STEAM stands for SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, ART & MATHEMATICS. Steam challenges are designed so that students must use critical thinking skills and team work to create innovative solutions to problems in a limited time period. These challenges often use materials that a teacher would have in a classroom. At the Destination Imagination tournaments that happen each year, the STEAM challenges are called Instant Challenges. There are three types of STEAM challenges. There are task based challenges, performance based challenges, and combo or hybrid based challenges that are a mix of both. Typically a group of students work on a challenge together. They use their prior knowledge from practicing structures, performances and their team work and creativity to arrive at solutions for these challenges. STEAM challenges can also be used in the classroom to facilitate project based learning and teamwork. Sometimes STEAM challenges can be found in MakerSpaces. MakerSpaces are often found in libraries on school campuses across the country. Steam Challenges are a fun way for kids to stretch their minds, problem solve, practice teamwork and learn using STEAM principles.
STEAM Challenges 