STEAM Learning @ ASA
Check out the over 175 submissions from our elementary, middle, and high school students!
Our theme this year is Everything You Can Imagine Is Real. STEAM thinking, tools, and partnerships give us the opportunity to reinvent our world and make it a better place. Join us as we celebrate student creations that envision a better ASA, Paraguay, and the world through unique creations and designs.
We are thrilled to share with you the exciting news that our high school robotics team (FTC Robo Gators 22787) has been selected to compete in the 2023 First Global Challenge in Singapore this coming Oct 7th - 10th, 2023. Our team will represent the country of Paraguay for the 2023 competition. The FIRST Global Challenge is an olympics-style, international robotics competition that takes place in a different country each year. FIRST Global invites each nation to send a team to build and program a robot to compete. Teams work together to complete tasks in a game themed around one of the greatest challenges facing our planet in an effort to foster understanding and cooperation among the youth of the world as they use their abilities to solve the world’s problems. We are so proud of our team for earning this honor and we look forward to support from the community to ensure that they are successful. Well done, Robo Gators!
Check out the over 175 submissions from our elementary, middle, and high school students!
Our theme this year is Everything You Can Imagine Is Real. STEAM thinking, tools, and partnerships give us the opportunity to reinvent our world and make it a better place. Join us as we celebrate student creations that envision a better ASA, Paraguay, and the world through unique creations and designs.
We invite all of our community to support a beautiful STEAM experience that will occur at the Municipal Theater this coming week.
Sounds of the Earth presents its water orchestra with H_Y_DRO Experimental Show. H_Y_DRO Experimental Show is called the unprecedented performance of the H2O Sonidos del Agua Orchestra, which will present new H2O instruments created by Amberé Feliciángeli, using water as the main component. The show, devised by the playwright Paola Irún, will show the evolution of the Orchestra, reinforcing through music, the message of caring for water. The performances will be on June 20 and 21, at the Ignacio A. Pane Municipal Theater (President Franco e/ Chile y Alberdi), at 8:00 p.m. Tickets are purchased on the UTS Network. Watch the teaser video here.
Check out the over 175 submissions from our elementary, middle, and high school students!
Our theme this year is Everything You Can Imagine Is Real. STEAM thinking, tools, and partnerships give us the opportunity to reinvent our world and make it a better place. Join us as we celebrate student creations that envision a better ASA, Paraguay, and the world through unique creations and designs.
This June 2nd and 3rd, the High School Robotics team held an FIRST Tech Challenge workshop and national scrimmage for interested schools in Asuncion and Paraguay. We welcomed 20 students from four different schools on Friday to our Innovation Center where ASA students led a workshop on how to build an FTC robot. Students built robots to be used the next day in a friendly competition. That Saturday, June 3rd, we welcomed over 60 participants to ASA campus for a friendly competition. Students competed using TETRIX, VEX, and EV3 robots in an unofficial FTC competition. We are so proud of all of our participants, coaches, students, and club members who came together to make this happen. ASA is planning another FTC event in November and we hope to see you then!
Check out the over 175 submissions from our elementary, middle, and high school students!
Our theme this year is Everything You Can Imagine Is Real. STEAM thinking, tools, and partnerships give us the opportunity to reinvent our world and make it a better place. Join us as we celebrate student creations that envision a better ASA, Paraguay, and the world through unique creations and designs.
Every year high school students participate in a weekend construction and engineering experience with TECHO. The purpose of TECHO is to provide immediate emergency shelter for impoverished families around Asuncion and Paraguay. These shelters are based on a simple, but solid foundation, and contain a door, windows, and an insulated roof. Student volunteers take their entire weekend to learn how to establish a strong foundation, build the floor of a structure, raise the walls, and put on the roof. The experience this year met with strong winds and rains, causing the students to leave the project unfinished for an entire week. Despite that, our amazing builders returned to the construction site on the following weekend to ensure that the project was fully completed. We are so proud of our engineering volunteers and encourage incoming high school students to consider this as their primary service learning experience for next year.
Check out the over 175 submissions from our elementary, middle, and high school students!
Our theme this year is Everything You Can Imagine Is Real. STEAM thinking, tools, and partnerships give us the opportunity to reinvent our world and make it a better place. Join us as we celebrate student creations that envision a better ASA, Paraguay, and the world through unique creations and designs.
Occurring alongside the STEAM Expo, Art Show, and Tri-M Concert is the FIRST Tech Challenge Robotics Scrimmage. This is high school robotics event is an example of our dedication to pushing the limits of STEAM here in Asuncion. We are once again inviting high school robotics teams to participate in a workshop and friendly scrimmage towards building a stronger and more connected robotics community.
Makerspaces are the core of any maker community and provide students of all ages the ability to turn their dreams into reality through creating, prototyping, and designing. The ASA STEAM Vision is “ASA students will design innovative solutions to 21st-century challenges through collaboration, communication, and creativity.” To make this happen, we ensure that our Makerspace is a flexible and open area where students can come and use tools. But, we also know that it’s not cheap to get high quality materials and tools for students to successfully inker and build. Makerspaces across the LATAM region are quite different in structures and here at ASA we want our Makerspace to truly stand out. Below are images from a successful Makerspace in Guatemala. If you are interested in donating materials or sponsoring our Makerspace to support student dreams, reach out to Nicole.Kennedy@asa.edu.py.
May 18th
STEAM Learning @ ASA
STEAM Expo & Rostros Del Rio
SUBMISSIONS CLOSE TOMORROW!
The 2023 STEAM Expo at ASA will stop accepting student submissions tomorrow. All students in grades 1-12 have until May 19th, 10 pm, to submit their projects. The STEAM Expo will go online from May 29th and judging will take place throughout the week.
HOW THE EXPO WORKS:
Submit your Project: Use the entry template to submit your project. You have until May 19th to tweak or modify it.
Get Inspired: On May 29th, all projects will be posted online. Be sure to check out the Expo and support your fellow young scientists, artists, engineers, and innovators.
Be Recognized: Judging is based on project quality, originality/creativity, and communication. Awards and results will be announced at the end of the week
Online STEAM Expo: https://steamexpo23.asa.edu.py
Expo Submissions Form: https://forms.gle/Ua9SVtbF2JtuimgE7
Friday May 12, Mrs. Barnett invited a guest speaker coming to AP Environmental Science class. Jeff Wong is a filmmaker who discussed his trip down the Rio Paraguay (https://rostrosdelrio.com/). In a once-in-a-lifetime expedition, Henry Maillet and Jeff Wong rowed a handcrafted wooden rowboat down one of the continent's last remaining free-flowing rivers. They traveled over 1,300 km and visited a wide range of riverside communities battling through heavy winds and sudden storms, from the Yshir indigenous peoples of the Pantanal to the metropolitan capital city of Asuncion. In a partnership with WWF, they conducted field research about the local effects of climate change and gathered data spanning the length of the entire country. Through photography and recorded interviews, they explored and documented the rich bio-cultural diversity found along the river's banks, meeting incredible people and learning about the various relationships that people have with the Paraguay River.
May 11th
STEAM Learning @ ASA
STEAM Expo & STEAM/Literacy Summit
SUBMISSIONS CLOSE IN ONE WEEK!
The 2023 STEAM Expo at ASA will stop accepting student submissions in one week. Todos los estudiantes en los grados 1-12 tienen hasta el 19 de mayo a las 10 pm para enviar sus proyectos. La STEAM Expo estará en línea a partir del 29 de mayo y la evaluación se llevará a cabo durante toda la semana.
