In La Petite Academy's early education programs, our STEM-inspired curriculum integrates the core principles of science, technology, engineering, and math throughout classroom areas and daily routines. This connects academic skills to practical real-world applications, so learning becomes meaningful to children's everyday lives.

STEM learning encourages innovation, critical thinking, problem-solving skills, and creativity, resulting in a capable, multi-faceted child. Through STEM, children build the skills necessary to navigate the world around them. Making connections between diverse skills and concepts is the way children learn best.

We all know the classic story of the Three Little Pigs. With STEM, this familiar tale can truly come to life through a variety of learning experiences and discussions.

• Read the story. Offer critical-thinking questions, such as “Why do you think that happened?” (Language Arts)
• Introduce the three types of building materials used by the pigs and discuss their characteristics. (Science)
• In small groups, work together to design and build a pig house. (Engineering)
• Use a variety of tools and materials in the construction of pig houses. (Technology)
• Test the durability of each structure. (Science)
• Chart the outcomes of the durability tests and compare the results. (Math)
• Discuss and hypothesize other ways to build a house to keep the wolf out. (Science/Engineering)
• Create a new collaborative class version of the story, using the children’s ideas. The story can be written with the classroom tablet. (Technology)