What is STEAM?
Science | Technology | Engineering | Arts | Math
STEAM at Drew
At Drew Charter School, STEAM is not a subject—it's a way of learning that happens every day, PreK through 12th grade. Through interdisciplinary instruction and Project Based Learning, as well as rich enrichment offerings including Film and Media Arts, Engineering, Computer Science, and Harp, students build skills that connect classroom learning to real-world careers. Drew extends STEAM beyond our walls through partnerships with STEAM professionals and hands-on events like STEAM Workshop Day for all levels, as well as internships for our Senior Academy students. Our STEAM Industry Advisory Board further strengthens this work, connecting Drew to community resources, curriculum expertise, and professional networks that keep our approach current and relevant. As the first school to be STEAM Certified by the Georgia Department of Education K-12, Drew was among the earliest schools in the nation to embrace STEAM as an overarching framework for student learning. This approach opens doors for every learner—when a student who thrives in art but struggles in math sees the two subjects paired, a new path to success often emerges.
Central to this work is Drew's Design Process, a hands-on framework students use to tackle real problems across every discipline. Moving through the stages of Brief, Research, Idea Development, Prototyping, and Testing—with ongoing Evaluation and Modification along the way—students learn to define problems, build empathy for users, brainstorm and sketch solutions, create prototypes, and test their ideas with real feedback. This iterative, design-thinking approach gives students a repeatable process for innovation that they carry with them into any subject or challenge.
Project Based Learning (PBL) is one of the primary ways curriculum content comes to life at Drew Charter School, engaging students from PreK through 12th grade in long-term inquiry—typically spanning a year—around real community issues like erosion, the heat island effect, or the impact of speed on local roadways. Using our Design Process, students work through each phase of problem-solving: understanding the issue, conducting research, proposing solutions, and testing their ideas while gathering feedback from community members along the way. PBL is grounded in Georgia Department of Education standards, with Science and Math leading the way, while the Arts, Engineering, and Technology play an equally critical role—solutions to these real-world problems are rarely possible without all of these disciplines working together. Our staff designs each PBL experience based on community needs identified through data, ensuring students tackle issues that matter.
Community partners are woven throughout the PBL journey, giving students access to professional-level research, real-world information, and ongoing feedback on their work. Along the way, students learn about careers connected to their project topic, often simulating the actual work of the professionals in that field. Data also plays a key role in determining the viability of student-proposed solutions, giving students an authentic understanding of what it takes to solve real problems.
Central to this work is Drew's Design Process, a hands-on framework students use to tackle real problems across every discipline. Moving through the stages of Brief, Research, Idea Development, Prototyping, and Testing—with ongoing Evaluation and Modification along the way—students learn to define problems, build empathy for users, brainstorm and sketch solutions, create prototypes, and test their ideas with real feedback. This iterative, design-thinking approach gives students a repeatable process for innovation that they carry with them into any subject or challenge.
Project Based Learning (PBL) is one of the primary ways curriculum content comes to life at Drew Charter School, engaging students from PreK through 12th grade in long-term inquiry—typically spanning a year—around real community issues like erosion, the heat island effect, or the impact of speed on local roadways. Using our Design Process, students work through each phase of problem-solving: understanding the issue, conducting research, proposing solutions, and testing their ideas while gathering feedback from community members along the way. PBL is grounded in Georgia Department of Education standards, with Science and Math leading the way, while the Arts, Engineering, and Technology play an equally critical role—solutions to these real-world problems are rarely possible without all of these disciplines working together. Our staff designs each PBL experience based on community needs identified through data, ensuring students tackle issues that matter.
Community partners are woven throughout the PBL journey, giving students access to professional-level research, real-world information, and ongoing feedback on their work. Along the way, students learn about careers connected to their project topic, often simulating the actual work of the professionals in that field. Data also plays a key role in determining the viability of student-proposed solutions, giving students an authentic understanding of what it takes to solve real problems.