HOW THE EXPO WORKS:
Submit your Project: Use the entry template to submit your project. You have until May 19th to tweak or modify it.
Get Inspired: On May 29th, all projects will be posted online. Be sure to check out the Expo and support your fellow young scientists, artists, engineers, and innovators.
Be Recognized: Judging is based on project quality, originality/creativity, and communication. Awards and results will be announced at the end of the week
Online STEAM Expo: https://steamexpo23.asa.edu.py
Expo Submissions Form: https://forms.gle/Ua9SVtbF2JtuimgE7
ASA recently hosted a STEAM & Literacy Summit with leaders from ten different bilingual educational institutions present. Dr. Ben Ploeger opened the session with a discussion on the coming impact that artificial intelligence (AI) will have on teaching and learning experiences. The summit participants then heard from Dr. Valentina Canese, head of the languages department at the National University of Asuncion, and Mrs. Lucia Callizo, organizing director of Paraguay’s Museum of Science, discuss their thoughts on the impact of AI on schools and how educators will need to adapt for success. After these opening sessions, summit participants divided into either a STEAM focused workshop or a literacy focused workshop to learn new skills and network. This is one example of ASA building partnerships in the community to ensure that we are both on the cutting edge of learning as well as supporting our sister schools.
May 4th
STEAM Learning @ ASA
STEAM Expo & Uruguay STEAM Conference
Now Accepting Submissions!
The 2023 STEAM Expo at ASA is now open for student submissions. All students in grades 1-12 have until May 19th, 10 pm, to submit their projects. The STEAM Expo will go online from May 29th and judging will take place throughout the week.
HOW THE EXPO WORKS:
Submit your Project: Use the entry template to submit your project. You have until May 19th to tweak or modify it.
Get Inspired: On May 29th, all projects will be posted online. Be sure to check out the Expo and support your fellow young scientists, artists, engineers, and innovators.
Be Recognized: Judging is based on project quality, originality/creativity, and communication. Awards and results will be announced at the end of the week
Online STEAM Expo: https://steamexpo23.asa.edu.py
Expo Submissions Form: https://forms.gle/Ua9SVtbF2JtuimgE7
ASA students recently traveled to Uruguay to participate in the first annual SAAC STEAM conference. The South American Activities Conference (SAAC) is an organization of embassy schools from Argentina, Chile, Brazil, Peru, and Ecuador that regularly host athletic and activity conferences in the region. This is the first year they chose to include a STEAM event, inspired by RoboHack and LatinThinks hosted by ASA for the last two years. Students in this conference were tasked with designing a sustainable and eco-friendly school located in various challenge countries. Students from 5 different participating schools were collaboratively grouped together and worked together to research, design, and present their model for a school. Students also visited an electronics recycling plant, a mechatronics lab, and a chemistry inspired escape room as the local science museum. ASA is proud of our 14 participating students and looks forward to hosting and visiting more conferences like this.
April 27th
STEAM Learning @ ASA
STEAM Expo Historic Highlights & AMISA Educators Conference
Now Accepting Submissions!
The 2023 STEAM Expo at ASA is now open for student submissions. All students in grades 1-12 have until May 19th, 10 pm, to submit their projects. The STEAM Expo will go online from May 29th and judging will take place throughout the week.
HOW THE EXPO WORKS:
Submit your Project: Use the entry template to submit your project. You have until May 19th to tweak or modify it.
Get Inspired: On May 29th, all projects will be posted online. Be sure to check out the Expo and support your fellow young scientists, artists, engineers, and innovators.
Be Recognized: Judging is based on project quality, originality/creativity, and communication. Awards and results will be announced at the end of the week
Online STEAM Expo: https://steamexpo23.asa.edu.py
Expo Submissions Form: https://forms.gle/Ua9SVtbF2JtuimgE7
2022 was the third year of the STEAM Expo at ASA and the first time that we were able to celebrate in person. This year continued with over 100 submissions from students, expanded submissions to all grade levels, and culminated with a physical expo component alongside the Art Shows. During the week of the STEAM Expo, high school students also organized LatinThinks, a virtual design thinking conference that hosted participants from four other international schools in the LATAM region. Check out all the amazing projects here in our historical archive.
Every year ASA teachers participate in the AMISA LATAM Educators Conference as both presenters and leaders. This year several teacher leaders, including Mrs. Ida Avila, Mrs. Katie Barnett, Mr. Dan Tice, and Mrs. Veronica Abente, gave presentations on integrated STEAM and Humanities topics, highlighting ASA’s commitment to 21st century learning. In addition, students Jakob Usandivaras and Ramiro Pascual earned the AMISA Global Citizens award for their efforts and actions promoting STEAM experiences for students in Asuncion and the LATAM region. Next year ASA will be hosting the AMISA Educators Conference. Learn more here!
April 20th
STEAM Learning @ ASA
STEAM Expo Historic Highlights & CCPA AI Workshop
Now Accepting Submissions!
The 2023 STEAM Expo at ASA is now open for student submissions. All students in grades 1-12 have until May 19th, 10 pm, to submit their projects. The STEAM Expo will go online from May 29th and judging will take place throughout the week.
HOW THE EXPO WORKS:
Submit your Project: Use the entry template to submit your project. You have until May 19th to tweak or modify it.
Get Inspired: On May 29th, all projects will be posted online. Be sure to check out the Expo and support your fellow young scientists, artists, engineers, and innovators.
Be Recognized: Judging is based on project quality, originality/creativity, and communication. Awards and results will be announced at the end of the week
Online STEAM Expo: https://steamexpo23.asa.edu.py
Expo Submissions Form: https://forms.gle/Ua9SVtbF2JtuimgE7
2021 was the second year of the STEAM Expo at ASA. That year we celebrate increasing student Expo submission by 300%. In addition to our online projects, we also hosted multiple webinars with students and community leaders to highlight how our students’ project connect with what occurs in the real world. We saw a huge increase in the diversity of projects from all grade levels, including more engineering designs, mathematical investigations, and scientific experiments. Check out all the amazing projects here in our historical archive.
High school students from the STEAM club regularly visit the CCPA school to participate in STEAM focused service learning. This last March, ASA sent a dozen students to visit the CCPA MakerLab and give a workshop on various AI tools. These tools included:
AI Image Generator - https://openart.ai
AI Music Generator - https://experiments.withgoogle.com/ai/drum-machine/view/
How AI Learns - https://teachablemachine.withgoogle.com/
These tools were used to give students an overview of the creative and critical thinking potentials of artificial intelligence. ASA is already on the learning curve of AI in education and has no plans to make a full ban, but instead determine how we can intentionally and holistically use these tools to improve learning. If you’d like to read more about the potential impact of AI on life and education, please read this article from Yuval Harari, author of Sapiens and other award winning anthropology books.
April 13th
STEAM Learning @ ASA
STEAM Expo Historic Highlights & ASA Makerspace Culture
Now Accepting Submissions!
The 2023 STEAM Expo at ASA is now open for student submissions. All students in grades 1-12 have until May 19th, 10 pm, to submit their projects. The STEAM Expo will go online from May 29th and judging will take place throughout the week.
HOW THE EXPO WORKS:
Submit your Project: Use the entry template to submit your project. You have until May 19th to tweak or modify it.
Get Inspired: On May 29th, all projects will be posted online. Be sure to check out the Expo and support your fellow young scientists, artists, engineers, and innovators.
