Shop Subscribe

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Schoolyard Blog | Teacher Resources | School Specialty

Tips and trending topics for the teacher who's always learning

schoolyard-logo
  • Education Essentials
  • Inspiration & Planning
  • Learning Spaces
  • Podcasts
  • Topics
  • Search
  • < Previous post
    Next post >
    Female teacher and students watching scientific experiment chemical reaction in laboratory classroom

    STEAM & STEM

    STEAM Skills in Everyday Life: Examples for the Classroom

    Educators often come up against the argument that the skills and concepts they are teaching in class have no real connection to daily life. When it comes to STEAM concepts, there are a million ways to capture the imagination and interest of students who are probably already using them every day. Give your students an opportunity to learn how STEAM skills and concepts are important for everyone.

    What Are the Most Valuable STEAM Skills?

    Not only are employers looking for employees with an education, but with experience in working with important STEAM skills. Innovators in an increasingly digital world should be entering the workforce with practice in the following valuable STEAM skill areas:

    5 Important STEAM Skills to Teach in School:

    • Problem-Solving
    • Communication
    • Creativity
    • Collaboration
    • Critical Thinking

    STEAM skills have been traditionally linked to the Math, Technology, Science, Art, and Engineering content areas. The incredibly valuable skills in the list above are foundational to those areas of study and will serve students throughout their lives. Regardless of a student’s direction in career or hobby, STEAM skills will benefit their ability to make data-driven decisions and work through challenges.

    5 Everyday Life Examples of Ways to Use STEAM Skills:

    These simple, real-life scenarios may provide your students with a little background and reinforce their motivation to learn more about and understand the practical value of STEAM skills they are practicing in the classroom.

    Give students the following examples and then ask them to brainstorm a personal example of a time they used each of these STEAM skills in everyday life.

    Problem Solving:

    Problem-solving requires a student to quickly make sense of an issue by analyzing all the factors involved. Then, their goal is to use the analysis to propose appropriate solutions.

    Example: You are hungry and you’ve run out of your go-to snacks.

    You might decide to just wait until dinner, or you might decide to problem-solve. First, you consider the last time you ate and what you had. This helps you gauge how hungry you are and what type of snack you’ll need to tide you over. Then, you’ll take a look at what’s available for you to choose from.

    Taking into consideration your hunger levels and the available options, you choose a snack that resolves your hunger even though your favorite snack is not available. Problem solved!

    Communication:

    Communication requires you to share information with another person or group of people using the most effective method and language.

    Example: You want to visit a friend’s house, but your parents aren’t home to ask.

    You might decide that since you can’t ask them directly you will simply stay home, or you might find the most effective way to communicate your wish to visit a friend despite the complications. There are several things to consider based on your relationship with your parents and the expectations they have set for your communication. You might write them a note for them to read when they get home. You might wait until you get home to tell them where you were. You might also call their cell and speak with them or leave a message.

    Taking into consideration the fact that your parents don’t like you to leave without speaking to them, you decide it would be most effective to call them and ask for permission to visit your friend. Communication success!

    Creativity:

    Growing creative skills or thinking outside of the box requires experimentation and learning from successes and failures.

    Example: You want to paint your bedroom but you can’t tell if you’ll like the color you chose.

    You might decide to wait and see what the room looks like when you’re done, or you might find a creative way to get a better idea. You have a variety of tools at your disposal, so you decide to use your artistic skills to find out what the paint color will look like in your space.

    Using your cellphone camera, you take a picture of your bedroom. Then you upload it onto your computer and use an image editing software to replace the current wall color in the photo with one more similar to your new color. Using that image, you can make a more informed decision. That’s a creative, outside-the-box way to think through a challenge.

    Collaboration:

    Collaboration requires individuals to communicate and operate as a part of a cohesive team to complete a project or solve a problem.

    Example: You were assigned a group project in science class.

