2011 STEM Summit
and
Early Education and Out of School Time
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Brain Building In Progress
Build a STEM Foundation!
 Curiosity
 Observation
 Interaction
 Language acquisition
 Problem solving
“a statewide, public-private partnership with the United
Way to raise awareness of the importance of our
youngest citizens’ early development to their future
success” www.BrainBuildingInProgress.org
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZawNmpoXvI
ECE and OST Build STEM Learning
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Support overall academic growth,
especially literacy and numeracy
Develop children’s critical thinking
and reasoning skills
Enhance later interest in STEM study and
careers
Tap and sustain children’s natural curiosity
and sense of wonder
Broaden children’s experiences and
understanding of the world around them.
ECE and OST are Uniquely Positioned
to Support STEM Education
Children spend substantial time in ECE/OST
settings
 OST has more freedom than schools to offer
extended STEM activities, such as projectbased and experiential learning
 ECE/OST educators are attuned to children’s
developmental needs and how to excite
them about STEM learning
 ECE/OST programs prevent “summer
learning loss” in all content areas
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STEM Crosswalk with EEC Initiatives
STEM
QRIS
EEC Core
Competencies
Category 1:
Curriculum and Learning
Area 1:
Understanding the Growth
and Development of
Children and Youth
Recommendations from
the MA Academy of
Sciences (MAS)
Recognize the importance
of STEM education for in
school and out of school
time.
Create opportunities for
early childhood educators
to provide quality science,
technology, engineering
and math activities for
children.
Connect STEM activities
with daily experiences.
Encourage volunteers in
the sciences and the arts
to help parents/caregivers
engage children in
meaningful activities.
Evaluate effectiveness of
STEM activities.
Category 3:
Workforce Qualification
and Professional
Development
Category 4:
Family and Community
Engagement
Area 2:
Guiding and Interacting
with Children and Youth
Area 3:
Partnering with Families
and Communities
Area 4:
Health, Safety and
Nutrition
Area 5:
Learning Environments
and Implementing
Curriculum
Area 6:
Observation, Assessment,
and Documentation
Area 8:
Professionalism and
Leadership
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Guidelines for
Preschool
Learning
Experiences
Guideline:
Mathematics
Guideline:
Science and
Technology/
Engineering
Guideline:
Health Education
MA Guidelines
for Infants and
Toddlers
Guideline:
Cognitive
Development
Core Competency Linkages to STEM
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Area 1: Understanding the Growth and Development of
Children and Youth
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Area 2: Guiding and Interacting with Children and Youth
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Acceptance of all children and youth (A1)
Area 3: Partnering with Families and Communities
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General principals of child and youth development (A1) (A2)
Sensory development (C5) (C6)
Cognitive development (E10) (E11)
Individual differences in development (G14)
Respect for diverse cultures and communities (A1)
Communication/relationships with families (B4)
Family involvement (C5)
Improving partnerships with schools and communities (E9) (E10)
Core Competency
Linkages to STEM
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Area 4: Health, Safety and Nutrition
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Area 5: Learning Environments and Implementing
Curriculum
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Planning for individualized learning (D5)
Area 8: Professionalism and Leadership
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Learning Environments and Implementing Curriculum (A1) (A2)
(A3)
Curriculum (B5, B6, B7 andB8)
Area 6: Observation, Assessment, and Documentation
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Nutrition (F18)
Physical Fitness and Activity H21)
Professional development (D12) (D15)
Preschool Guidelines Linkages to STEM
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Guideline: Mathematics
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Inquiry Skills
Earth and Space Sciences
Life Sciences
Guideline: Health Education
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Measurement
Data Collection & Analysis
Guideline: Science and Technology/Engineering
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Number Sense
Patterns & Relationships
Shapes & Spatial Sense
Physical Development
Safety & Health Care
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Living Things & Their Environment
The Physical Sciences
Technology & Engineering
Infant and Toddler Guidelines Linkages
to STEM
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Guideline: Cognitive Development
Develops memory skills; performs simple actions to
make things happen and displays a beginning
understanding of cause and effect
 Develops problem solving skills
 Explores materials and discovers mathematical concepts
 Develops early scientific skills through exploration and
discovery
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The Common Core and STEM
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Skills developed from birth to 5 through
play and early language development are
the foundation for success in STEM and in
gaining meaning from curriculum.
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These skills are used in language arts
and mathematics to varying degrees:
 interpretation, analysis, evaluation,
 explanation, description, organization,
 comparison and contrast,
 inquiry
 symbolization and representation.
The Common Core and STEM
Offering intentional, systemic
opportunities to develop and use these
skills in peer and adult relationships
provides the foundation for future growth
BUT
Most educators haven’t had the
opportunity to build systemic, intentional
practice around these ideas.
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STEM provides engaging content for
application of these skills and creates
curiosity in children that can later develop
into interest.
The STEM Challenge:
Historically, STEM has been targeted at students during the
school day.
 Children need exposure to STEM concepts beginning in early
education.
 STEM activities in less formal OST settings reinforce in-school
learning for school age children and spark their interest.
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Opportunity:
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The STEM Summit can inform policy maker, business leaders,
and others about the opportunities early education and OST
provides for STEM education.
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“Brain Building in Progress” can get the message across.
Progress:
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First ever discussion strand on early education and OST
at the 2011 STEM Summit!
Goal:
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Build on the momentum by advancing understanding of the
value of STEM curricula in early education and OST.
MA’s STEM Plan has 5 Key
Quantitative Goals:
1. Increase student interest in STEM.
 …at early ages (including preschool and elementary
school) to increase student motivation to attain higher
levels of STEM academic achievement/performance.
