Project ENGIN is a multidisciplinary project to allow students to Engage, Network, Grow, Inspire and Navigate. Students in second and third grade are introduced to STEAM – science, technology, engineering, arts and math – through units aimed increase their content knowledge in coding, robotics, technological literacy and environmental sustainability. The program focuses on students collaborating with peers, teachers and outside partners to develop projects that will improve their retention of STEAM concepts.

Each primary building houses its own ENGIN room, and the students interact with each other and learn via resources such as Makey Makey, Bee-Bots, littleBits, Scratch and Scratch Jr., Lego WeDo 2.0 kits, and Puzzlets.   The district also collaborates with the Children Museum of Pittsburgh, Community of Learners for Arts Education (CLAE), the Carnegie Science Center to enhance our ENGIN curriculum.   The district was named a Pathway Partner in the Carnegie Science Center’s Carnegie STEM Excellence Pathway, which recognizes school districts with a drive to improve STEM education.

Cari Kelm is the district’s STEAM Coordinator -Project ENGIN  and oversees the ENGIN program. Project ENGIN was created with the help of a $20,000 grant awarded through the Allegheny Intermediate Unit’s Center for Creativity and provided by the Chevron Corporation, the Claude Worthington Benedum Foundation and the Grable Foundation.

 

Grant to help Shaler Area initiative garner steam
TribLIVE | Neighborhoods article June 8, 2015