Be Recognized: Judging is based on project quality, originality/creativity, and communication. Awards and results will be announced at the end of the week
Online STEAM Expo: https://steamexpo23.asa.edu.py
Expo Submissions Form: https://forms.gle/Ua9SVtbF2JtuimgE7
2020 was the first year that the STEAM Expo at ASA occurred. That year we celebrated learning from ES maker experiences, MS engineering design projects, and HS robotics and design technology creations. Students submitted game mods, photo manipulations, robotics builds, biology experiment and more. Check out all the amazing projects here in our historical archive.
The STEAM building Makerspace is getting more and more popular with students. Our 3D printer is using printing designs students generate in class or on their own. Our high school robotics team is meeting weekly to plan another FIRST Tech Challenge national scrimmage with schools from around Asuncion. Our high school Engineering Design students are coming in after hours to tinker with their catapults and other creations. Our middle school robotics team is now training 5th graders on how to build and program an EV3 robots. And this is all happening at the same time in the room! This is exactly how an Makerspace should be; a community center, like a library, where students are welcome to come and use resources and materials to turn their visions into a reality. We appreciate all the parent support and encourage you to join us during the STEAM Expo at the end of May to see what it’s all about!
March 30th
STEAM Learning @ ASA
ASA Females Alumni in STEAM & March Mammal Madness
Laura Acevedo a Fulbright-BECAL scholar and graduate from the School of Animal Sciences of Excellence at Texas A&M University. Laura has a degree in Food Science and Technology from the National University of Asunción and was previously a Young Science Ambassador of the American Society of Microbiology. During this time, Laura coordinated events to improve the development of microbiological sciences in Paraguay. Recently, Laura has continued her research on the use of bacteriophage viruses to treat antibiotic resistant infections. We applaud Laura for her past, present, and future contributions to STEAM fields as a female leader.
Every March is the season of college basketball playoffs in the US, commonly called March Madness. To honor this tradition while emphasizing learning about our world, the University of Arizona created March Mammal Madness, a bracket style competition where students select which animals they believe will survive against other animals. March Mammal Madness is an alternate March Madness tournament focusing on simulated combat between mammals. Katie Hinde created March Mammal Madness, using a 64 animal bracket, with the goal of using biological research to create (simulated) battles. Through the leadership of Mrs. Barnett, teachers and AP Environmental Science students are using this as a opportunity to learn about the huge diversity of mammal life on our planet. The slogan of the activity is “If you’re learning, you’re winning!”
March 23rd
STEAM Learning @ ASA
ASA Females Alumni in STEAM & Chemistry Reaction Rates
Maria Peroni is an architect, urban planner, and researcher, trained at the Architecture School of the National University of Asuncion with a Master of Urban Design Architecture from the Harvard Graduate School of Design. Currently she is also a professor of urban planning at the Catholic University of Asuncion. Maria studies and researches the intersection between water resources and urbanism, exploring ways in which water, citizenship and infrastructure are interrelated. Maria has visited ASA multiple times in he past as an alumni to give talks of her experience in urban planning and architecture to interested students. We applaud Maria for her past, present, and future contributions to STEAM fields as a female leader.
10th graders were given the challenge to design an experiment with alka seltzer tablets that would change reaction rates by manipulating one variable according to collision theory. Students modified the variables of temperature, surface area, concentration and catalysts to determine the ideal reaction rate. They measured the rate of reaction by the time it took for the CO2 to build up enough to pop the tops off of old film canisters. They now have an inter class competition for who can make the fastest, strongest reaction by combining all of the factors! Go High School Science!
March 16th
STEAM Learning @ ASA
ASA Females Alumni in STEAM & ASA Collaborative Robotics Club
Ximena Dure is the director and co-founder of MUV, the first app in Paraguay to travel efficiently, safely and with a fixed price. She graduated from Georgetown University in Washington where she studied International Relations with a focus on Science and Technology, as well as a second degree in Development. She describes herself as an impact-oriented entrepreneur seeking to be an agent for social and environmental prosperity. She has experience in the development of projects for sustainability in the Latin American region and is passionate about applying business and technology for good. We applaud Ximena for her past, present, and future contributions to STEAM fields as a female leader.
Every 2nd semester the Makerspace opens its doors in a collaborative way to anyone interested in learning how to build, code, and program robots. This year the club is expanding to both 5th grade students and high school students, evidence of how STEAM learning is an inclusive force for change in the community. Students are welcome to come Tuesday and Thursdays after school from 3:30 - 4:40 to learn how to build EV3 or TETRIX robots. Student leaders set design challenges, such as battle bots, obstacles courses, races, and mazes to encourage and support the building process. This is the 2nd year this collaborative club has been in session and the 5th year in a row that ASA has continued to grow its robotics program. Much appreciation to all the new and returning members who support STEAM @ ASA!
March 9th
STEAM Learning @ ASA
ASA Females Alumni in STEAM & Microscope Collaborations
Natacha Diaz-Meyer is the CEO and co-founder of GENEXT Diagnóstico Molecular, a laboratory that offers genetic and specialized studies. Natacha is a geneticist specializing in molecular biology who studied in the US and brought back with her knowledge and cutting-edge tools to open GENEXT, a pioneering genetics laboratory within the field of personalized medicine. In modern society all the genes of a person can be sequenced; thanks to the work of the Human Genome Project. The scientists working on the project took almost 15 years to sequence a genome, all those 25,000 DNA genes; yet now that can now be done in a few weeks in GENEXT's next-generation labs. A simple blood sample is enough to discover the mystery of how the human body works. Natacha has also visited ASA multiple times to support with science labs and even speak to female high school students interested in STEAM education. We applaud Natacha for her past, present, and future contributions to STEAM fields as a female leader.
Every year students in 6th grade learn how to use microscopes. This year the lesson occurred through a collaboration between Mrs. Schumaker’s classes and Mrs. Lederman’s. 6th grade students came to ASA’s science labs at the top of the STEAM building to look at various specimens under microscopes. Microscopes are essential tools in science as they enable scientists to see and study microscopic organisms and structures that are not visible to the naked eye. Microscopes have revolutionized the way we study biology, chemistry, physics, and many other fields of science.We are so lucky to have amazing teachers that create cool collaboration opportunities like this and dedicated students who take these learning opportunities seriously. Well done 6th graders!
March 2nd
STEAM Learning @ ASA
ASA Female Alumni in STEAM & Chemistry Gas Laws
Lucia Callizo is an ASA graduate and one of the key members of the Paraguayan Museum of Sciences. MuCi (The Museo de Ciencias) is the first interactive science museum in Paraguay. The project is funded by the Peery Foundation, based in Palo Alto, California, with the objectives of hosting a planetarium, an interactive museum space, flexible learning and play spaces, and a place where citizens can all feel proud of scientific advancements. Lucia Callizo is in charge of community outreach for MuCi and actively collaborates with ASA, other local schools, and various community organizations to ensure that Paraguay can continue to grow and develop the kind of scientific mindset needed for success in the future. Contact Lucia Callizo at lucia@muci.org if you are interested in visiting the TatakuaLab, hosting events with MuCi, or donating to the museum to support its efforts. We applaud Lucia for her past, present, and future contributions to STEAM fields as a female leader.
Chemistry students engineered models to demonstrate the properties of gas laws. The three main gas laws tell us the following relationships between pressure, volume, and temperature:
Boyle's Law tells us that the volume of gas increases as the pressure decreases.
