) to Mr. Johnston and any relevant administrators. They will also include an actionable suggestion for improving our school culture.
2	Investigating Balanced and Unbalanced Forces	How can outside influences disrupt the status quo?	Bowers Museum First Californians Basket Weaving	Students will design and build props that use a predictable pattern of movement to artistically emphasize a disruption in the lives of Native Californians. They will perform a spoken word piece that uses their prop, followed by an audience Q&A.
3	Analyzing Patterns in Life	How can humans interact with cycles in nature?	Bowers Museum Plein Air Painting	Students will design (and hopefully plant) indigenous gardens that can withstand the damaging environment of the non-native eucalyptus forest at our school in an attempt to restore indigenous life and beautify the campus for our school community.
4	Innovating Adaptations	How can we advocate for others?	Bowers Museum Cochineal Prints	Students will design and implement a community outreach message to positively impact the survival of a threatened local organism.
5	Mitigating Impacts	How can we mitigate the impacts of events beyond our control?	Tour OCFA Fire Station #19	Students will assess their home, school, or local community for fire risk and use research about existing fire science solutions to propose an actionable suggestion for mitigating the impacts of fire hazards in their chosen area. This could be in the form of community outreach education, physical changes to a space (lightning rod, signage, emergency preparedness and evacuation plans).

 

Unit	Big Idea	Driving Question	Anchoring Phenomenon	Final Deliverable
1	Adaptations in California Regions	What adaptations are needed to survive in each of California’s four regions?	Octopus Video	Given the climate of a specific region, create an animal and plant with the external and internal structures needed to survive in the changing region.    Mock Citizen Science Project?  or Trail Map
2	Earth Systems	How has California’s landscape and people have changed over time?	Rock Layers formation video	Create a children’s book about a rock in California. You will be reading it to your 2nd grade buddy What kind of Rock are you? Where are you located? What could you be used for? Where do you travel through the state? What people do you interact with? This could be a play, a story a comic book.
3	Earth’s Systems	How does erosion affect daily life in California?	Timelapse of Mountain	BOSCH Construction Where would you choose to build in California and why? After a landslide, fire or flood how do you survive/move forward? (teacher examples- clean water, personal belongings, floatation devices for priceless things, compact boulder mover, retractable power cords, human waste disposal, clean food source, temporary housing -Tent. Fire retardant clothing for infants, fire safe bassinets. Medical Kits- Food Supplies via Drones.) Editorial Newspaper- How did you get to California? What was your journey like? Ozobot goes on a trail
4	Energy	Cause and Effect: How do people use energy for daily life?	Nuclear Explosion	Design, Test and Build a Device that converts one form of energy to complete a task.
5	Earth and Human Activity	How do we get and use fuel and energy for transportation and communication?	Candle Car	Create a solution to reduce the impact on Earth using natural resources.

 

Unit	Big Idea	Driving Question	Anchoring Phenomenon	Final Deliverable
1	Water on Earth. Water is a limited resource.	How can we as a community implement improvements in order  protect our limited fresh-water resources?	Desalination Demo	Present a proposal to improve current community practices, restrictions, etc. to implement additional improvements in protecting fresh water resources in a our local water district.
2	Then and Now - Patterns in the Solar System	How are the actions of living things predicted and influenced based on patterns in the Solar System?	Gallery walk Sundials arranged in different ways	Using their knowledge of patterns of  the Solar System, students will design a Day-time Astronomy Event for 1st graders
3	Interactions: Ecosystems and Energy	How can we as environmental stewards advocate for and help protect the biodiversity in our local coastal ecosystems?	Algae Food and Fuel	Create educational material for Crystal Cove State Park (or Back Bay Nature Reserve). Create a call to action (PSA, posters and infographics) to advocate for the protection of our local coastal ecosystems.
4	-People’s influence on natural systems -Structures and functions -Systems	What happens when part of a cycle is changed?	Photo: Plant growth in old lock	Design, organize, produce, build a worm composting unit to reduce amount of trash and to produce fertilizers for sale to help fund school garden.
5	Changing Environment - Cause and Effect	How can we as scientists explain the properties of an oil spill and decide the best method for clean up?	Gulf Coast Oil Spill	Students will create a model and label the various parts of the oil spill, including structure and properties of matter. Students will also design a prototype to solve the problem and will continue to revise their prototype throughout the unit. Additionally, each student will write a CER on oil spills.

