EDITOR’S NOTES
I don’t know about you, but fall is my absolute favorite season of
the year. Even in the midst of the falling leaves and the everyday
reminders that winter is coming, there is still a crisp newness in
One of my favorite stories in this issue has got to be the one from
Dee Kimbrell on page 34 with The Bottle Cap: A Connector.
She shares how she connected with one school to make a huge
difference in their community in and through STEAM. The
pictures are stunning and the story is inspirational.
the air. School has started, routines are back in place and there is
And don’t miss our spotlight segments this quarter. In A Recipe
a promise of a better year ahead - of growth and excitement.
for Early Math Success (pg. 18), we see the incredible effects of
That’s also reflected in this quarter’s issue of STEAMed. In this
connecting digital and creative forces. And Making Mental
special edition, I had the incredible honor to interview Sarah
Dougherty, who is the program director for the Turnaround
Arts Program in Des Moines Public Schools, Des Moines, IA
Maps (pg. 14) and Math Meets Cubism (pg. 23) are going to get
you excited to try some new arts integration and STEAM
connections as we kick off the school year.
(pg 28). She candidly opens up about the process to becoming a
As always, thank you for taking some time to read, reflect and
Turnaround Arts school, what makes this effort both successful
connect these ideas for your own classrooms. Together, we can
and challenging and how the arts are integrated with intention
bring the STEAM movement front and center in education.
and integrity. It’s a wonderful insider look at the program and I
was so grateful for the opportunity to share it with you.
Also in this edition, we have several new lesson plans from
Cheers to you - let’s fall into this issue!
Susan M. Riley, Editor
teachers around the country that I think you’re going to love. Be
sure to check out Jean Pelezo’s STEAM lesson on page 9 and
Art to Remember’s ideas for pendulum art starting on page 5.
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