Charles' Law tells us that the volume of gas increases as the temperature increases.
Avogadro's Law tells us that the volume of gas increases as the amount of gas increases.
Students had the task of applying the gas laws to a real life scenario. They had the choice to either design a deep sea diver that utilizes Charles' Law, Boyle's Law, Gay-Lussac's Law (taking into account the changes in temperature and pressure in the deep sea - we learned about the Mariana Trench first!) OR they could create a "How Stuff Works" video that explains how a common phenomena occurs that follows one or more of the Gas Laws. (The variables that are at play with these specific laws are Temperature, Pressure and Volume). These videos below are "Why does my shampoo bottle explode sometime when I travel?" or "How does a pressure cooker/Instapot work?" or "How does a hot air balloon work?" These laws are fundamental for applications such as submarines, aeronautics, weather prediction, tidal volume, and any situation related to pressured materials. When students are given opportunities to use the ASA Design Cycle and physically engineer scientific phenomena, they are able to deepen their learning through hands-on trial and error. This sort of learning is what we define as the ASA STEAM Mission, where students “develop engineering, making, and design skills through creative and complex STEAM challenges.” Well done 10th graders!
Feb 23rd
STEAM Learning @ ASA
FIRST LEGO League Robotics & STEAM Bulletin Boards
Over twenty ASA middle and elementary students participated in the annual FIRST LEGO League National Competition this last weekend. Hosted by Espacios de Ser, this annual STEAM competition is an amazing opportunity for students to learn about innovation, robotics, teamwork, engineering, coding, and more. This year there were nearly 30 official competition teams and over a dozen exhibition teams. ASA has been a proud partner of Espacio de Ser and FIRST LEGO League for many years and the 2022/23 season marked our fifth year with a Lego robotics team. This semester, the Collaborative Robotics club will open its doors once again to all high school, middle school, and select 5th graders to continue building a vibrant and passionate STEAM community through robotics.
The STEAM Building finally has bulletin boards! Bulletin boards are commonly used to share classroom projects, community events, and whole school activity updates with students, staff, and parents. Even since the start of the pandemic, the STEAM building has been brick walls without any opportunities to share with the community the amazing things that we do each and every day. Now we can! Check out a few examples from the art, design tech, and science classrooms to see what’s going on. These boards regularly change throughout the year, so don’t hesitate to walk around the STEAM building to find what’s ne
Feb 16th
STEAM Learning @ ASA
BANANA DNA & STEAM SUMMER BOOST!
High school biology students at ASA learn how to extract DNA through a series of mixtures and filtrations. Using bananas or other fruits, the students mashed the material together and then mixed in a salt and detergent solution to further decompose the cellular membrane. A filter was used to remove the solids and the resulting liquid was diluted with alcohol, causing the DNA to settle on the top of the mixture. The DNA was then spooled using a stirring rod and pulled out of the solution to be looked at under a high intensity microscope. Inquiry-based hands-on labs are more relevant, authentic, and engaging for students.
ASA once again hosted a STEAM Summer Boost! Camp for students in elementary and middle school. This weeklong experience focused on developing student skills in creativity, collaboration, and communication as identified in ASA STEAM vision. Students explored topics in math and science, encountered engineering challenges, built Lego EV3 robots, constructive LittleBits circuits, and developed a waterbottle rocket with an attached parachute system. In the future, ASA looks forward to collaborating with the Ben Franklin Science Corner and MuCi (the Museo de Ciencias de Paraguay) to create more opportunities during non-school hours for all students to learn and explore the joys of STEAM subjects.
Feb 9th
STEAM Learning @ ASA
ANIMAL ROBOTS & PARENT DESIGN THINKING WORKSHOP
Last semester, 5th grade students studied the balance of predators and prey by modeling these creations using Lego Wedo Robotics kits. They were studying the essential questions of “What cooperative methods are used by some prey to avoid predators?”, “How can the natural predator/prey relationship be used to provide biological control of pests?”, and “Why is it important to understand the predator/prey relationship?” For this unit, students built, coded, and shared what they learned through several media. They used a choice board to determine how they wanted to share their ideas:
Story - take pictures and video of the lego creation to create a story in Book Creator App
Video - prepare a video in FlipGrid App using the lego models to explain about the animal (prey or predator, habitat)
Slide Presentation - include picture and video of the lego model to explain about their animal created in lego
This project used an inquiry planned model that our STEAM teachers explored during our July in-service training. This is an excellent example of integrated STEAM in action using modern teaching techniques to create authentic performance learning experiences for students.
At the end of semester 2, the STEAM program hosted another parent community workshop to share advances in the STEAM program and solicit parent feedback through a design thinking approach. Parents came together to use the ASA Design Cycle with the goal of generating ideas through divergent and convergent thinking approaches that could improve our STEAM program. Here are some of the key ideas shared:
Kids go once a week to local schools and teacher STEAM workshops to underprivileged students
Staff exchange with all-star STEAM programs elsewhere in the world
Open labs for parents and students
Have Lego building blocks, chess sets, puzzles, etc in the library or mangos for kids who are waiting for sports or to go home
Each semester a parent come on Saturday and take STEAM workshops taught/led by students
Monthly sessions where students share with parents their projects and how they make them
Have math/challenges parent nights where students and parents work together
While these ideas still need to go entirely through the ASA Design Cycle stages of Plan, Create, Reflect and Improve, they help us understand the need for more involvement and participation by all members of the community. We are grateful to all parents who participated in the workshop and look forward to seeing you again in March for a continuation of this series.
Access the slides from the session and compiled notes from the session here.
And, in case you forgot, ASA is now recognized as a STEM School of Excellence!
Dec 15th
STEAM Learning @ ASA
FIRST TECH CHALLENGE & STANDARDS FOR STEAM EDUCATION
This semester, ASA hosted the 4th annual FIRST Tech Challenge National Scrimmage. This event was made possible through collaboration with Poway High School and the CCPA. We are proud to share that of the 8 registered teams, first and second place in the Robot Scrimmage Challenge went to ASA teams, and first place in Robot Performance went to an ASA team. We are so proud of our amazing students, our diverse STEAM community, and our global STEAM partnership. FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) is the world's leading youth-serving nonprofit advancing STEM education and maintains global robotics events for students of all ages. ASA also participates in the FIRST Lego League Explore and Challenge division. The Poway High School Engineering Academy and Pathway allows 9-12 grade students to take Engineering Academy courses for college or university credit side-by-side with an after-school Robotics or Science Olympiad course. The CCPA is an educational organization that promotes language education, the arts, library services, and cultural exchange between the US and Paraguay.
Successful STEM/STEAM learning is composed of several key characteristics that put student learning at the center of all educational experiences. Our accrediting organization, Cognia, has a set of standards for successful STEM/STEAM learning that helps guide us in improving our programs. Each week will we look at one of the standards and the key aspects of it.
STANDARD 10: Learners demonstrate STEM literacy outcomes that prepare them for the next level of learning and work.
STEAM literacy is the ability to apply concepts from science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics to solve problems that cannot be solved using a single discipline. Students at ASA experience this philosophy in the application through multiple approaches. First, all middle school students are enrolled in a STEAM elective course that aims to be the nucleus of their integrated, problem-based units. Second, students in middle and high school regularly have the opportunity to participate in innovation conferences with other international schools where they design interdisciplinary solutions to 21st-century challenges. Finally, all high school students are encouraged and supported in developing their STEAM identity for college and career by completing a STEAM pathway. These three approaches are in addition to clubs, events, guest speakers, trips, community service, and other academic opportunities that provide students with experiences beyond the walls of the classroom.