 

Unit	Big Idea	Driving Question	Anchoring Phenomenon	Final Deliverable
1	Humans Impact Earth’s Systems	How can humans use energy in Earth’s Systems?	Charity water video	Design something that uses water as an energy source OR Use energy to move water from one location to another
2	Weather Patterns Impact Earth’s Systems	Why is predicting weather useful?	Severe Weather video	Newscast set in an ancient civilization.  Newscast to include a weather forecast and what the civilization should to do prior to the event to affect the outcome (lessen the effects of a drought, etc) - explore what the civilization could do if they could predict weather like we can today.   The newscast should include an editorial, and  a human interest story (historical narrative).
3	Curiosity and questioning create innovation to solve problems.	How does Earth inspire human endeavors?  What real-world problem are you inspired to solve?	Natural phenomena on causes damage / Earthquake creating a wave	Create something that solves a problem.  Include a product pitch to market your device and lure investors.
4	Organisms, their makeup, and their interactions with each other and their environment for survival.	How are living things organized? Organized in ancient civilizations (governments, religions) and as an organism.	Inner Life of a Cell	Create your own nation, with its own government and religious structures to support its values and survival in the world.
5	An organism’s survival depends upon its genetic makeup and the environment in which it lives.	How and why do organisms survive in their environment?	Wolves Change a River (Yellowstone)	Create a model that predicts the genetic variation of an offspring of two parents with different traits.  (Scratch with Punnett Squares).   Create a genetic animal that reproduces offspring that will survive in your civilization.

 

• Uniquely Designed Curriculum
• Flexible Learning Environments
• All Day Kindergarten
• Innovation Lab
• Ignite Nights
• College Field Trips for students and parents
• UnHomework Policy
• School-Wide Mobile Device Program
• Second Step: A Social/Emotional Curriculum Program
• Bloomz: A School-wide Communication App

Yes. Any student who has already Choiced into Santiago, will continue on next year.

Both Serrano Intermediate and El Toro High School have STEAM programs and are working with Santiago and district administration to align our schools to increase each school's program.

If you are part of our SVSUD family and would like to attend Santiago next year, you will need to apply for School Choice between January 4 - 22, 2021.

If SVUSD is not your home district, we do have a process to apply to Santiago. You will need to complete an INTER District Transfer. More information can be found soon on our district's website.

 

If you are interested, please apply. We will make every effort to accept as many students based on space availability. All students who live in Santiago's boundary will have first priority.

While there is always a chance it could change, we are planning to have the same hours we do now. All students will arrive by 8:10am. Learning hours are from 8:15am to 2:20pm.

Santiago STEAM Magnet is school wide. It is for all students, all day.

As a district, all elementary schools have moved to a standards-based reporting system.  There are no more letter grades.  Rubrics based on a four scale system is used.  This system supports the type of project-based learning delivered at Santiago.  Most of the work, including student projects, are scored using a rubric system.

Yes. All teachers at Santiago STEAM Magnet will be provided with ongoing training beginning this school year, over the summer and throughout next school year. Professional development will continue to evolve as new research and best practices are established and become available.

Yes. We have foundational block times for Language Arts and Mathematics.  This is a time that all students are receiving support or enrichment in their specific areas.  Many of our grades mix students during this time to group students with like needs.  We also offer extra intervention support based on assessed needs of all students.

Oxford Prep is not a part of Saddleback Valley Unified School District.  If your home school is Santiago, but you chose to attend Oxford Prep, you can enroll in Santiago.  If you live outside the home boundaries of Santiago, you will need to use the Choice process and do so within the Choice window.