What are Curiosity Classrooms?
Curiosity Classrooms are multisensory spaces designed to introduce elementary students to STEAM learning through hands-on exploration. Originally created by the Chicago Children’s Museum, the Curiosity Classroom model gives young learners a dedicated space to follow their curiosity and build confidence in science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics. The classrooms feature several themed learning areas that encourage students and educators to explore a variety of topics together, using inquiry, experimentation, and open-ended discovery to guide learning.
The Goals of Curiosity Classrooms are to:
- Cultivate positive STEAM identities for young learners by activating their natural curiosity with developmentally appropriate materials and experiences.
- Support positive behaviors and attendance of students by providing developmentally appropriate, learner-directed environments in early elementary.
- Model and support developmentally appropriate, child-led, playful learning strategies for educators to use in the Curiosity Classroom and beyond.
Learn more about Curiosity Classrooms!
Bringing Curiosity Classrooms to Wisconsin
Modeling the Chicago Children’s Museum’s pilot, the Building for Kids is partnering with area schools to launch Curiosity Classrooms in Wisconsin! This year, we installed our first Curiosity Classroom at Stephen Foster Elementary Charter School in Appleton and we will soon install one at Hillcrest Primary School in Shawano.
Interested in a Curiosity Classroom for your school? Please email Casie Holdcroft, VP of Design and Communications, at choldcroft@buildingforkids.org.
