Just Playing Around: Teaching PreK to 3rd Grade STEM Through Inquiry, Exploration, and Play – Workshop #1: Science Sylvia Kennedy-Godin January 8, 2019

Children are naturally curious, full of questions, creative, and playful. This three-part workshop series uses the concept of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) as play in which children are engaged in asking questions, making discoveries, experimenting, working with others, and working toward proficiency in NGSS and CCSS standards. The format of each workshop will use this playful approach to STEM. Participants will interact with each other, ask questions, explore materials, and play. The series starts with a focus on science followed by mathematics. Engineering is presented as an application of scientific and mathematical concepts. Technology is a tool that is woven throughout the series. The series can also be taken as a 2-credit course which requires participation in all three workshops and completion of readings and assignments focusing on purposeful play, cultivating STEM identities, and strengthening both teacher and student mindsets with STEM content. Participants in the science workshop will leave with a STEM toolkit of ideas and simple materials grounded in: creating a learning environment which optimizes play and exploration; developing strategies to encourage questioning and prompt inquiry; introducing science phenomena, tasks, and problems to spark curiosity; using literature to embed science themes; scaffolding to include all learners and personalize learning; and utilizing loose parts and a tinkering mindset.