The main objective of this project was to engage students in STEAM while creating an enjoyable learning environment. Engaging students in STEAM was critical because of its importance. Students developed math anxiety early on, often due to the way this subject was taught in a drill-like manner, hence relying upon memorization instead of understanding and experimenting. For this reason, the project focused on engaging students in primary education in a cross-curricular approach to STEAM with the help of history to better understand the applications of science and mathematics throughout the times and how they eventually evolved to what it was at that time. This approach aimed to explore the historical heritage behind the scientific and mathematical development we had at that time while motivating students to pursue these fields in an enjoyable and non-formal way. Math and history had intersected for thousands of years after all. This project provided the support educators needed to implement manipulations in their lesson plans and improve the hands-on approach to STEAM subjects, especially to help prevent math anxiety from primary education, preparing students for a better experience with these subjects later in their education.
Math related disorders can start to be noticeable from preschool age according to the articles. For this reason, it is important to engage and motivate students to learn mathematics in a less anxiolytic matter, meaning trying to avoid the drill-in method because students with SLD often have difficulties with memorizing numbers by hearing them, learning to count, sorting, corresponding numbers to objects and so on. By employing methodologies, such as "game-based pedagogies" and "experiential learning", as well as by assimilating the concept of "manipulation through history", the project Steam builders in times aspires to bring a hands-on math approach in primary education classrooms. Such a conclusion has been based on the rationale (and the broad agreement) that math manipulation activities can change the perception of mathematics, especially by developing and strengthening its language, different from the school language and scientific popularization. In this sense, math manipulations through history must propose materials, spaces and actions that are not easily repeatable in other situation