STEAM APPROACH AND INQUIRY-BASED LEARNING: A TRANSDISCIPLINARY EXPERIENCE IN TEACHING NATURAL SCIENCES TO CHILDREN

Abstract

This study investigated the effectiveness of the STEAM approach combined with transdisciplinarity in the teaching of Natural Sciences and Geography in the early years of elementary education at Maranhão Bilingual State Institute. A qualitative and exploratory methodology was adopted, with data collected through observation during the implementation of the activities. During the development of the project “The São Luís of My Future,” which promoted the integration of Science, Geography, Technology, Mathematics, and Arts, students’ creativity, critical thinking, and protagonism were fostered. The results indicate that the STEAM approach promotes meaningful and contextualized learning, strengthening students’ ability to understand and solve complex problems. This paper presents transdisciplinary teaching practices based on strategies aligned with the STEAM approach, applied in 4th- and 5th-grade classes at IEMA Bilingual. Therefore, it is understood that the STEAM approach promotes meaningful learning aligned with inquiry-based teaching.