Unfolding the Petal: Science for
Preschoolers and Grade K
The Education Cooperative, Dedham, MA
September 21, 2013: 8:30 AM - 12:00 PM
September 28, 2013: 8:30 AM - 2:00 PM
October 19, 2013: 8:30 AM - 2:00 PM
Total instruction time: 13 hours. Awaiting approval for 1 CEU from MassAEYC.
If you have never taught science to children ages 4-6 or would like to learn new skills in teaching science, this is the course for you!
- Become familiar with the Massachusetts Standards for Early Childhood Science, Technology and Engineering
- Learn some of the big scientific concepts and ways in which these can be introduced to preschoolers including utilizing vocabulary, inquiry based learning and age appropriate hands-on activities for this age group
- Learn how to structure a series of lessons, experiments and activities from commonly available resources that help your preschool students gain knowledge, vocabulary and an understanding of the science concepts for each of the following preschool science standard areas:
- o LS1/3: From Molecules to organisms; Inheritance and variation of traits
- o LS2/4: Ecosystems; Biological Evolution
- o ESS1: Earth's place in the universe - the solar system, stars
- o ESS2: Earth's systems - the water cycle, weather
- o ESS3: Earth and human activity - the earth, our home, resources
- o PS1: Matter and its interactions: Structure and properties of matter - solids, liquids and gases
- o PS2: Motion and stability; Forces and interaction
- o PS4: Energy - light and sound
Instructor: Rita Advani, Director Regional Programming, High Touch High Tech of New England
Rita has many years of experience in teaching science to children in preschool - Grade 8, and in training preschool educators to teach science.
Who Should Attend: Preschool educators, family child care providers, teachers of 4-6 year old children
Fee: $25
To register: Contact Anne Miller at [email protected].
Hands-On STEM for the Early Elementary Classroom
Tuesdays, October 1, 8, 15, & 22: 3:30 - 6:00 PM,The Discovery Museums, Acton, MA
Science is all around us and accessible to all learners. Explore simple, effective ways to bring hands-on STEM learning to your K-3 classroom using every day, affordable material. Spark your students' natural curiosity and guide STEM content development in the areas of Sound, Light and Color, and Magnetism while helping to instill an appreciation and life-long passion for science learning. Develop strategies for encouraging the development of problem solving skills and reinforce the use of the scientific method.
Receive teacher curriculum guides that provide lesson plans for conducting topic based hands-on workshops back in your own classroom and helpful suggestions for accessing and making the most of informal learning center resources in your area.
Maximum of 15 participants
Earn: 10 PDPs
Cost: $25.00
To Register: Contact Anne Miller at [email protected].
The Young Scientist in the Elementary Classroom
October 2, 16, 30, November 13, and December 4: 4 - 7PM, Needham Public Schools Science Ctr.
This five session course is designed to increase teachers' comfort and effectiveness in teaching science in the early elementary (k-2) classroom. Each class will focus on both science content knowledge and practices. Sessions will model effective science instructional methods as participants learn science through the process of inquiry and cooperative group activities. By engaging in hands-on lessons, participants will have the experience of both a learner and a teacher, thus preparing them to offer more skilled science instruction in their classrooms. Practices aligned in the Frameworks for K-12 Science Education (NRC,2012)including developing and using models, analyzing and interpreting data and engaging in argument from evidence will be focused on.
Instructor: Erin Hashimoto Martell is a highly regarded science teacher with an extensive experience base working with teachers and young learners.
Materials fee: $25.00. Course is funded through the Great Boston Readiness Center.
Earn: one PD credit
To register: contact Terry Higgins at ACCEPT, [email protected].
Developing Math and Science Skills for Young Children: Common Core
Standards in Early Childhood Classrooms
Thursdays, October 10 & 24, November 7 & 21, 2013: 4 - 7:15PM, Heath School, Brookline
The Common Core State Standards have implications for practice at the early childhood level. There are also new K-12 science education standards under development at the national level (the Next Generation Science Standards, NGSS) and in Massachusetts. This course is designed to introduce these standards to Kindergarten and pre-school teachers and to model ways to integrate these standards with teaching practices in early childhood education. Teachers will be engaged in active learning experiences around science and math phenomena and in discussions about the implications of these and the Common Core Literacy standards for preschool curriculum and teaching. The course will meet in four sessions, two will focus on science and two will focus on mathematics. Literacy strands will be interwoven throughout.
Audience: Early Childhood Teachers and Administrators
Registration: For Public School Teachers, contact the Office for Curriculum and Instruction in your district. For Early Childhood Educators, contact EDCO by sending an email to[email protected].
Fee: Registration fee of $35 (tuition supported with grant funds from the Greater Boston Readiness Center).
Credit: Participants may choose to register for one graduate credit through Framingham State University for an additional fee of $75. CEUs and PDPs will be available at no additional cost. At the end of the workshop, all participants will receive a certificate documenting the number of hours attended.
Register by: October 1, 2013. Registrations received after the deadline will be accepted if space is still available.
Questions? Please call the EDCO Seefurth Center at (781) 259-3445. For a complete program listing, please visit www.edcollab.org.
Pre-Science: Exploring Indicators of Early Scientific Thinking
Saturday, November 2: 9AM - 2:30PM, The Discovery Museums, Acton, MA
Children are natural born scientists - always asking questions, trying things out, and experimenting with their surroundings. Yet, many educators struggle with what science "looks like" when working with very young children. Whether confused about what is appropriate developmentally, or hesitant about science topics from personal experience, it is crucial that science is an important component of every classroom every day. Taking a closer look at Pre-Science topics and skills will help educators feel more comfortable planning, teaching, and discussing science topics.
An application has been submitted to Mass AEYC for .5 CEUs
Cost: $25.00
To Register: Contact Anne Miller at [email protected].