What happens when science, technology, engineering and math meet creativity? For Leianna King, the answer is nine innovative lesson plans designed to help teachers bring learning to life through the arts.
King, The Arkansas State Committee of the National Museum of Women in the Arts 2026 Internship Award recipient chose to work with Thea Foundation. She spent her summer developing lesson plans that combine STEAM concepts with hands-on creative activities to highlight through Thea’s Art Closet program, a program that supports public school classrooms by providing grant funding through DonorsChoose to secure creative materials for classrooms across Arkansas.
“I spent the summer physically recreating a variety of STEAM – based lesson plans, in order to test their feasibility in the classroom and document the processes involved. These lesson plans teach some of the very basic techniques of sculpting, printmaking, and photography, while also showcasing the effects of erosion, the laws of physics, and the properties of light. For example, through marble painting, students can see Newton’s third law of motion in action, while creating a Pollock-esque piece of their own.”
A senior at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, King is pursuing a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree with an emphasis in illustration. After graduation, she hopes to become a children’s book illustrator, specializing in nonfiction books and educational materials. Her internship provided an opportunity to put that passion for illustration and education into practice by developing resources that connect complex concepts with engaging, creative experiences.
Lesson Plans to Connect STEAM and the Arts
King’s lesson plans explore a variety of scientific concepts through artistic mediums, giving students opportunities to learn by making, experimenting and creating. From illustrating ecosystems to exploring physics through painting, the lessons demonstrate how the arts can reinforce learning across subject areas.
The projects include:
- Sketching an Ecosystem – Exploring ecosystems through drawing.
- Sculpting with Erosion – Connecting sculptural processes with the science of erosion.
- Printmaking with Light – Exploring the relationship between light and printmaking.
- Painting with Physics – Using painting to investigate concepts in physics.
- Hand-Making Fossils with Plaster – Recreating fossils through a hands-on sculptural process.
- Hand-Making Fossils with Clay – Using clay to explore fossils and the natural world.
- Collaging Evolution – Connecting collage with the study of evolution.
Together, the lesson plans offer middle school teachers creative ways to approach STEAM topics while giving students opportunities to engage with the material through visual art and hands-on exploration.
Supporting Creative Learning Across Arkansas
Through Thea’s Art Closet, Thea Foundation helps educators bring creative projects into their classrooms. King’s internship project reflects the value of arts integration and the many ways artistic practices can support learning beyond a traditional fine arts classroom.
We’re excited to celebrate Leianna’s work and the creative possibilities her project brings to Arkansas classrooms.