The 2022-2023 school year is underway and the hallways and classrooms are alive with chatter and inquisitive minds! Once again I look forward to traveling the nation and world and providing quality, engaging, meaningful, and sustainable science and STEM professional staff development to educators and administrators. Training sessions are available for one-day to multiple-day institutes. Sessions are available onsite as well as virtual. With each training session scheduled a free 1/2 hour ZOOM follow-up session is available for attendees. Sessions are: Available year-round and on weekends throughout the nation and world. All sessions are custom-designed to fit the specific needs/goals of your district/school. Are aligned to national and regional science standards. Incorporate 21st-century skills. Are highly engaging, hands-on-minds-on, and inquiry-based. Empower the participant through engaging investigations and thought-provoking discourse. Use simple, readily available, and inexpensive materials. Incorporate a wide array of affordable technological tools aside from computer-based technology. Incorporate journaling. Provide opportunities for participants to design and create models to bring back to the classroom. Provide opportunities for participants to process what they have experienced as a learner, and how they will take what they have experienced back into their classrooms. A positive learning community is developed by providing opportunities for discourse and sharing among participants and Dr. Diana. For a downloadable PDF brochure with details of the science and STEM professional staff development, I provide please click here. I look forward to the opportunity to share my passion and knowledge of science and STEM with your staff. Please feel free to contact me with any questions or to book sessions by completing the Contact Form found on the Contact Page. The following video gives a bird’s eye view of what your district, school, or organization can expect from the science and STEM professional development training Dr. Diana Wehrell-Grabowski provides.
Tag: STEMedconsultantdrdianawehrellgrabowski
Project-Based Learning in the Early Years Virtual Training
I had the privilege of providing virtual professional staff development for the staff of Kids at Work Preschool in the Dominican Republic last week. I was scheduled to conduct the project-based learning training in-person. However, the training became a virtual experience due to COVID-19 travel restrictions. Last year I introduced the Kids at Work Preschool staff to foundational principles of project-based teaching and learning, as well as two PBL units that are ideal and meaningful to incorporate at the early childhood level. The training this past week was a follow-up to the 2019 introductory session. A major part of our training sessions was spent on revising classroom learning experiences into virtual, and those that can be undertaken within the home with support from the children’s parents/caregivers. We started off the training by revisiting teaching via inquiry-based practices, and strategies to truly engage and immerse the young child in the virtual learning experience. To promote inquiry practices, I had teachers use a soap solution and a straw to blow bubbles. They made predictions, asked questions, theorized, drew in their journals, etc. We also made observations of objects found in nature. I introduced teachers to two new project-based learning units to incorporate within their classrooms “Math Is All Around Us” and “Transportation: Things That Go“. Both of these units are ideal for incorporating meaningful and authentic PBL learning experiences within the early childhood + settings. There was plenty of time during each of the virtual training sessions to share questions, participant video of the mini inquiry investigations they were conducting, etc. Our closing session was spent discussing ideas for a PBL unit as a group to assure that all of the staff were confident in designing and teaching a project-based learning unit over an extended period of time. As always it was a great group of dedicated educators, who like so many educators worldwide have spent countless hours on their own tweaking their teaching skills and lessons for the virtual learning platform. The following photos were taken during the sessions, as you can see it is possible to make virtual teaching and learning engaging! For more information on virtual and in-person science and STEM-based professional staff development, Diana provides worldwide complete the contact form here.
