Princeton Elementary Showcases Hands-On STEAM Learning Through Maine DOE Learning Tour

On December 9, 2025, Princeton Elementary School teacher Donna Netzer opened her classroom to educators from across Maine, as she demonstrated ways to incorporate numerous Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) technologies into the typical educational environment. This presentation was part of the Maine Department of Education (DOE) Office of Innovation’s latest Learning Tour, an opportunity for educators to participate in peer-to-peer learning.

During the Learning Tour, Netzer and her tech-savvy students demonstrated how each STEAM technology in her classroom (e.g., indi robots, Bee-Bots, Cubelets, 3D pens, etc.) is easily connected to the required grade-level Maine Learning Results. Netzer prepared demonstrations with students from pre-K through grade 8, illustrating how her students are “tech-sperts” for their peers and teachers at their small, rural school.

Experiential learning opportunities can be extremely powerful for many students, as they bring contextual meaning to the concepts being taught in the classroom, turning cerebral ideas into authentic life experiences. For some students, experiences in an outdoor environment may resonate, while for others, STEAM experiences may help to establish those learning connections.

The evening before Princeton’s Learning Tour, Netzer also arranged a STEAM night, where students, families, and community members could visit the school and explore some of these STEAM technologies for themselves.

It was a well-attended event, and many community members expressed excitement about trying things out for themselves. One of the unique applications was a Makey-Makey project that showcased conduction principles and programmable circuit boards in the form of a banana piano!

Check out this video highlighting the Princeton Elementary School Learning Tour:

The Maine DOE Office of Innovation is committed to providing Learning Tours that showcase these innovative learning experiences across the state. If you are interested in learning more, please contact Elaine Bartley, Maine DOE Rethinking Responsive Education Ventures (RREV) Research and Design Director, at elaine.bartley@maine.gov.

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