October 13, 2017, San Jose, Ca: Easterbrook Discovery School (EDS) has opened their brand new STEAM lab for the 2017/2018 school year. The STEAM lab provides four elective course options for the  middle school students: Visual Arts, Engineering, Coding, or Environmental Science in the Moreland Woods.

Classes are multi-age, mixing 6th - 8th grade students for these electives.  Grant funding provided by the Moreland Education Foundation and donations provided by the EDS Parent organization allowed teachers to purchase various supplies, robots, and an X-Carve machine for students to create projects and learn new skills.  

“Our goal is to eventually open the STEAM lab as a lunchtime club for our Kindergarten - 5th grade students, “ said EDS Principal Sherri Vasquez.  “By year two, we would like it to be run like our successful art program by training volunteers on the STEM curriculum and have our amazing parent community keep the lab moving forward.”  

EDS middle school students use part of their class time as a leadership opportunity to work with younger students. For example, while the MEF Pumpkin Patch currently takes place in the Moreland Woods, students in the Environmental Science elective will design and manage STEM-based activities for 1st graders.  In addition, this new STEAM lab has offered opportunities for the building and engineering of cardboard rollercoasters, creating templates for X-Carve laser designs, renaissance and ancient art history curriculum, and much more.

As the STEAM lab expands, the EDS community plans to increase learning opportunities by adding a 3D Printer Package and redesigning the Moreland Woods into a versatile outdoor classroom with such amenities as wireless internet access and seating.  For more information on how you or your company can partner with Moreland to be part of this exciting project, please contact Tanya De La Cruz at [email protected] or 408-874-2912.