    Between yourself and 3-4 other classmates, you have to research a topic, write a paper, and present your findings to the rest of the class. Between the members of the group, you have to consider each person’s strengths, interests, and time management skills to assign out the tasks. It’s important that all of the tasks happen in the correct order and that they are completed on schedule.

    You sit down and have a meeting where everyone shares their preferred task and how much time they have to commit to the project. Because the workload was evenly distributed and everyone communicated effectively, the project received an A. Successful collaboration!

    Critical Thinking:

    Critical thinking requires the use of analysis to synthesize information and make objective, data-driven decisions.

    Example: You are helping your friend pack up their belongings to move to a new house.

    When you’re packing, you have to consider time constraints, how many items you have to pack, the size, shape, and weight of those items, and many other factors.

    You take all of those factors and conclude how much time and how many boxes you’ll need. The packing process was more efficient and successful because you analyzed all the observable factors and made data-driven decisions.

    More STEAM Ideas & Activities for the Classroom

    If you’re looking for more ways to engage students in STEAM learning or the development of 21st-century skills, be sure to visit the STEAM & STEM category page to see what’s new. You’ll find lesson plans, must-have tool suggestions, and more.

    Head over to the online store to shop from thousands of high-quality STEAM education curriculum products and tools. You’re sure to find whatever you need to engage your students and foster a lifelong love of learning.


    Tagged With: Professional Development - STEM/STEAM

    Comments

    1. Agboegba E. ThankGod says

      at

      Definitely, we use STEAM approach in day to day activities and decision making.

      Reply
    2. Umaren Constance says

      at

      STEAM approach is not only applicable in the classroom but also in our everyday lives. How we think, solve challenges, interact with people around us should reflect STEAM learning.

      Reply
    3. Alika Joseph says

      at

      The use of STEAM in our teaching and learning process is essential to the overall development of the curriculum of our educational services.

      Reply
    4. Solomon Itsoghole says

      at

      While many people must have unconsciously applied the STEAM approach to enquiring, analyzing, and solving problems of their daily life at home, the relevance of the STEAM skills of problem-solving, communication, creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking which cannot be over-emphasized in the modern and dynamic sphere of the workplace should consciously be pedagogized in schools. It should be the foundation of every curriculum build-up.

      Reply
      • Ebhojieaye Augusta says

        at

        The skills acquired in STEAM is very useful in our daily life, for example the critical thinking abilities will help in taking decision while with collaboration we can perform better in our work place.

        Reply
    5. Ebhojieaye Augusta says

      at

      The skills acquired in STEAM is very useful in our daily life, for example the critical thinking abilities will help in taking decision while with collaboration we can perform better in our work place.

      Reply
    6. Blessing Omokegbia says

      at

      When we incorporate problem-solving, communication, creativity, collaboration and critical thinking into our everyday life. We make progress steadily

      Reply
    7. ATSENUWA BEAUTY says

      at

      TEAM Skills benefits both the facilitators and the learners.
      Education becomes more participative and interesting as the STEAM skills are applied in the classroom.
      Everyday life challenges are incorporated into learning process to create a more critical thinking approach in problems solving for learners

      Reply
    8. Ekhafe funmilayo mary ann says

      at

      Steam skills are applicable in our everyday life experience in solving challenging problems. Actually steam skills makes one go through day to day life challenges effortlessly

      Reply
    9. Achomuba Faith says

      at

      Steam education is a broad concept that helps both teachers and most especially the learners acquire knowledge to plan and execute a particular task

      Reply
    10. IRUEDO ESTHER says

      at

      Steam skills such as problem solving, communication, creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking are a rear tools in handling the challenges we come across in our daily life.

      Reply
    11. Gloria Eyafimoni says

      at

      When we work together as a team we can achieve a better goal in what ever we do i.e is collaboration. With STEAM we can achieve a lot

      Reply
      • Omokheowa Ahmed Williams says

        at

        The importance of STEAM in our day to day life scenarios can’t be overemphasized.

