2012 Pre-STEM and STEM Summit

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A Short Video to Start the Day

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Pre-STEM Workshop at• For the third year in a row EEC has contracted with the

Aspire Institute at Wheelock College for the Pre-STEM.• 46 CFCE and EPS grantees and partnership members from

across the MA• Agenda for the Day:• Neil Gordon, CEO, Discovery Museums• STE draft standards presentation and discussion, Wheelock

College • Hands-on STEM integrated activities for infants through

school age, Science Club for Girls, Boston Children’s Museum, EDC

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Early Education Strand at 2012 STEM Summit• Morning Session • Over 100 participants• Commissioner Killins provided overview • STE draft standards presentation and discussion

• Afternoon Session• Review of the morning presentation• Hands-on activities from MA College of Liberal Arts.

• MCLA created 6 STEM Modules in 2011 in part with EPS grant funds

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Goal for the Day: STEM Goals• Develop ECE specifics for the STEM Plan 2.0 at individual, program, and

state level.• Provide feedback on draft STE standards

Quantitative Goals1. Increase student interest in

STEM2. Increase STEM achievement

among Prek-123. Increase students who are

college STEM ready4. Increase STEM degree

attainment 5. Increase STEM classes led by

effective educators 6. Align STEM education

programs with the workforce needs

Qualitative Goals1.Community Engagement2.Academic Coherence3.Educator Development4.STEM Employers and STEM

Professionals

Over-arching Questions to Think About

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The Development of Pre-K Science, Technology, and Engineering Standards

Karen WorthWheelock College kworth@wheelock.edu

Building on What We Know and Have Frameworks•The Curriculum Framework for English Language Arts and Literacy (March 2011): Standards for Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten •The Curriculum Framework for Mathematics (March 2011): Standards for Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten •Head Start Child Development and Early Learning Framework

Building on What We Know and HaveGuidelines•The Early Learning Guidelines for Infants and Toddlers (November 2010) •The Guidelines for Preschool Learning Experiences (April 2003) in all domains except English Language Arts and Mathematics •The Kindergarten Learning Experiences (April 2008) in all domains except English Language Arts and MathematicsFormative Assessment Tools•Work Sampling System, High Scope Child Observation Record and Teaching Strategies Gold: Assessment System

Pre-K STE Standards

• Work in Progress/Process• Based in framework from A Framework for K-12 Science

Education, NAP, 2011) and the on-going work of revision of the MA Frameworks for Science, Technology and Engineering • Three domains• Practices of science and technology• Cross-cutting concepts• Disciplinary core ideas

The structure of a STE standardWhat the structure will do:•Identify STE learning outcomes•Highlight content in the context of practices and cross-cutting ideas - not information•Identify connections math and ELA frameworks

What the structure will not do:•Define curriculum•Define pedagogy•Explicitly connect to other development goals (e.g. physical, socio-emotional, etc.)

Dimension 1: PracticesThe following diagram, taken from A Framework for K-12 Science Education suggests the way in which the practices interact and describe the scientific and engineering process.

Investigating

The Real World

Collect DataTest Solutions

Ask QuestionsObserve

ExperimentMeasure

Evaluating

Developing Explanations and

Solutions

ArgueCritiqueAnalyze

Theories and Models

FormulateHypotheses

Propose Solutions

ImagineReason

CalculatePredict

Dimension 2: Cross-Cutting Concepts• Patterns• Recognize, classify, and record patterns

• Cause and Effect• Mechanism and Explanation• Look for and analyze patterns and relationships and what causes

the patterns; design tests to confirm or deny

• Scale, Proportion and Quantity• Work with objects and space and explicit models

Dimension 2: Cross-Cutting Concepts• Systems and System Models• Describe things in terms of parts, roles of parts, and relationship

among parts

• Structure and Function• Investigate accessible and visible systems in nature and human-

built world

• Stability and Change• Explore building, climbing, growth

Dimension 3: Disciplinary Core IdeasInfluences on the selection of content• Research • Appropriate challenge• Children’s interest, curiosity, and their environment• Articulation with K-12 (progressions of learning)• STE key ideas

Sample StandardPhysical Science: MotionChildren who demonstrate understanding can:•Describe changes in movement (slowing down, speeding up) and use physical evidence to explain reasons for the change. •Make predictions about and demonstrate how objects will move (speed and direction) when pushed or pulled in different ways.

Math ConnectionIdentify relative position of objects in space, and use appropriate language (e.g., beside, inside, next to, close to, above, below, apart.

Sample StandardLife Science: How organisms meet their basic needs in their environmentChildren who demonstrate understanding can:•Explain how some plants and animals in their local might meet their basic needs.•Make reasoned predictions about how changes in the environment might effect the living things that depend on it.BooksGilbertson, B. Z. Cactus Hotel. Henry HoltMazer, Anne. Salamander Room. Dragonfly BooksGibbons, Gail. From Seed to Plant. Holiday House

Sample Standard

Earth Sciences: Elements of daily weatherChildren who demonstrate understanding can:•Collect and record data on daily weather and use data to determine simple patterns.

Math ConnectionListen to and say the names of numbers in meaningful contexts. Use comparative language such as more/less than, equal to, to compare and describe collections of objects. (Technology and Engineering)- Ideas and skills of Engineering and Technology will be integrated with the science standards

Timeline

1. Draft of the standards (December 31st, 2012)2. Public review (January-March, 2013)3. Final version ( June 30, 2013