Dec 8th
STEAM Learning @ ASA
CERRO KOI TRIP & STANDARDS FOR STEAM EDUCATION
Fourth grade scientists learned about Paraguay's unique geological formations, make observations in their science notebooks, and enjoy the native flora and fauna at Monumento Natural Cerro Koi. This is the 3rd time that ASA students have visited this national heritage site as part of their science curriculum. This opportunity for experiential learning shows how we integrate our curriculum with local scientific phenomena. This experience expects that students use their science notebook to make observations on flora, fauna, and natural land formations.
Successful STEM/STEAM learning is composed of several key characteristics that put student learning at the center of all educational experiences. Our accrediting organization, Cognia, has a set of standards for successful STEM/STEAM learning that helps guide us in improving our programs. Each week will we look at one of the standards and the key aspects of it.
STANDARD 9: Learners demonstrate their learning through performance-based assessments and have
opportunities to develop self-assessment and self-monitoring skills.
Performance-based assessments are a regular component of ASA’s STEAM program through maker experiences, engineering challenges, interdisciplinary units, and more. Students have the opportunity to choose how they will create a final outcome for most assessments, such as digital or physical models, as well as give and receive feedback throughout the learning process. Students also have the opportunity to share their creations in multiple formats, such as class presentations, division assemblies, and the annual STEAM Expo. Students who submit their creations to the STEAM Expo are expected to complete a process that develops their metacognitive skills, such as goal setting and self-reflections before they submit their final design. All students who submit to the STEAM Expo receive substantial feedback from a panel of judges as well as recognition awards. The ASA Design Cycle is the predominant framework for the student to systematically develop their inquiry, planning, goal setting, self-monitoring, reflection, and self-assessment skills.
Dec 1st
STEAM Learning @ ASA
STEAM LEARNING IN 5TH GRADE & STANDARDS FOR STEAM EDUCATION
Our amazing elementary teachers are always coming up with novel and exciting ways to learn science, math, technology, art, and engineering through fun and engaging investigations. This includes making dynamic multimedia presentations on how our solar systems works, creating sculptures using natural and organic materials, and developing artistic models of how a sample food chain works. STEAM learning at ASA is all about taking the wonders of our world and creating ways to make meaning of them through experiences that students will remember for years to come. Our elementary school is so fortunate to have teachers that design learning experiences that empower students through creativity, collaboration, and communication. Well done 5th grade team on these memorable investigations.
Successful STEM/STEAM learning is composed of several key characteristics that put student learning at the center of all educational experiences. Our accrediting organization, Cognia, has a set of standards for successful STEM/STEAM learning that helps guide us in improving our programs. Each week will we look at one of the standards and the key aspects of it.
STANDARD 7: Learners engage in self-directed STEM learning guided by professional staff members who are effective facilitators of learning.
At ASA, student self-directed learning is supported institutionally through a clear STEAM vision, alignment of classroom practices, continued development of internal tools to support both teachers and students, and teacher development structures to ensure practices are monitored and improved. The STEAM Vision calls out creativity, collaboration, and communication as the key 21st-century skills to use in developing innovation solutions during classroom assessments. This process is supported through the ASA Design Cycle framework and internal tools derived from the cycle that scaffold student learning to focus on the process, rather than the product. STEAM vertical teams and the STEAM Team committee support teachers with refining internal practices on subject-specific topics as well as whole school integration and alignment goals
Nov 23rd
STEAM Learning @ ASA
MAKING KITES & STANDARDS FOR STEAM EDUCATION
The Makerspace at ASA is combining literacy and STEAM together! Recently the grade 4 Spanish students recently visited the makerspace to build kites as a connection to their literacy project. Students were reading the book “Butterfly Wings” and started a inquiry discussion on how do butterflies and kites fly in the air. Using the ASA Design Cycle, students visited the Makerspace and build kites under the direction of Mr. Cesar Diaz, our design technology expert in middle and high school. Making a physical model of ideas is a great way for students of different learning styles to feel connected to their creations and build STEAM skills at the same time!
Successful STEM/STEAM learning is composed of several key characteristics that put student learning at the center of all educational experiences. Our accrediting organization, Cognia, has a set of standards for successful STEM/STEAM learning that helps guide us in improving our programs. Each week will we look at one of the standards and the key aspects of it.
STANDARD 6: Learners engage collaboratively in authentic inquiry during ongoing units of study.
Collaborative inquiry at ASA occurs both through student-guided inquiry and teacher-guided inquiry. Teacher teams use several models of inquiry (structured, controlled, guided, and free) to support students in developing topics of interest to them that align with the unit's enduring understandings and standards. This occurs through the unit creation stage where all teachers document their essential questions as part of the first stage of the unit. Inquiries are aligned into interdisciplinary units through the use of a school-wise inquiries matrix that supports teachers in identifying overlapping areas of study. Students are supported in their authentic inquiry process through the use of the ASA Design Cycle. The first stage of the cycle, ASK, expects students identify their own questions of interest to guide their study of the topic. This occurs through individual units/labs, through interdisciplinary units, and through every unit in their STEAM electives
Nov 17th
STEAM Learning @ ASA
AP ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE FIELD TRIP & STANDARDS FOR STEAM EDUCATION
Our AP Environment Science students recently took a field trip to explore firsthand concepts explored in the class curriculum. In AP Environment Science, students explore and investigate the interrelationships of the natural world and analyze environmental problems, both natural and human-made. They are required to take part in both laboratory investigations and field work. The course studies the following topics such as ecosystems, biodiversity, land and water use, populations, and energy resources. As a AP course, students are expected to complete a level of academic quality equivalent to a university course. AP Environmental Science is one of ten STEAM AP courses that students have the opportunity to take throughout their high school career. Much appreciation to Mrs. Barnett Rivas for leading the students on this very impactful trip!
Successful STEM/STEAM learning is composed of several key characteristics that put student learning at the center of all educational experiences. Our accrediting organization, Cognia, has a set of standards for successful STEM/STEAM learning that helps guide us in improving our programs. Each week will we look at one of the standards and the key aspects of it.
STANDARD 3: Professional staff members and leaders participate in an ongoing system of STEM-specific professional learning.
This Oct 28th and 29th was the 2022 STEAM Educators Conference. The 2nd annual conference was directly sponsored by AMISA, our regional network, in an effort to expand the regional presence of this initiative as well as align with AMISA’s professional learning strands. This conference boosted registered participation to over 100 members from over 15 different international schools in the Latin American region. The theme this time was to use the Cognia STEM standards as guiding prompts for STEAM Deep Dive sessions. Additionally, there were teacher-led workshops with participant teachers largely coming from the Latin American region, such as Argentina, Peru, Colombia, and Mexico, as well as curriculum consultant companies, such as ITEEA, EiE, Desmos, and the TGR Foundation. Finally, we innovated a Connections Group approach this year to build design-thinking collaboration in teams
Nov 10th
STEAM Learning @ ASA
ASA COLLABORATION WITH CCPA & STANDARDS FOR STEAM EDUCATION
The ASA high school STEAM & Entrepreneurship club members recently visited CCPA as part of a community service trip. The goal of this partnership is to support the CCPA school community develop a STEAM program. Students leaders Jakob Usandivaras and Ramiro Pascual led a 3D modeling and design session with the goal of every participants creating a soma cube. Students explore STEAM topics such as mathematical thinking and 3D design through the AutoCad program of Tinkercad. This partnership highlights ASA’s commitment to developing STEAM education and giving back to our community. Huge appreciation to student leaders Jakob and Ramiro for organizing and implementing this community service project.