2. Increase STEM achievement of PreK12 students.
3. Increase the percentage of students who demonstrate
readiness for collegelevel study in STEM fields.
4. Increase the number of students who graduate from a
postsecondary institution with a degree in a STEM field.
5. Increase the number/percentage of STEM classes led by
effective educators, from PreK16.
Future measure of STEM qualifications of Pre‐K‐16 educators (TBD;
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likely will vary by level…)
and 4 Qualitative Goals for Transformation:
1. Community engagement
Every MA community will foster increased student interest in STEM … to
spark and sustain student awareness of, interest in and motivation to
pursue advanced STEM education and related careers…
Parents, educators, employers, student leaders and STEM
professionals will be advocates to influence, support and sustain
student commitment to STEM from Pre‐K through post‐secondary
education
PreK‐16 students will have access to rigorous academic and
technical preparation in the STEM subjects and be encouraged to
engage in experiential and applied learning opportunities.
Collaboration is critical…to engage students at various points along
the STEM pipeline – from preschool to career.
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2. Academic coherence
MA STEM standards, curriculum frameworks, instruction and
assessments will…
Align vertically across grade levels and horizontally across subject
strands ...
Connect community‐based experiential and project‐focused learning
resources to PreK‐12 curricula…
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and 4 Qualitative Goals for Transformation:
3. Educator development
Every student will learn from highly effective educators in every STEM
subject area at every grade level, PreK‐16. MA educators will…
Possess deep subject matter knowledge that spans grade levels; be
skilled in the pedagogy of inquiry and problem solving; and be
prepared to incorporate experiential and applied learning…into
coherent classroom instruction.
Make effective use of technology as a tool for learning…
Seek out innovative ways to further improve their understanding of
their student’s strengths and weaknesses, through data analysis
and the creation of active assessments.
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4. STEM employers and STEM professionals
Employers and STEM professionals (from industry and education) can
provide opportunities for experiential learning, both inside and outside
the classroom by...
Participating in educator professional development and
communicating their expectations for students... Serving as
mentors, internship/co‐op supervisors, leaders of community‐based
after‐school and expanded learning time programs…
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Getting Ready: 2nd Annual
Pre-Summit Strategy Meeting
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Wheelock’s Aspire Institute facilitated a meeting of EEC
grantees and educators to prepare and strategize for
the Summit.
A review of past year and current efforts and activities
to promote STEM in ECE and OST settings.
A panel presentation from content experts – what can
we do to continue to make the case for STEM in ECE
and OST settings?
Strategy sessions with colleagues to identify the
following:
Best approaches for engaging policymakers, businesses
and funders.
 Capacity development activities that the state and other
partners can pursue to strengthen STEM learning in ECE
and OST settings.
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Early Education 1: STEM in the World - Building the
Foundation in the Early Years / PEEP & the Big Wide World
A universal pedagogy that takes STEM from theory to practice in the
early stages of brain development. WGBH has been developing
curriculum that supports STEM in the early years, working with 3-5
year olds to ensure that critical thinking, math and science habits of
mind, inquisitiveness/curiosity about the world and our environment
help shape the next generation of leaders. We will also explore the
importance of this early investment in our society and our economic
future.
Early Education 2: Preparing Adults to Support Brain
Building in Progress - Programs in the Lead
A presentation of programs successfully integrating
science, technology, engineering, and math into the
classroom followed by a group strategy session facilitated
by EEC Commissioner Sherri Killins and Wheelock President
Jackie Jenkins-Scott on the roles of the state, business,
and higher education in developing the policies, resources,
and activities needed to improve STEM access in our
environment.
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"An Evaluation of the Peep Explorer's
Guide in Preschool Classrooms"
Gay Mohrbacher, WGBH, Peep in the Big Wide World
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Multi-media initiative funded by the National Science
Foundation and Northrop Grumman
Available on public television, V-me (Spanish TV), web,
and in classrooms
Peep emphasizes science through learning:
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Direct experience with materials
Science topics that are part of daily life (indoors and
outdoors)
Extended inquiry and exploration over time
Emphasis on reflection and reasoning
Outreach Goals
Model inquiry process skills
 Encourage support of children’s hands-on science and
math explorations
 Provide resources – Peep Explorers Guide
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Integration of STEM into the Head Start Child
Development and Early Learning Framework
“Raising the bar for tomorrow’s leaders through innovation and
collaboration across Head Start Programs”
Anne D’Errico, Director; GLCAC, Inc Head Start
 Initiated skyping pilot with 3 towns in Puerto Rico
 A collaboration was created by Head Start programs to
promote bi-lingualsim and to create opportunities to
introduce new technology.
 Initiative designed to integrate program’s Dual
Language Learning Curriculum into existing Head Start
Child Development and Early Learning Framework
 Resulted in measurable growth in
children’s language and skills
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Creative Minds - Extension Activities in
Math, Science and Engineering
Katie Magrane, Mass. Afterschool Partnership
Creative Minds Out of School arts curriculum was
designed by the Mass. Afterschool Partnership (MAP)
with the Mass. Cultural Council (MCC), the state’s art
and culture agency, and Davis Publications, a leading
publisher of arts education materials.
 Second edition includes extension activities in Math,
Science and Engineering that are directly connected to
the MA Curriculum Frameworks.
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Goal: Show children grades K-5, in a
hands-on approach, how STEM content
can be discovered in all learning
environments. An innovative approach
of connecting STEM education with Art
and Design.
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Panel Discussion
We’ve seen some creative ways to weave STEM
concepts into early education and out of school
time.
1. What is needed to make this kind of learning
possible?
2. What are the challenges and next steps?
 For educators?
 For programs?
 For professional development providers
including higher education?
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