2012 Pre-STEM and STEM Summit 1

A Short Video to Start the Day 2

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 Childrens Museum, EDC 3

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 4

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 Goals 1.Increase student interest in STEM 2.Increase STEM achievement among Prek-12 3.Increase students who are college STEM ready 4.Increase STEM degree attainment 5.Increase STEM classes led by effective educators 6.Align STEM education programs with the workforce needs Qualitative Goals 1.Community Engagement 2.Academic Coherence 3.Educator Development 4.STEM Employers and STEM Professionals

Over-arching Questions to Think About 6 What do we want children to know? What do we want educators to know? How do we build/encourage curiosity in children of all ages and stages of development? What curriculum changes can occur? What resources are needed? What resources exist?

The Development of Pre-K Science, Technology, and Engineering Standards Karen Worth Wheelock College

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 Have Guidelines 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 Mathematics Formative 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 standard What 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: Practices The 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 Data Test Solutions Ask Questions Observe Experiment Measure Evaluating Developing Explanations and Solutions Argue Critique Analyze Theories and Models Formulate Hypotheses Propose Solutions Imagine Reason Calculate Predict

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 Ideas Influences on the selection of content Research Appropriate challenge Childrens interest, curiosity, and their environment Articulation with K-12 (progressions of learning) STE key ideas

Sample Standard Physical Science: Motion Children 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 Connection Identify relative position of objects in space, and use appropriate language (e.g., beside, inside, next to, close to, above, below, apart.

Sample Standard Life Science: How organisms meet their basic needs in their environment Children 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. Books Gilbertson, B. Z. Cactus Hotel. Henry Holt Mazer, Anne. Salamander Room. Dragonfly Books Gibbons, Gail. From Seed to Plant. Holiday House

Sample Standard Earth Sciences: Elements of daily weather Children who demonstrate understanding can: Collect and record data on daily weather and use data to determine simple patterns. Math Connection Listen 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