1. Unit Goals (long range—how does this unit fit with year-long goals?)

This unit will focus on the new STEAM initiative in the early childhood education classroom. The participants who choose to participate in this STEAM implementation into the Early Childhood Classroom unit will be prepared to do the following:

Define the components of STEAM education.

Justify the implementation into the early childhood education classroom.

Create STEAM activities for the early childhood classroom.

Define age-appropriate preschool Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math activities for the early childhood classroom.

Create age-appropriate preschool Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math activities for the early childhood classroom.

Be able to assess the children’s learning and understanding of the Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math activities.

Demonstrate their new knowledge on STEAM to the group through a final presentation, by demonstrating an age-appropriate preschool Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, or Math activity for the early childhood classroom.

2. Specific ways to relate goal(s) to curriculum (team/department, system and state frameworks)

Adult education for preschool educators does not have a specific state of standards. However, NAEYC (National Association for the Education of Young Children) is the most recognized early childhood accreditation and association in the United States. NAEYC does have standards for early childhood educators’ professional development. Here are the standards: NAEYC Professional Development Standards.

Implementing STEAM into the Early Childhood Classroom

Designer: Sherri Bernstein

This unit on Implementing STEAM into the Early Education Classroom will meet the following NAEYC 2010 Standards for Advanced Early Childhood Professional Preparation.

Standard 1.b: Knowing and understanding the multiple influences on early development and learning.

Standard 1.c: Using developmental knowledge to create healthy, respectful, supportive and challenging learning environments for young children.

Standard 3.a: Understanding the goals, benefits, and uses of assessment-including its use in development of appropriate goals, curriculum and teaching strategies for young children.

Standard 4.a: Understanding positive relationships and supportive interactions as the foundation of their work with young children.

Standard 4.b: Knowing and understanding effective strategies and tools for early education, including appropriate uses of technology.

Standard 5.a: Understanding content knowledge and resources in academic disciplines: language and literacy; the arts-music, creative movement, dance, drama, visual arts; mathematics; science, physical activity; physical education, health and safety; and social studies.

Standard 5.c: Using own knowledge, appropriate early learning standards, and other resources to design, implement, and evaluate developmentally meaningful and challenging curriculum for each child.

Standard 6.c: Using professional resources, inquiry skills and research methods to engage in continuous, collaborative learning and investigation relevant to practice and professional role.

Standard 6.f: Demonstrating a high level of oral, written and technological communication skills with specialization for professional role(s) emphasized in the program.

3. Characteristics of the students for whom this unit is intended (needs in the cognitive, affective, physical, and social areas)

This unit is designed for adult learners. The learners will be early childhood educators interested in joining a cohort for this Implementing STEAM into the Early Childhood Classroom unit. These early childhood educators all work for the same franchise preschool with schools across the United States. The first cohort will take place in the Philadelphia market. The cohort will consist of a maximum of 25 participants. The cohort will be a mix of ages (23-70), races, genders and education level. This will bring some variety and uniqueness to the group. Depending on the demand for this Unit, the unit will be repeated for more cohorts and markets.

There will be six web-based lessons that will take place prior to the face-face workshops. Introduction to STEAM Science Technology Engineering Arts Mathematics

The cohort will then attend seven three-hour face-to-face workshops. Introduction to STEAM Science Technology Engineering Arts Mathematics Presentations

The cohort will participate in online chats, peer assessments, assessments and uploading assignments.

4. Student’s Present Level of Performance and Knowledge (Do the students have the adequate knowledge to complete the unit successfully? What prerequisite skills must the students have to complete the unit content? Include technology skills.

All participants wanting to join this cohort will need to meet the following requirements.

Education:

Must have a Bachelor’s Degree, Associates Degree or CDA in Early Childhood Education or related field.

Pre-requisites:

Completed the Developmentally Appropriate Practices three-hour workshop.

Completed the Lesson Planning three-hour workshop.

Completed the Integrating the 21st Century Skills in the Early Childhood Classroom three-hour workshop.

Completed the STEAM one-hour webinar.

Completed the six online lessons and submitted reflection paper and lesson plan for each.

Technology Skills:

Proficient in Microsoft Word.

Knowledge of Google Drive, Google Hangouts, Google Plus.

Proficient with uploading and downloading files to/from the internet.

Has a web cam.

Has access to a recording device to record lesson implementations.

Comfortable with use of the Web and online learning.

Laptop that can be brought to the face-to-face workshops.

Other:

Must be able to meet during the seven face-to-face workshops.

5. Classroom Layout and grouping of students for face-to-face workshops.

The face-to-face workshops will be set up with five round tables with five participants at each table. Each table will have access for the participants to set up their computers, including electrical outlets. There will also be an overhead screen where the instructor will present the slideshow. There will be a preparation table as well for all the workshop materials that will be used.

During a group activity, the groups will work with their tablemates. Participants will choose their seat for the first of the seven workshops. However, as the workshops continue the participants will change around, so they get to work face-to-face with others in the group.

There will be whole group instruction, along with small group activities for hands on experience. There will be a few google hangouts and chats that will occur on-line between the face-to-face workshops.

All of the assessed work will be completed individually.

6. Introductory procedures

The participants for this unit will need to sign up to participate in the unit. Therefore the introduction/invite will be conducted through an email invitation with a link to the Implementing STEAM into the Early Childhood Classroom site. The site will have images (see visuals for images), videos and reasons why to take part in the unit. This will help to get them interested in making the commitment to the entire unit of work.

Once the cohort is created, the introduction of the whole unit will be given as an overview during the first night of the workshops. It will cover what the learning outcomes will be and what will be expected throughout the whole unit.