Successful STEM/STEAM learning is composed of several key characteristics that put student learning at the center of all educational experiences. Our accrediting organization, Cognia, has a set of standards for successful STEM/STEAM learning that helps guide us in improving our programs. Each week will we look at one of the standards and the key aspects of it.
STANDARD 2: Professional staff members implement high quality STEM courses and curriculum aligned to recognized standards and organized into interdisciplinary frameworks.
ASA regularly uses and updates several key tools to ensure that our curriculum is aligned to adopted standards in interdisciplinary frameworks around real-life problems and challenges. Our STEAM vision specifically calls out that students “design innovative solutions to 21st-century challenges through collaboration, communication, and creativity.” Adopted standards come from the American Education Reaches Out (AERO) program through the Office of Overseas schools. The interdisciplinary framework used is the ASA Design Cycle developed internally through a committee process. Three other internal tools that guide this process are: 1) the Understanding by Design unit planning model, 2) the Curriculum Review Cycle, and 3) the Guiding Standards interactive graphic. This creates a formal, systematic process where courses are aligned to international standards and refined into interdisciplinary units that culminate in problem-based and/or project-based assessments.
Nov 3rd
STEAM Learning @ ASA
FIRST TECH CHALLENGE SCRIMMAGE & STANDARDS FOR STEAM EDUCATION
This November 19th ASA is hosting the 4th annual FTC National scrimmage in collaboration with FIRST and Poway High School. This is a fantastic opportunity for ASA to establish itself as a center of STEAM learning and events for the whole country of Paraguay. On Nov 19th, students will participate in the 4th annual National Scrimmage in ASA's gym with teams from around Paraguay and Poway High School from San Diego, California. High school students are welcome to register for an opportunity to spend a day of robot building using TETRIX robotics and then compete the following day for the national cup!
This is a free experience open to high school students only. This event is a testament to ASA's commitment in building partnerships with local, regional, and global STEM/STEAM leaders.
Successful STEM/STEAM learning is composed of several key characteristics that put student learning at the center of all educational experiences. Our accrediting organization, Cognia, has a set of standards for successful STEM/STEAM learning that helps guide us in improving our programs. Each week will we look at one of the standards and the key aspects of it.
STANDARD 8: Learners benefit from a formal structure of within-school and extracurricular opportunities to extend STEM learning.
Over the past 5 years ASA has continued to plan, implement, evaluate, and improve a series of extracurricular opportunities for students that establish a substantial floor of minimum required STEAM opportunities and a high ceiling of extension opportunities for students looking for more challenges. These include maintaining robotics and math competition opportunities for K-12 students, various other STEAM-centric clubs, STEAM focused collaboration events/conferences with other internationally-minded schools in the LATAM region, and summer camp opportunities to deepen STEAM experiences. These programs are implemented systematically through each division, implemented by qualified instructors and student leaders, regularly evaluated and improved based on participant feedback.
Oct 27th
STEAM Learning @ ASA
FEMALE LEADERS IN STEAM & STANDARDS FOR STEM/STEAM EDUCATION
ASA welcomed Lili Cantero, renowned Paraguayan athletic apparel artist, as part of our Female Leaders in STEAM initiative. Lili Cantero is a young national artist highlighted in the world of football for customizing the boots of some international soccer idols. She joined us in our Makerspace to discuss the dynamic world of design in the sports and fashion industry. While Paraguay may not be going to the World Cup, the artwork of Lili Cantero will be there to represent Paraguay and this incredible individual. The purpose of the Female Leaders in STEAM initiative is to expose our young ladies to positive STEAM role models who are shaping the world according to their values and beliefs. We applaud Lili for coming to ASA and making a difference in our community!
Successful STEM/STEAM learning is composed of several key characteristics that put student learning at the center of all educational experiences. Our accrediting organization, Cognia, has a set of standards for successful STEM/STEAM learning that helps guide us in improving our programs. Each week will we look at one of the standards and the key aspects of it.
STANDARD 5: Leaders ensure that all stakeholders have ongoing opportunities to access information and learn about STEM implementation.
The more ASA parents knows about our STEAM program, the more empowered we are as a community to support our students reach greater heights. All key information about our program can be found at steam.asa.edu.py, including past events, our STEM/STEAM standards, community partners, and all the STEAM Learning posts from the bulletin back to 2019. Also, we are starting to host Parent Community Chats each quarter. Hope to see you there
Oct 20th
STEAM Learning @ ASA
STEAM Educators Conference & STANDARDS FOR STEM/STEAM EDUCATION
ASA is once again hosting an annual STEAM Educator Conference for schools in Paraguay and Latin America! The purpose of this virtual conference is to bring science, technology, art, engineering, and math educators from around the country and region together to explore best practices in STEAM education. Furthermore, this is an entirely free opportunity for teachers to share our experiences with the community and build our network of STEAM community partners. Find the conference handbook here.
Here is a brief overview of what to expect during this conference, to be held on Oct 28th and 29th.
Keynote speakers from Prescott College of Education
Multiple teacher workshops from educators at international schools in Argentina, Brazil, Peru, Colombia, and Mexico
Presentations from multiple ASA STEAM teachers
Curriculum and resource company workshops, such as Desmos, ITEEA, EiE, the TGR Foundation, and ExploreLearning
At this point, we have registered over 100 educators in the entire LATAM region and look forward to sharing our best stuff. If you are interested in learning more, contact Tyler Shelden at tyler.shelden@asa.edu.py.
Successful STEM/STEAM learning is composed of several key characteristics that put student learning at the center of all educational experiences. Our accrediting organization, Cognia, has a set of standards for successful STEM/STEAM learning that helps guide us in improving our programs. Each week will we look at one of the standards and the key aspects of it.
STANDARD 4: Leaders engage a diverse network of community partners and stakeholders in order to support and sustain STEM programs and initiatives.
STEM/STEAM learning is most effective when real-world opportunities and challenges are the focus of the curriculum. At ASA we accomplish this by engaging a series of various community partners through field trips, guest presentations, service learning, and event workshops. Some of our key partners include Espacios de Ser, the Aikumby Center, the Ben Franklin Science Corner, the Paraguayan Space Agency, and more.
Oct 13th
STEAM Learning @ ASA
WATER CYCLE MODELS & STANDARDS FOR STEM/STEAM EDUCATION
Students in 5th grade have been building interactive models to demonstrate the water cycle as a scientific phenomenon. The water cycle shows the continuous movement of water within the Earth and atmosphere. It is a complex system that includes many different processes. Liquid water evaporates into water vapor, condenses to form clouds, and precipitates back to earth in the form of rain and snow. When students build models to represent complex phenomenon, they are able to break a large problem down into smaller components and analyze how they fit together. This project-based learning approach aligns with elementary maker experiences and encourages students to use basic household supplies and materials to represent STEM and STEAM ideas. Well done 5th graders!
Successful STEM/STEAM learning is composed of several key characteristics that put student learning at the center of all educational experiences. Our accrediting organization, Cognia, has a set of standards for successful STEM/STEAM learning that helps guide us in improving our programs. Each week will we look at one of the standards and the key aspects of it.
