STEAM Team

A Summer Program for Rising 3rd & 4th grade Students in the Pittsfield public Schools

STEAM Team 2024 is a summer program by invitation for rising 3rd and 4th grade students in the Pittsfield Public Schools. This summer, rising 3rd graders will participate in the BIRDS program and rising 4th grade students will participate in the INSECTS program.

The STEAM Team 2024 program is open only to recommended rising 3rd grade students and returning rising 4th grade students in Pittsfield Public Schools.

STEAM 2024 Location: Berkshire Community College, Pittsfield

About Our 2024 STEAM Programs

In STEAM Team: BIRDS, rising 3rd grade students will learn learn about the physical and behavioral traits of local birds. Together we will observe each bird’s color, pattern, beak size, shape, etc., to guide the creation of paper mache bird masks, while learning how birds’ physical traits impact behavior – like beak size/shape and diet; color and camouflage; etc. Students will explore flight patterns and the three types of flight – flapping, gliding, and soaring – using dance to further explore these movements. Students will also explore terms including symmetry, asymmetry, pattern, repetition, etc., through the creation of large-scale collaborative drawings inspired by the movement and flight of birds as we celebrate the beauty and nature surrounding us in the beautiful Berkshires.

In STEAM Team: INSECTS, returning rising 4th grade students explore the wonderful world of insects and learn the importance of themany local insects we encounter each day. Students learn about Lepidoptera (i.e. butterflies and moths), from their life cycle (from egg, to larvae, to pupa) to the intricacy and functionality of their wings. Students design and construct their own wearable wings and continuously practice problem solving to ensure they are both aesthetically pleasing and well-balanced for wear in their final dance performance. Students learn about caddisflies and the uniquely beautiful and functional cases these insects build to protect their larvae using found materials in the environment. Then, inspired by the work of artist Hubert Duprat (who collaborated with caddisflies to create gold-encrusted cases), students create their own found-object keepsake boxes.

STEAM 2024 Dates

  • BIRDS Program (Rising 3rd): Monday–Friday, July 29th-August 2nd, 8:30am-3:30pm (with Family Sharing on Friday at 2:30pm)

  • INSECTS Program (Rising 4th): Monday–Friday, August 5th-9th, 8:30am-3:30pm (with Family Sharing on Friday at 2:30pm)

Health Forms

Each student is required to have a current Health and Emergency Contact Form on file with Berkshire Art Center (BAC). Please fill out this form for each student that will be attending the STEAM program. Health Forms are due as soon as possible at the time of registration and no later than one week before the program begins. Please also ensure you have your child’s insurance information ready when filling out the form.

What to Bring to the Summer STEAM Team Program

Throughout the program we will take nature walks, make art, dance, and engage in environmental learning as we explore the outdoor landscape surrounding Berkshire Community College.

  • Clothes that can get messy

  • A backpack or tote bag

  • Sneakers, comfortable shoes — no open toed shoes

  • Swimsuit and towel (for those who wish to swim)

  • Sunscreen 30 or higher, lip balm, and any other sun protection deemed necessary. Please instruct your child as to the proper application and usage of these items.

  • All personal items should be clearly labeled with your child’s name. This is very important if we are to return misplaced items to their owners. STEAM is not responsible for lost or stolen items.

  • Jewelry, electronics, and other valuables should remain at home

  • Lunch and snack (no breakfast) will be provided so students are not required to bring their own food.

Please contact us should you have any questions/concerns. We are looking forward to seeing you this summer!

STEAM Team, launched in the Summer of 2017, is a collaboration between Berkshire Art Center, Pittsfield Public Schools, Flying Deer Nature Center, and Jacob’s Pillow Dance.

This one-week, full-day summer program is offered free of charge to rising 3rd grade and 4th students from Pittsfield Public Schools. The program provides students with a dynamic, in-depth exploration of the diverse cultural landscape of the Berkshires, the wonderful resources we have available here, and a focus on a central theme.

Students forge connections with the program’s collaborators — some of the county’s esteemed organizations — and build relationships to prepare them for future success. With BAC's Faculty Artist, students create bird masks and insect wings to wear in their final dance performance, caddisfly cases inspired by artist Hubert Duprat (who collaborated with caddisfly larvae to create gold-encased sculptures), and use bookmaking skills to bind their own nature journals.

The collaborating organizations each use their unique perspective to craft an experience around the central theme of birds for first-year students and insects for returning students in their second year of the program, creating a holistic, memorable learning experience. Students are given access to diverse resources and opportunities for cultural and environmental engagement, allowing them to become immersed in an intensive and fun celebration of the Berkshires — the place we call home.