5/2/2016. Adapting STEM Activities for Young Children and Their Families. What is ZERO TO THREE? Objectives. Policy- Makers. Parents.

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1 Adapting STEM Activities for Young Children and Their Families Rebecca Parlakian, M.A., Ed. Jodi Whiteman, M.A. What is ZERO TO THREE? ZERO TO THREE is a national, nonprofit organization that provides parents, professionals and policymakers the knowledge and know-how to nurture early development. Policy- Makers Parents Professionals Copyright 2016 ZERO TO THREE. All rights reserved. 2 Objectives Outline specific science, engineering and math skills that develop in the early years Identify strategies that early interventionists can use to adapt STEM skills for children with special needs Copyright 2015 by ZERO TO THREE 1

2 STEM & STEAM STEM Science, Technology, Engineering, Math STEAM Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Math Let s Warm Our Brains Up Turn to someone sitting next to you and share 3 uses of a paper clip, other than holding papers together. Paper Clip Question This challenge was given as part of an experiment into divergent thinking ability at different ages. Researchers George Land and Beth Jarman found that: 98% of kindergarteners (age 5) scored at the genius level in divergent thinking. When the same group of students was tested again at 10 years old, 32% of the children scored at the genius level. By age 15, the same group of students was tested and only 10% of students scored at the genius level. And, when 200,000 adults were tested with the paper clip problem, can you guess how many of them tested at the genius level? Only 2%! 2

3 Engineering in Early Childhood Copyright 2016 ZERO TO THREE. All rights reserved. 7 Engineering What does Engineering mean to you? Engineering is The application of mathematics, empirical evidence, and scientific and practical knowledge in order to invent, innovate, design, build, or solve a problem. The use of math, science, and technology to solve real-world problems. Engineering and Babies? Skill Children seem to be born with innate expectations about what is possible/expected and impossible, i.e., how things work Birth Intentional communication emerges 8 months + Emerging problem-solving skills 9 months + Children begin to combine objects in play Children begin to understand cause-and-effect Children begin to test cause-and-effect Children begin building simple structures (stacks of blocks) 9-12 months 3.5 months + 5 months + Age 12 months + 3

4 Engineering and Toddlers Skill Solves simple problems using tools Activates mechanical toy Builds tower using 2 cubes 3 cubes 4 cubes 6 cubes Stacks rings Stacks rings in order Identifies object with their use Understands negative reasoning No more Not a spoon months months months months months months months months months months Age Powerful What Questions What happened there? What did you try? What have you changed about what you are making? What are some of the ideas you have talked about that you haven t tried yet? What have you seen other people trying? What do you notice about? What do you think will happen if we? (Boston Children s Museum, STEM Sprouts Teaching Guide) Preschoolers and Engineering Skill Points to or places object on top/bottom when asked Same as above for in front, in back, around, through Names an item when shown parts Sequences a 3-picture story that has been read Answers questions logically when asked a what if question Points to common objects according to function Age months 36+ months months months months months 4

5 Engineering Design Process Engineering Is Elementary, Museum of Science, Boston, MA Engineering Design Process ASK What is the problem? What have others done? What are the constraints? IMAGINE What are some solutions? Brainstorm ideas. Choose the best one. PLAN Draw a diagram. Make lists of materials you will need. CREATE Follow your plan and create it. Test it out! IMPROVE Talk about what works, what doesn t, and what could work better. Modify your design to make it better. Test it out! (Cunningham & Hester, 2007, p. 5) Adaptations: Ramps & Balls Age Range: 18 months 3 years Activity: To experiment with ramps and balls To discover impact of changing angle of ramp To discover how to make the balls roll farther To work with a partner Your Challenge: Identify adaptations to this activity for toddlers with a: Motoric/Physical Disability Social/Communicative Disability 5

