STEM Program
Hands-on exploration of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics
Hands-on exploration of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics
The AMSA STEM Program is a weekly enrichment experience designed to ignite curiosity and develop problem-solving skills through hands-on exploration. Every session begins with an expert-led demonstration of a core STEM concept, followed by guided hands-on time where children get to build, experiment, and create under close supervision.
This is not a lecture-based program — it is active, tactile, and deeply engaging. Children leave each session having built something real, discovered something new, and developed confidence in their ability to think like scientists and engineers.
Each session is themed around a different area of science, technology, engineering, or mathematics. Here is a glimpse of what your child will experience throughout the year.
Children peer through real microscopes to explore cells, water organisms, crystals, and plant structures. They learn to prepare slides, adjust focus, and sketch their observations like real scientists.
From constructing bridges that hold weight to designing towers that withstand earthquakes, children learn engineering fundamentals through creative building challenges using everyday and specialty materials.
Using LEGO Education kits, children build machines, vehicles, and structures that incorporate gears, levers, pulleys, and motors. They discover how simple machines work through purposeful, guided construction.
Children explore the solar system, build model rockets, learn about constellations, and investigate the science of space travel. Sessions may include planetarium simulations and moon phase experiments.
Using safe, child-friendly kits, children build simple circuits, light up LEDs, create buzzers, and learn the fundamentals of electricity and conductivity through exciting, hands-on experiments.
From erupting volcanoes to color-changing solutions, children witness the wonder of chemical reactions firsthand. Each experiment is designed to be safe, spectacular, and deeply educational.
Children study ecosystems, conduct soil and water experiments, learn about renewable energy, and explore how living things interact with their environment through observation and experimentation.
Age-appropriate introduction to programming logic and robotics. Children use visual coding tools and simple robot kits to bring their creations to life, developing computational thinking skills.
Each session begins with a 30-minute guided demonstration led by our STEM instructor. Children observe a concept in action, ask questions, and learn the science behind what they are about to do.
For the next 75 minutes, children work individually or in small teams to replicate, modify, and expand on the demonstrated concept. They build models, run experiments, and solve challenges with real materials.
The final 15 minutes are dedicated to sharing discoveries. Children present what they built or learned, celebrate each other's work, and discuss what they would explore further. Many projects go home with them.
The STEM Program is open to all children ages 3 through 12, whether or not they are enrolled in AMSA's core Montessori programs. No prior experience is needed — just curiosity and enthusiasm.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Ages | 3 – 12 years |
| Schedule | Once per week, every Thursday |
| Time | 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM |
| Duration | 2 hours per session |
| Format | 30 min demonstration + 75 min hands-on + 15 min sharing |
| Class Size | Maximum 15 children per session |
| Enrollment | Open to AMSA students and the community |
Whenever possible, children take home their creations — the bridge they engineered, the circuit they built, the rocket they designed. This reinforces learning and gives families a window into what their child accomplished. Every child also receives a STEM journal where they sketch observations, record hypotheses, and document their experiments throughout the year.
"My daughter comes home every Thursday absolutely buzzing with excitement. Last week she built a working circuit, and the week before she was looking at onion cells under a microscope. The STEM Program has transformed how she sees the world — everything is an experiment now!"
— Sarah M., AMSA Parent
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