        Reply
    12. MARVIS AIMIUWU says

      at

      STEAM is not limited to the classroom. We must understand the application of STEAM in our everyday lives. The students must com to see that STEAM is not another new and vague concept but a concept they have been using in their everyday life. when this happens they can apply STEAM in their subjects and even outside the four walls of the classroom

      Reply
    13. Okunseri Abieyuwa Helen says

      at

      Truly steam teaching can be applied in our everyday life

      Reply
    14. Seb-ikpoza Blandina says

      at

      At one point or the other in life, we all make use of STEAM approach to learning when making decisions.

      Reply
    15. EBIKADE EMMANUEL IMEAYERHEN says

      at

      Well, in the labour market, these STEAM Components are the basic requirements; and the students that have them must surely Excel or successful in any given opportunities they found themselves.

      Reply
    16. Bridget Oseriemen Fidelis says

      at

      STEAM shouldn’t be limited to the classroom, we as teachers must also teach the students to apply it in everyday life.

      Reply
    17. Kingsley Chinedu says

      at

      Creative problem-solving is a crucial component of the STEAM approach to learning. Everyday we come across problems, and we are not to run from the problems rather we are to solve it, and we solve it by engaging critical thinking skills, or get to collaborate with someone else, so as to get the problem solved. By embedding creative problem-solving in the mathematics curriculum through the STEAM approach as a mathematics teacher, will help cultivate critical thinking, enhance students engagement, and develop deeper understanding of mathematical concepts. This doesn’t just only prepare students for academic success, but also equips them with essential skills for the future.

      Reply
    18. Osani Nkechiyenum says

      at

      Steam skills makes our daily routine and career very interesting and it also increases out problem solving skills.It helps us think outside the box and not to be confined to a particular spot.

      Reply
    19. LAWRENCE C says

      at

      Steam is applicable to our everyday activity.Its easy to practice and it’s effective is innovative

      Reply
    20. Inegbedion Princess says

      at

      The quality of leaders and youth 10 years from now will indeed be shaped by how STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) education is approached today.

      Reply
    21. Rachel Uroghome says

      at

      STEAM education help both teacher and learners to be well equipped in and out of the classroom.

      Reply
    22. Osagie Esther says

      at

      Steam education help in problem-solving and critical thinking

      Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Recommended

    Plan Now for Success Next Year

    Inspiration & Planning

    Plan Now for Success Next Year

    How to Create Engaging and Effective STEAM Learning Environments

    STEAM & STEM

    How to Create Engaging and Effective STEAM Learning Environments

    The Schoolyard Podcast S2, E3: From STEM to STEAM, a Conversation with Brooke Brown

    The Schoolyard Podcast

    The Schoolyard Podcast S2, E3: From STEM to STEAM, a Conversation with Brooke Brown

    5 Key Educational Readiness Strategies

    Back to School

    5 Key Educational Readiness Strategies

    Explore The Schoolyard

    Education Essentials

    Inspiration & Planning

    Learning Spaces

     

    TopicsShop Subscribe

    Copyright © 2025 School Specialty, LLC. All rights reserved. Privacy Statement · Social Media Statement · Do Not Sell My Personal Information - CA Resident Only

  • CATEGORIES

    • Education Essentials
    • Inspiration & Planning
    • Learning Spaces
  • TOPICS

    • Arts & Crafts
    • Early Childhood
    • Special Needs
    • Physical Education
    • Educational Technology
    • Student Resources
    • Organization & Storage
    • Classroom Management
    • STEAM & STEM
    • 21st Century Learning
    • Reading & Literacy
    • Healthy Students
    • Teacher Life
    • Back to School
    • Celebrations & Seasons
    • Out of School
    • News
    • Math
    • Science
    • Podcasts
    • Topics
    • Shop
    • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • LinkedIn
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube