How Teachers Can Create a STEAM Buzz Outside the Classroom

By Leonie Briggs

STEAM is having a moment. From climate technology to AI, the world is hungry for and in need of problem-solvers, makers, and curious minds. With a skills shortage noted in the STEM sector, now is the time to engage young people to fill these roles and take on STEAM-based careers, ultimately benefiting everyone in the future. But in classrooms already bursting at the seams with curriculum demands, how can teachers make space for the kind of wonder and experimentation that STEM thrives on?

The answer: go beyond the timetable. Extracurricular STEAM doesn’t have to mean expensive kits or hours of planning. With a bit of creativity and a lot of enthusiasm, teachers can turn lunch breaks, after-school clubs, and even corridor conversations into launchpads for future engineers, coders, and scientists.

Here’s how to make it happen:

Start Small, Think Big

You don’t need a lab or a laser cutter to get started. A simple STEAM club, even for just 30 minutes a week, is enough to build momentum. Focus on bite-sized challenges:

• Build the tallest tower using spaghetti and marshmallows.
• Create a chain reaction using classroom objects.
• Design a paper prototype of a gadget that solves a real-world problem.

These low-cost, high-engagement activities will get learners thinking like engineers and inventors.

Tap Into Real-World STEAM

Bring STEAM to life by connecting it to the world around your learners. Invite local engineers, artists, or scientists to give short talks or demos. Or better yet, take learners out of the classroom:

• Visit a local recycling plant, tech startup, or university lab.
• Partner with community organisations for STEAM-themed events.
• Run a “STEAM in the Wild” scavenger hunt around your school grounds.

The goal is to show students that STEAM isn’t just a subject, it’s a way of seeing and shaping the world.

Make It Cross-Curricular

STEAM doesn’t live in isolation. Collaborate with Art, Drama, or English departments to create hybrid projects:

• A wearable technology fashion show.
• A sci-fi short story competition judged by science teachers.
• A drama performance based on a scientific discovery.

This not only widens the appeal of STEAM but also helps learners see its creative potential.

Let Learners Lead

If you want them to get a real buzz, hand over the reins. Let learners pitch ideas for STEAM clubs; they can design their own challenges or run mini workshops for younger year groups. When learners feel ownership, engagement skyrockets.

Try:

• A “STEAM Ambassadors” programme.
• Learner-led podcasts or blogs about STEAM topics.
• Peer mentoring.

Use What You’ve Got

You don’t need fancy equipment, just a bit of resourcefulness. Repurpose classroom materials, use online tools, and lean on platforms like Amazelab for inspiration. Thinking outside the box: STEAM is all about problem-solving, after all.

Final Thought

Real excitement around STEAM subjects comes from giving students the room to explore, experiment, and follow their own interests. When they are given the space to do that beyond the curriculum, teachers can ignite passions that last far beyond their school years.

So, grab some string, a stopwatch, and a handful of enthusiastic students, and start building something amazing.

Leonie Briggs is a science teacher, STEAM lead, STEM Ambassador, CREST Assessor and Director of Amazelab. With a varied background in STEM – ranging from veterinary and general practice to orthopaedics – she eventually discovered her passion for education and has held various roles as a primary, secondary, post-16 and alternative provision teacher specialising in science and chemistry.

Leonie’s dedication has won her multiple accolades, including ‘Outstanding New STEM Ambassador’ (STEM Inspiration Awards 2022), nominations for the Global Teacher Prize (2021) and the National Teaching Awards (2022), recognition as one of the UK’s Top 100 Female Entrepreneurs (2025) and a Green Growth Awards finalist (2025).

Under her leadership, Amazelab has won UK Enterprise Awards for STEAM Education (2023 & 2024), Start-Up Business of the Year (2022) and STEAM Education Platform of the Year (2025).

Her new book, Make Your Own Rainbow: A colourful approach to all things STEAM (Crown House Publishing, 2025), is out now: https://www.crownhouse.co.uk/make-your-own-rainbow