7. Materials and media

Instructor Materials (Needed for each face-face Workshop)

Online Materials(for all online interactions)

Participant Materials (Needed for each face-face Workshop

and online interactions)Laptop Google Plus Group LaptopSlide Show Presentation-one for each of the seven workshops.

Google Drive Email account

Projector Google Hangouts Access to all online materials.Projector Screen STEAM Web site-created by

instructorVideo recorder of some kind.

Chart Paper Internet access during face-to-face workshops

MarkersHandouts-for each of the seven workshops.Materials for hands on activity. For each:ScienceTechnologyEngineeringArtsMathematics

8. Visuals 1. Header Banner for Web Site: The header banner will be used to show the participants what the

unit is. The banner head will have the title of the unit and images that related to the unit itself. (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics). This image will be used consistently on the web site and on the slide show for each face-to-face workshop. It will become the “Unit’s Logo”.

2. Introduction Image: This image will have a combination of all components of STEAM for the introduction workshop.

3. Science Image: This image will show participants that science can stand out. 4. Technology Image: This image will show participants that technology can stand out. 5. Engineering Image: This image will show participants that engineering can stand out. 6. Arts Image: This image will show participants that art can stand out.7. Mathematics Image: This image will show participants that math can stand out. 8. Influence Image: A few images that will represent the influences that STEAM has on children’s

learning.9. Cycle Image: This image will show the participants the learning goals at a glance. 10. Hands-On Image: This image will help participants that all their lessons that they create for the

young children need to be hands-on experiences.11. Child-Directed Image: This image will help participants realize the importance that the activities

are child-directed.

9. Assessment and evaluation of learner understanding (Identify the methods the teacher will use to identify student learning levels and needs. Describe when these will be used during the unit)

Assessment and evaluation will take place through many features.

Evaluation:

There will be a final evaluation of the unit that will be emailed to the cohort participants at the completion of the entire unit. This will be used for the instructor’s feedback on oneself and the unit. The instructor can use the feedback to make adjustments and changes to the materials and presentation methods. (The codes in bold red are in the outcome to assessment relation in section 10.)

Online Lessons

Reflection Paper: A rubric will be used for this assessment.

Lesson Plan: A rubric will be used for this assessment.

Face-to-Face Assessments:

Performance Tasks: During each workshop, the instructor will use objective observation techniques: Performance Tasks using a Rubric. (PT)

Email Formative Assessment: Instructor will use an Email Formative Assessment after each workshop that will be sent to the participants. This will also have an answer key for those answers with only one answer. All others will be assessed according to a Rubric. (EFA)

Lesson Plan Assessment: A rubric will be created for the expectations that will be uploaded to the internet for each area (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics). (LPA)

Video Assessment: A Rubric will be created for the videos that are uploaded for two out of the five (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Match) that they choose to upload to the internet. (VA)

Participation Assessment: A Rubric will be created for the participation with the online and face-to-face interactions. (PA)

Final Presentation: A Rubric will be created for the presentations at the close of the unit. (FP)

10. Relate assessment instruments to the outcomes stated in the goals.

See above for the explanation of the assessment codes for each learning outcome for this unit. Each learning outcome has the assessment uses that will help to assess whether or not the learner has met each goal and to what level they met each.

Define the components of STEAM education.

PT, EFA, PA

Demonstrate an age-appropriate preschool Science activity for the early childhood classroom.

PT, EFA, PA, VA

Justify the implementation into the early childhood education classroom.

PT, EFA

Create STEAM activities for the early childhood classroom.

PT, EFA, PA, VA, LPA, FP

Define an age-appropriate preschool Science activity for the early childhood classroom.

PT, EFA, PA

Demonstrate an age-appropriate preschool Technology activity for the early childhood classroom.

PT, EFA, PA, VA

Assess the children’s learning and understanding of the Science activity.

EFA, LPA

Create an age-appropriate preschool Science activity for the early childhood classroom.

PT, EFA, PA, VA, LPA, FP

Define an age-appropriate preschool Technology activity for the early

Demonstrate an age-appropriate preschool Engineering activity for the early

Assess the children’s learning and understanding of the Technology

Create an age-appropriate preschool Technology activity for the early childhood

childhood classroom.

PT, EFA, PA

childhood classroom.

PT, EFA, PA, VA

activity.

EFA, LPA

classroom.

PT, EFA, PA, VA, LPA, FP

Define an age-appropriate preschool Engineering activity for the early childhood classroom.

PT, EFA, PA

Demonstrate an age-appropriate preschool Arts activity for the early childhood classroom.

PT, EFA, PA, VA

Assess the children’s learning and understanding of the Engineering activity.

EFA, LPA

Create an age-appropriate preschool Engineering activity for the early childhood classroom.

PT, EFA, PA, VA, LPA, FP

Define an age-appropriate preschool Arts activity for the early childhood classroom.

PT, EFA, PA

Demonstrate an age-appropriate preschool Mathematics activity for the early childhood classroom.

PT, EFA, PA, VA

Assess the children’s learning and understanding of the Arts activity.

EFA, LPA

Create an age-appropriate preschool Arts activity for the early childhood classroom.

PT, EFA, PA, VA, LPA, FP

Define an age-appropriate preschool Mathematics activity for the early childhood classroom.

PT, EFA, PA

Demonstrate their new knowledge on STEAM to the group through a final presentation.

PT, EFA, PA, FP

Assess the children’s learning and understanding of the Mathematics activity.

EFA, LPA

Create an age-appropriate preschool Mathematics activity for the early childhood classroom.

PT, EFA, PA, VA, LPA, FP

* Adapted from Unit Plan at http://edtech.tennessee.edu/~bobannon/unit_plans.html