Connecting STEM and Loose Parts
It’s been a very busy six months, and I’m finally, getting a chance to share what I’ve been up to. From conducting teacher training within the state of Florida, throughout the nation, Southeast Asia, and the Carribbean it has been a fulfilling and very rewarding past six months. In February I had the opportunity to travel to East St. Louis to provide professional staff development to early childhood educators at Southside Early Childhood Center. What an impressive school, staff, and administrators with a long history of providing quality childcare to children of families with low-income. During the training, early childhood teachers were introduced to the foundational principles of the Theory of Loose Parts. The Theory of Loose Parts was developed by Simon Nicholson in 1971. Loose parts are materials that can be moved, carried, combined, redesigned, lined up, and taken apart and put back together in multiple ways. The idea of ‘loose parts’ uses materials to empower a creative imagination. The more materials and individuals involved, the more ingenuity takes place. The theory of Loose Parts and foundational principles of STEM are a natural blend. Both promote exploration and creativity, are student-centered and encourage building and engineering. The teachers were immersed in exploring methods of connecting STEM practices and content with Loose Parts throughout the day-long training. Teachers were introduced to inquiry-based STEM explorations, journaling, the engineering design process, as well as having the opportunity to review a wide array of children’s literature that make great connections to STEM and loose parts. As always the teachers truly enjoyed themselves as they became students for the day exploring, investigating, and discovering the powerful impact STEM has on developing and strengthing 21st-century learning skills, as well as empowering and engaging the learner. Check out the following photos of the STEM and Loose Parts training.
STEM Teacher Training Course in Vietnam
In early Fall I was contacted by eGroup Education Corporation Joint Stock Company located in Hanoi, Vietnam to conduct an intensive introductory STEM teacher training course for STEAMe Garten and Apax English Teachers. STEAMe GARTEN is part of Egroup Education Group which is one of the first preschools to introduce STEM education methods to preschool programs in Vietnam. For five days 40 STEAMe GARTEN and 10 Apax English Teachers were immersed in delving deep into what a quality STEM education program looks like, observing best practices in STEM teaching practices such as inquiry, student-driven classroom, and designing STEM-based lessons and experiences that engage and empower each individual student. The five day STEM teacher training course started off with introducing the participants to inquiry-based teaching practices, 21st-century learning skills, engineering design process, reflective journaling, and incorporating children’s literature. The first STEM-based investigation I introduced the teachers to was exploring matter of all kinds, in the engineering world, this is called materials science. So much of STEM learning is based on conducting engineering challenges whether it’s building a prototype of a bridge, house, or roller coaster ramp. It’s imperative that teachers give students the opportunity to explore the materials they are expected to use or have the option of using, as well as introducing students to the newest materials that have been developed. During the STEM-based matter lessons teachers compared and contrasted physical characteristics of a wide array of common household materials such as cardboard, cement bricks, wood, Styrofoam and more, as well as unique materials such as super-absorbing polymers, polymers, and Oobleck. After participants became acquainted with the characteristics of building materials and unique types of matter we progressed on to study patterns and shapes and why patterns and shapes are so important to all the STEM disciplines. Participants compared structural integrity of triangles vs. squares, they created 3-dimensional structures with toothpicks and garbanzo beans and then dipped them into a soap solution to observe faces, vertices and edges and more. We also made connections to geometry and architecture. Participants were given the challenge of designing and creating a dimensional structure of their choice within a limited time frame. They were only allowed to use cardboard, tape, string, and decorative materials. These type of engineering challenges provide plenty of opportunities to strengthen and develop 21st-century learning skills (creativity, critical thinking, communication, and collaboration). It was amazing to see all the different type of structures that were created. A gallery walk was undertaken to observe all the structures, and each group was also asked to provide an oral presentation of their building experience and structure. We then moved onto exploring mechanical, electrical and systems engineering via analyzing and taking apart broken household gadgets and toys. This is perhaps one of the most authentic STEM learning experiences a student of any age can undertake to truly understand what engineering is all about. Participants were