Just Playing Around: Teaching STEM Through Inquiry, Exploration, and Play, PK – Grade 1 – Mathematics Sylvia Kennedy-Godin September 11, 2019

Children are naturally curious, full of questions, creative, and playful. This four-part workshop series uses the concept of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) as play; children are engaged in asking questions, making discoveries, experimenting, working with others, and working toward proficiency in the VELS, NGSS and CCSS standards. The format of each workshop reflects this playful approach to STEM. Participants will interact with each other, ask questions, explore materials, and play. Participants in this workshop will: Develop an understanding of the teaching and learning trajectories in the areas of Number and Operations, Geometry, and Measurement; Investigate ways to naturally highlight math in play situations and provide focused learning opportunities through play; Explore and extend their own math understandings during problem solving explorations; and Create math toolkits to use in their own learning environments.