STANDARD 1: Learners engage in STEM/STEAM learning experiences that integrate all STEM/STEAM disciplines with an emphasis on processes and practices associated with STEM/STEAM.
The STEM/STEAM subjects (science, math, art, tech, and engineering) are more powerful when they are fused together into a single learning experience. When math tools are used in scientific contexts, with the help of technology, art, and engineering, students can build a deeper understanding of the concept. This occurs at ASA through maker experiences, interdisciplinary units, and emphasizing various subject specific practices, such as the math practices, the science practices, and the design cycle
Sept 29th
STEAM Learning @ ASA
SCIENCE LABS & DESIGNING THINKING/LEARNING
10th grade chemistry has been doing flame tests this week to determine element identity based on color wavelengths. When electrons fall from their excited state to their ground state they emit light in the form of colors based on energy released, so 10th graders were measuring the energy released and using it to identify metals! With the completion of the STEAM building and the hiring of a STEAM Lab assistant, ASA science teachers are able to provide a comprehensive suite of labs that meet national criteria and Advanced Placement standards. While ASA still uses the collection of virtual labs adopted during the pandemic, these are no replacement for the hands-on learning experience that authentic science labs provide students.
Our second WHOLE SCHOOL GOAL this year is DESIGNING THINKING & LEARNING. ASA is always on an improvement journey to ensure that we are adapting our practices and protocols to support student growth and achievement. The future is complex and unpredictable, but we can ensure that we are adapting our programs to prepare our students for the unknown careers of tomorrow. This is why we emphasize a reflection and improvement process as part of the ASA Design Cycle. Any creation, project, or idea by students is only one of several drafts or versions. Just like the writing cycle, the ASA Design Cycle expects students to get input on how effective their creations are at meeting the initial inquiry topic. This occurs through user feedback, independent analysis, or other strategies where students open themselves up to internal and external reflection. Through this reflection, they are able to see the pros and cons of their creation to determine next steps for improvement.
Sept 22nd
STEAM Learning @ ASA
MATH EXCHANGES & DESIGNING THINKING/LEARNING
Math is an essential component of STEAM learning and a key skill to be successful in the 21st century. Students from Ms. Ohs middle school math class visited classmates in the elementary to co-teach and mentor the concepts of place value. This example of community building and peer instruction is exactly what we value here at ASA and is aligned with our whole school goals for this year. When students teach each other, they not only give back to their community but solidify their understanding of the concept themselves. Well done ASA middle school students and looking forward to seeing you supporting our elementary students well into the future!
Our second WHOLE SCHOOL GOAL this year is DESIGNING THINKING & LEARNING. The whole purpose of the Makerspace is for students to physically create models and representations of their amazing ideas. Maker culture encourages iterative building and a mindset that projects are ‘always in beta,” meaning that they still have improvements to make. ASA ensures that the Makerspace and classrooms are equipped with appropriate materials so that students can create any kind of project. If students want to create with robotics, we have the materials. If students want to code circuits and light systems, we have the materials, If students want to grow organic structures or plants, we have the materials. If students want to 3D model and print their ideas, we have the materials. We want to ensure that ASA is a learning hub for students and families to design, create, and improve the lives of those around them. The Makerspace and other classrooms provide the materials and resources for this to happen
Sept 15th
STEAM Learning @ ASA
BUILDING DIORAMAS & DESIGNING THINKING/LEARNING
The Makerspace can also be used to create inspiration and focus for Humanities projects. ASA students spend many class sessions developing their writing skills through conversations, writing, re-writing, sharing, and presenting. But sometimes this isn’t enough to inspire the right kind of vocabulary that brings a story to life. Our 5th graders decided to come to the Makerspace and build diorama models for their current stories to inspire their writing practices. These visual models allow them to both reflect on a key scene in their story by building it as well as use the model to inspire deeper description and characterization. This is a unique combination of Humanities and STEAM that several elementary school teachers are championing this year to support the integration of the different class subjects. Well done 5th graders for leading the way for all ASA elementary students!
Our second WHOLE SCHOOL GOAL this year is DESIGNING THINKING & LEARNING. When planning projects, many of our students want to skip this step and go straight to building and making. This is an intentional stage of the ASA Design Cycle because our plans give us clarity when we get stuck building. Plans are based on inspiration, research, and user feedback. Plans give a vision of where to go and what to do. Plans guide us to use materials economically. Plans help us create sequentially and with purpose. Plans also provide a reference to look back to when our creations have problems that need to be improved. The best plans are adaptive and include monitoring steps to ensure that our best intentions are followed through with fidelity. In a larger context, the entire school has a 3-year strategic plan that is used to guide our growth. Additionally, all staff individually develop their own growth plans to transform their practice. This is an intentional part of how we ensure that learning at ASA is focused and forward-thinkin
Sept 8th
STEAM Learning @ ASA
ENGINEERING CHALLENGES & DESIGNING THINKING/LEARNING
Engineering challenges are starting again! If you come onto campus during the daytime, you might see 8th grade students testing their egg drop parachutes from the 2nd floor of the STEAM building, students in the Makerspace building robotics using TETRIX or Legos, or our elementary students building scientific contraptions using basic supplies. Our amazing 5th graders in Mr. Christopher Lee’s class recently explored how to tell time by engineering sundials. Students studied the challenge of telling time from a reliable source, planned how to measure time using shadows from the students, and built working sundials using materials from ASA’s Makerspace. Just like real scientists and engineers, they took their devices out into the fields to test and improve them. Well done ASA 5th graders!
Our second WHOLE SCHOOL GOAL this year is DESIGNING THINKING & LEARNING. Here at ASA we challenge ourselves and our students to re-imagine how to make the world a better place. In fact, our STEAM Mission is aligned with our whole school mission and states: “ASA students will design innovative solutions to 21st-century challenges through collaboration, communication, and creativity.” Innovation is the process of taking a common practice or idea and imagining how it could be improved through small changes. An innovation is not an invention because it does not fundamentally change the concept, but improves the concept for a user, a community, or the world. The second stage of the ASA Design Cycle expects students to imagine possible solutions, improvements, and innovations to their original topics of inquiry. This is achieved through teaching strategies to build creative and critical thinking skills. We all know the song “Imagine” by The Beatles because it gives us the freedom to wonder how we could make a change that matters in our world.
Sept 1st
STEAM Learning @ ASA
MAKER EXPERIENCES & DESIGNING THINKING/LEARNING
The Makerspace is back in use by students from of divisions! This week the 2nd graders used the Makerspace as part of their science unit on Solids and Liquids. They were challenged with an engineering task to build a tall and wind-resistant tower using limited materials. All students collaborated in pairs to explore the aspects that make towers tall and wind-resistant, used their science notebooks to make observations and sketch possible designs, and then came to the Makerspace to build various versions of their ideas. Engineering challenges like these are perfect opportunities for students to build fine motor skills and soft skills, such as reacting to setbacks or failures, in addition to the curriculum content. Our amazing 2nd-grade students created many different iterations of working models, shared their ideas and creations together, and completed another learning cycle using the ASA Design Cycle. Special appreciation to Mrs. Reynolds, Mrs. Wilson, and Mrs. Williams for making this learning experience possible!