separated into small working groups where they spent several hours analyzing, deconstructing and organizing internal and external components that made up their gadget. At the completion of the deconstructing engineering challenge a gallery walk was had, and each group gave a presentation to the class about their experience deconstructing the gadget. The teachers shared that from having had this experience they would no longer throw away “outdated or broken appliances or toys” but instead bring them to their classrooms for the students to deconstruct. Depending on the grade level of the students, this engineering experience can be taken to the next level by having students try and fix the gadget, reconstruct the gadget, create a new gadget from the components, or create art from the components. The last of the engineering challenges the teachers undertook was to design and create a marble roller coaster which had to have a minimum of one turn and one loop, using limited supplies which included paper tubes, insulation tubes, cardboard, straws, blocks, tape, string, and decorative materials. Teachers were given a limited amount of time to undertake the challenge. At the completion of the building, a gallery walk of the roller coasters was undertaken where group members demonstrated how their roller coaster worked and discussed the entire learning experience with their peers. As always designing and […]
Teachers Explore the Principles of Biomimicry During STEM Teacher Training Workshop
One of my favorite teacher training workshops focuses on the concept of biomimicry. Biomimicry (from bios, meaning life, and mimesis, meaning to imitate)is a new science that studies nature’s best ideas and then imitates these designs and processes to solve human problems. Think of biomimicry as “innovation inspired by nature.” Nature has inspired scientists and engineers in developing camouflage clothing, adhesives, solar energy, filtration systems, transportation systems, drones and beyond. During the biomimicry-based teacher training workshops, teachers are introduced to the concept of biomimicry by studying a wide array of man-made gadgets and systems and discussing how scientists were inspired by nature in designing the gadget. During a recent STEM teacher training workshop, I conducted teachers were introduced to the principles of biomimicry. We ventured outside to observe “real-world” examples of biomimicry. Upon returning to the classroom teachers studied a wide array of examples of gadgets that were inspired by nature, teachers used an assortment of mathematical and scientific tools in their analyses including incorporating digital photography. Each group was asked to construct a mind map of their discussions of biomimicry as well. Teachers were then given the engineering challenge to look to nature in designing a prototype of a gadget that would help to solve a problem that humans face. Teachers incorporated the engineering design process as they brainstormed, designed and built prototypes of gadgets and structures that were based on inspiration from nature. Teachers built solar chargers, shelters, floatation devices, lighting systems, and more. When teachers introduce their students to biomimicry concepts, as well as giving the students an engineering design challenge based on the principles of biomimicry, this is truly an authentic and “real-world” STEM-based learning experience. For additional information on biomimicry check out the Biomimicry Institute website. The following photos were taken during the biomimicry/ STEM teacher training workshop. [envira-gallery id=”1526″]
Early Childhood Teachers Explore STEAM Practices and Content
Had a wonderful visit with Wonder Years Learning Center early childhood teachers in Totowa, NJ. During the six-hour training, teachers were introduced to principle foundations of science, technology, engineering, art, and math (STEAM) practices and content appropriate for toddlers through pre-Kindergarten-age. We started off the session by exploring patterns and shapes in nature and in man-made objects and how engineers and architects incorporate patterns and shapes in their building designs. Time was also spent out in the schoolyard to observe patterns and shapes of the school building and local neighborhood. Teachers made observations and drew in their journals. Teachers were also introduced to a wide-array of STEAM-based children’s literature that was aligned with each of the STEAM investigations that were undertaken throughout the training. Teachers were introduced to age-appropriate and low-cost technology that can be incorporated within the early childhood classroom on a daily basis. Many of these tools can be incorporated within the block center such as levels, rulers, tape measures, and journaling. Additionally, each of the STEAM-based investigations undertaken during incorporated 21st-century learning skills: critical thinking, creativity, communication, and collaboration. As always during my trainings, I like to introduce teachers to new STEAM-based products that are well-made and truly incorporate at least three of the STEAM disciplines. Teachers were introduced to Fisher-Price Think and Learn Code-a-Pillar Toy which introduces young children to coding skills on the very