6 Motoric Adaptations Consider size/materials used for ramp; modify as needed Add handle to ramp to make it easier to grasp/adjust Ensure balls are easily graspable (consider size/texture) Consider positioning of activity is it easier for the child to sit at chair and work at table or sit on floor and work there? Conduct task analysis to identify component skills Target component skills (ie, grasp and release skills) prior to activity to facilitate child s participation Social/Communicative Adaptations Use social story to describe the roles of each child in the activity Pre-teach vocabulary associated with activity Use a first/then chart to establish sequencing for the activity Teach signs or other ways to allow the child to communicate his/her prediction about how far the ball will go and/or how to move the ramp Use visual cue for taking turns Prompt children to make eye contact when they change turns Prompt children to work together to adjust ramp or retrieve balls, scaffolding as needed Math in Early Childhood Copyright 2016 ZERO TO THREE. All rights reserved. 18 6

7 Time to Get Up and Move Write your favorite number from 1-20 that has personal significance to you on the post-it. For example: 2 - I have 2 children and 2 dogs. Talk with 3 other people nearby, sharing your number and why you chose it. After getting into your groups, line up in order from What Math Skills Did You Use? Number recognition: We both have the number 3. Writing numbers: I wrote down the number 3. Saying counting words in order: Getting into order Understanding that written numbers are symbols for number quantities. Understanding the relationship between numbers and quantities. These skills all relate to number sense. MATH CONCEPTS AND SKILLS Mathematics Knowledge & Skills Domains Number Concepts & Quantities Number Relationships & Operations Geometry & Spatial Sense Patterns Measurement & Comparison Check out 7

8 SO, WHY DOES EARLY MATH MATTER? When children master math skills early on, they have a strong foundation for ongoing and more complex math learning. Children s early math skills predict BOTH their later math and reading skills in grade 3! Special Focus: What Is Number Sense? Number sense is an emerging construct (Berch, 1998) that refers to a child s fluidity and flexibility with numbers, the sense of what numbers mean and an ability to perform mental mathematics and to look at the world and make comparisons (p. 18). Number Sense, Infants, and Toddlers Between the ages of one and two, some children will understand, but not be able to explain the concepts of more. Some two-year-olds may understand the words one and two. Most will be able to follow simple directions, such as asking them to take one or pick two. Many two-year-olds will know they are two and can hold up two fingers to show you. As they approach age three, they will try to recite the number sequence but often get numbers out of order. ( 8

9 Number Sense and Preschoolers During their third year, many children can tell their age and hold up that many fingers to demonstrate. During the fourth year, many can accurately count up to five items, some can count up to 10, and a few can count to 20. Many four-year-olds can tell what number comes after a given number in a sequence up to 10. Given two numbers between one and 10, many five-year-olds can tell which of the two is larger. lestones/preschool-kindergarten/ 9

10 Number Sense: Step 1 Subitizing refers to a child s ability to immediately recognize the total number of items in a collection and label it with an appropriate number word. Institute for Education Sciences, Number Sense: Step 2 Meaningful Object Counting is counting in a one-to-one fashion and recognizing that the last number word used while counting is the same as the total (this is called the cardinality principle). Institute for Education Sciences, Number Sense: Step 3 Counting-Based Comparisons of groups larger than 3 Children use meaningful object counting to determine the larger of two collections Can use terms like more/less, bigger/smaller Institute for Education Sciences,

11 Number Sense: Step 4 Number-After Knowledge Familiarity with the counting sequence enables a child to have number-after knowledge i.e., to enter the number sequence at any point and specify the next number, instead of always counting from one. Institute for Education Sciences, Number Sense: Step 5 Mental Comparisons of Close or Neighboring Numbers Children s ability to efficiently and mentally determine the larger of two adjacent or close numbers (e.g., that nine is larger than eight ). 9 is larger than 8 Institute for Education Sciences, Number Sense: Step 6 Number After Equals One More Children s ability to conclude that the next number in the counting sequence is exactly one more than the previous number. Institute for Education Sciences,

