What makes a habitat healthy for living organisms? What causes natural disasters? How does energy shape the world around us? In STEAM 7, students investigate questions like these through hands-on, phenomenon-based learning. Integrating science, technology, engineering, art, and math, this course builds foundational skills in experimental design, troubleshooting, and scientific communication. Topics are drawn from Earth science, physical science, and life science, and the content and skills in this course spiral and deepen in STEAM 8. The centerpiece of the course is a semester-long ecological project in which students raise trout from eggs to fingerlings in the classroom. Along the way, students monitor water chemistry, analyze fish genetics, and investigate the environmental factors affecting aquatic life. Their work culminates in releasing the trout into the Farmington River. Students share their learning through lab reports, research papers, artistic representations, and short films. By the end of the year, they not only understand key scientific concepts but also see themselves as confident investigators and designers.