simplest level. Teachers had the opportunity to test out Start-Up Circuits which is a well-made toy to teach young children about electric circuits. Another well-made STEM-based toy the teachers were introduced to was Grippies Builders which is a soft grip magnetic building toy for toddlers. Participants were also introduced to a number of robot building kits including Educational Insights Design and Drill Robot, and Velcro Kids Robot Building Kit by Velcro Brand Blocks. At the close of the session, teachers were introduced to tinkering, where children are given opportunities to take-a-part broken toys and household gadgets. Tinkering is perhaps one of the most powerful STEM-based learning experiences and center for any age. As always it was inspiring to see such a motivated group of early childhood educators, as well as a supportive administrator who wanted to provide her staff with a quality and engaging introduction to incorporating STEAM practices and content within the classroom. I look forward to hearing how the Wonder Years Learning Center Staff will incorporate STEAM investigations and practices within their classrooms for the 2018-2019 school year. To get a “bird’s eye view” of the training, check out a sampling of the photos taken during the STEAM training for early childhood educators. [envira-gallery slug=”early-childhood-steam-teacher-training-workshop-wonder-years-learning-center”]
Washington Teachers Explore STEM and MakerEd Challenges During Teacher Training Workshop
I recently had the pleasure of sharing my knowledge and expertise of STEM and MakerEd strategies with elementary and middle school teachers in Washington. During the two day training teachers were introduced to the engineering design process, incorporating lessons that develop and strengthen 21st century skills, the design cycle, and methods/strategies to incorporate Makerspaces within their school library and classrooms. During the two-day training teachers were given the engineering design challenge of designing a roller coaster marble run using recycled materials, designing and creating a vehicle that was powered by air, using recycled materials, as well as designing and building a Vibrobot. Teachers were introduced to strategies on incorporating a Makerspace within their library, as well as ideas for Maker Centers within their classrooms. Teachers were introduced to a wide-array of technology, tools and kits that are commonly used in school library and classroom Makerspaces such as: Makey Makey, Snap Circuits, LittleBits, Makedo, Ozobot, Fisher Price Code-A-Pillar, Squishy Circuits and more. Additionally, teachers were introduced to incorporating tinkering/ take-apart centers within their Makerspaces. Teachers were given the task of analyzing a toy or household gadget with their group, they were then asked to take the gadget apart. They were to identify and label the parts etc. The components from the deconstructed broken gadgets can be used to create new gadgets and inventions, or used to repair similar gadgets. Students of all ages love to tinker, and I find that adults love to tinker and take part in deconstructing gadgets as well. The process of tinkering, and deconstructing gadgets indeed develops and strengthens 21st century skills, and incorporates science and engineering practices. The following photos are a sample of the STEM and Maker Explorations that were conducted during the two day STEM and MakerEd teacher training workshop. To schedule a STEM, MakerEd, or NGSS teacher training workshop complete the contact form found on the contact page.
Tennessee Teachers Attend Two-Day STEAM-Teacher Training Institute
I recently had the pleasure of conducting a two-day STEAM-based teacher training institute for Metro Nashville Public School System. Sixty K-8 educators were introduced to STEAM practices and content via conducting hands-on-minds-on, inquiry-based STEAM investigations. All investigations were directly aligned with Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) as well. The training started off with lively discussion to assure that all participants had a clear understanding of: What a student-driven classroom looks like; Teaching via inquiry-based practices; Incorporating 21st century learning skills and practices within all lessons; Incorporating the engineering design process within STEAM experiences, and Incorporating reflective journaling within the classroom. Throughout the two-day STEAM Institute teachers conducted investigations to explore: materials science principles, architecture and mathematics connections, aeronautics, force, solar energy, reverse engineering, motion and energy concepts. Additionally, teachers were introduced to incorporating meaningful technology including low-tech ed tools and kits, as well as incorporating STEM-related children’s literature. All experiences were inquiry-based, incorporated 21st century skills, and made connections to the related engineering careers such as Materials Science Engineer, Civil and Architectural Engineer, etc. For more information about the STEM and NGSS teacher training workshops Dr. Diana Wehrell-Grabowski conducts world-wide contact her via the contact form on this website. The following photos were taken during the two-day STEAM Institute.