Catholic Academy of Niagara Falls children interact with sea creatures during a field trip to the Aquarium of Niagara as part of the STREAM program.

One of the goals at Catholic Academy of Niagara Falls is to lay the foundation of STREAM, starting in pre-K, and to prepare them with 21st century skills that will help them be successful in today's world.  

The impact that STREAM implementation has had on students is apparent in the smiles on their faces and in their eagerness to learn from hands-on exploration and activities.

Pre-K teachers at Catholic Academy have implemented and designed an interdisciplinary program that allows their students to engage at an early age and study subjects like space exploration, engineering adventures, and kitchen chemistry.  They also stress the importance of showing students how to make real life connections.

In a recent lesson on ocean creatures, students were able to explore the ocean and its living creatures both inside and outside the classroom. Through the use of iPads, students gathered information on various sea life and learned that God filled the earth's waters with creatures, big and small. 

They then used this information in art class to create their version of the ocean by painting pictures of both ocean creatures and themselves swimming.
Back in their classroom, students engaged in sensory play through a water table that was filled with seashells and different objects giving students the ability to feel the environment in which ocean creatures live.

Students were able to experience what they learned in school during a field trip to the Aquarium of Niagara, where they were able to interact with some sea creatures through the Touch Tank Experience. They applied what they knew when they counted the starfishes' rays and octopus' arms.

It is evident by the enthusiasm students show for learning that Catholic Academy of Niagara Falls is headed in the right direction. It is also apparent to see the many benefits that students will show as they move to each grade level, building on the foundation set in pre-K.