Our second WHOLE SCHOOL GOAL this year is DESIGNING THINKING & LEARNING. ASA teachers and teams use our professional development learning time to deepen our ability to implement a culture of thinking and design thinking strategies with students. A culture of thinking explores the various interactions, language, relationships, and other dynamics present in a school that positively impact student learning. Teachers at ASA regularly reevaluate our learning space, experiences, and opportunities to ensure that students have ample opportunity to think critically and creatively. This starts with inquiry and we model this through the ASA Design Cycle. The first stage of the cycle is for students to ASK questions about their topic, situation, environment, etc. Students use inquiry as a way to find relevance in the topic, explore new unknowns, and find guiding questions. Inquiry-based learning is a central component of STEAM educational philosophy and is exactly what we do at ASA through maker experiences, interdisciplinary units, and STEAM pathways.
Aug 25th
STEAM Learning @ ASA
ADVANCED PLACEMENT COURSES & DIVERSE STEAM COMMUNITY
A cornerstone of the High School academic program at ASA is the Advanced Placement (AP) program. Students take advanced courses in regular subjects that use content and skills as would be offered at a university level. For a high school course to have the designation, the course must be audited by the College Board to ascertain that it satisfies the AP curriculum as specified in the Board's Course and Examination Description. Every year we have over one hundred AP exams being taken by ASA students in all grades of high school. This year we are expanding the program to offer even more STEAM options for students. Here are some new and returning STEAM Advanced Placement courses that students can take during their high school career.
AP Art & Design
AP Biology
AP Calculus
AP Chemistry
AP Computer Science
AP Economics
AP Environmental Science
AP Music Theory
AP Physics
AP Statistics
Our first whole school goal this year is to celebrate our DIVERSE STEAM COMMUNITY. Our teacher community forms the backbone of our learning culture and represents a key component of our diverse STEAM community. We have many strong female leaders in the fields of science, math, art, and leadership. We have culturally competent teachers who understand the nuances of multiple cultures and hold deep respect for the differences between them. We have professionally experienced individuals who come with industry backgrounds and have adapted their life trajectory to train the next generation of society. We have ethnically diverse staff members who come from different regions of Paraguay, Latin America, North America, and the entire world. We have individuals who respect differences in the personal choices of our students and focus on providing a holistic, challenging education in a safe and secure environment. Get to know our teachers by writing them messages, saying ‘hi’ to them on campus, and asking them about the diverse experiences that they bring to our campus to make it a stronger
Aug 18th
STEAM Learning @ ASA
STEAM CLUBS & DIVERSE STEAM COMMUNITY
Each year there are more and more STEAM-centric after-school activities and clubs for students to join from elementary to high school. Clubs and activities are excellent opportunities for students to learn new skills, make friends with common interests, and develop their leadership abilities. It is recommended that students pick one or two clubs each year and stick with them the whole year. Here are some of the more popular STEAM clubs that have existed for several years now:
ES Lego Club - Perfect for our young engineers who like to build, build, build
ES Dash & Dot Robotics - A great introduction to the world of coding and robotics through hands-on programming
ES Math Club - This club primarily focuses on preparation the OMAPA competition
ES Recycling Club - A great opportunity for students who are interested in science and social action
MS Lego Robotics - The first semester is for the competitive team and the second is for anyone to join and learn about robotics
MS Math Club - The middle school extension of the OMAPA competition
HS Global Issues Network (GIN) - A social action club that uses science and technology to impact change
HS TechBuzz - A STEAM club that hosts local/regional competitions and promotes STEAM entrepreneurship
HS Art Club - A opportunity for anyone to develop art skills in a variety of mediums
HS Tri-M Music Society - A prestigious music organization that regularly holds concerts on and off campus
Even non-STEAM clubs can use STEAM topics as platforms to make the world a better place! The ASA Debate Team, a high school club led by our Biology teacher Mrs. Barnett Rivas, recently participated in a debate forum hosted by Colegio Las Almenas focused on Environmental Science topics. Students from ASA competed in 2 categories, both in Spanish and English, and the team represented a strong mix of veteran debaters and members new to the club. We would like to celebrate with the community the achievements of Rina MA, Melody Lee, and Nathan Maurer who all won 1st place in the English debate This same club is planning to travel to Curitiba in September to participate in an international debate tournament along with sister schools from Argentina, Chile, Peru, and Uruguay. STEAM learning is not always easy, but when we make it a part of “who we are” we can build the necessary skills to understand, persevere, and make the world a better place.
Aug 11th
STEAM Learning @ ASA
ROBOTICS IN RIO & DIVERSE STEAM COMMUNITY
The FIRST Lego League (FLL) robotics team at ASA successfully traveled to Rio de Janeiro and participated in the FIRST® LEGO® League International Open Brazil this last weekend. Our team earned 2nd place in the Paraguayan National competition last year which qualified them for this global competition. Robotics is a combination of engineering and technology where students must build and code their robots to perform certain tasks. The ASA team is the oldest club in the middle school and was very proud to represent our program amongst nearly 100 other teams from around Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas. This year the team brought student-designed 3D printed puzzle cubes made in ASA Makerspace to the competition as part of their community. They were a hit!
Our first whole school goal this year is to celebrate our DIVERSE STEAM COMMUNITY. STEAM education is an interdisciplinary approach for guiding student inquiry, thinking, and creation. We all have our own diverse STEAM identities. Through collaboration and inclusion, we can build a stronger and more resilient community of makers and innovators. Every year we challenge our students to explore their STEAM identities by coding and developing personal websites in their MS & HS STEAM classes. Students have so many innate curiosities and interests that connect to the STEAM subjects, and they express these through their websites. We are so proud of our diverse community and welcome all students to see themselves as scientists, designers, mathematicians, engineerings, and artists
July 27th
STEAM Learning @ ASA
MEDICAL TRAINING & DIVERSE STEAM COMMUNITY
ASA faculty and staff completed a comprehensive round of First Aid training during our annual orientation and in-service weeks. All staff are regularly trained on the necessary life saving skills of CPR, the Heimlich manuever, and the use of an AED (automated external defibrillator) to ensure that our campus is a safe and secure environment for students and staff of all ages. First aid is a critical component of Sports Medicine, a common university major that explores the field of athleticism through a medical perspective. Sports Medicine bridges the gap between science and practice in the promotion of exercise and health, and in the scientific assessment, study and understanding of sports performance. A sports medicine degree prepares students for careers in applied or clinical health professions or for graduate work in disciplines related to the exercise science. Both degree options require extensive laboratory experiences. Students interested in learning more about Sports Medicine should connect with our very own Athletics Director, Bruno Zanotti, who is himself a graduate of a Sports Medicine program.
Our first whole school goal this year is to exemplify a DIVERSE STEAM COMMUNITY. William Cowper once said that “Diversity is the spice of life.” We all have our own identities: maybe you prefer Sudoku over the crossword puzzles, you will fix broken things at home before hiring individuals, or you maintain more than four social media accounts. When we dig deep into our differences, we find that our diversity makes our community stronger. Furthermore, we all have a part of our identity that relates to science, technology, engineering, art, and math, whether for better or worse. This year we are going to highlight that these differences and identity traits can be developed to build a stronger and more resilient community that uses STEAM practices and identities to shine a light towards a brighter future.
Also, in case you missed it:
ASA 2022 STEAM EXPO
The Judges Committee is proud to announce that all student submissions have been reviewed. Every submission is a testament to the strength and resiliency of our ASA students during this time of distance learning. All submissions have received written feedback from the judges that can be viewed directly in the submission. Submissions that went above and beyond the criteria of quality, originality, and communication have been awarded "Excellence in ... " as special recognition for their unique achievements.