12 Number Sense: What You Can Do Use simple mathematical vocabulary related to number sense: Big/bigger/biggest, small, more, fewer, enough, not enough Make a routine of counting objects/people in your daily routines Narrate math concepts: One spoon for you, one spoon for me Point out how sets are transformed if items are added to or removed: Look, we put 2 puppy treats in Spotty s bowl. If he eats one, how many are left? Offer safe objects that young children can group and re-group. Use comparison language to describe the groups. Count the groups. Adaptations: Filling Muffin Tins Age Range: 12 months 24 months Activity: To develop an innate understanding of one-to-one correspondence To hear the counting sequence from 1-12 To repeat the counting sequence for 1-2 (by 24 months) To offer 1 item when asked (by 18 months) To sustain interest/attention in the activity Your Challenge: Identify adaptations to this activity for young toddlers with a: Mild/Moderate Cognitive Disability Visual Disability Mild/Moderate Cognitive Disability Focus on number sequence 1-3; once mastered, shift to 1-6 Embed many repetitions of number sequence across the day, counting steps, snack food, toys, etc. up to 3 Use simple language to reinforce the one-to-one concept: One car in one muffin cup. Point while counting: One car, two cars, three cars Use pauses as a prompt: One car Let the child know: Your turn to count. Prompt him/her to point at each item while counting (hand over hand only if needed). 12

13 Visual Disability Allow the child ample time to explore the affordances of the muffin tin before beginning activity. Allow the child ample time to explore each item before putting it in the muffin tin. Use brightly colored or plastic muffin liners to provide a bright/textured visual target for the child When repeating the activity another time/day, ensure all materials are the same so the child can focus on the concept and not re-learning the materials Consider offering objects that make a sound to place in muffin cups, ie, shaker eggs. Child can shake each egg as they place in the cup. Science in Early Childhood Copyright 2016 ZERO TO THREE. All rights reserved. 38 What is Science? Science is both a body of knowledge that represents the current understanding of natural systems and the process whereby that body of knowledge has been established... Both elements are essential... (Duschl, Schweingruber, & Shouse, 2007, p. 26) 13

14 Scientific Process Skills Observing; Asking questions; Describing; Predicting; Providing explanations; Using tools and instruments to extend the senses and improve observations; Engaging in what if investigations; Planning investigations; Recording what happens during these investigations; Interpreting; and Communicating and sharing ideas. (Hamlin & Wisneski, 2012) Infants and Toddlers Innate curiosity about how the world works Desire to explore/experiment Approach to learning is primarily through the senses Fully understand cause-and-effect by 36 months Preschoolers Language skills now allow them to use action verbs, descriptive language, spatial descriptors, and more complicated nouns (e.g., cicada or migrate or evaporate ). Symbolic skills allow them to use one object to represent another object or idea Cognitive skills mean that that they are able to make logical connections, predictions, and imagine what might happen next Regulatory skills mean they can focus and persist for longer period Social skills mean they can collaborate and share ideas with others Yet: Children still think differently. Magical thinking persists through the early elementary years. 14

15 Supporting Scientific Thinking Ask a what question (ages 18 m 3.5 y): What did you find? What did you discover? What are the ants doing? Ask a why or how question (ages 3.5+) Make an observation Make an I wonder statement Suggest an addition or modification Suggest a re-test Suggest engaging a partner Provide modeling to scaffold discovery Offer a new material or tool to support exploration Adaptations: Sensory Path Age Range: 6 months 12 months Activity: To explore (touch) tactile stimuli To notice, manage, and communicate preferences for different tactile stimuli To be exposed to descriptive language (rough, soft, bumpy, smooth, etc.) To sustain interest/attention in the activity Your Challenge: Identify adaptations to this activity for young toddlers with a: Sensory processing disorder Communication delay/disability Sensory Challenges Begin with one preferred texture Consider doing heavy work prior to sensory path Use smaller amounts of each texture (less interaction with non-preferred textures) Allow child to choose which textures to touch and how long to touch Model a sign or simple language (yes! no!) to describe preferences Touch non-preferred textures yourself, narrating how they feel Allow child to touch textures with mitten or with another object (like a pointer) 15

16 Photo Kiwi Street Studios 5/2/2016 Communication Delay/Disability Identify target vocabulary for the activity (soft, bumpy, rough, etc.) Create PECs or identify signs for target vocabulary the younger the child, the fewer the words. Introduce spoken words, PECs or signs as you and the child explore the activity. Model language use at the level expected for the child. Remove a preferred texture and place within sight but out of reach; wait to see if the child will request. Prompt to elicit the texture word or simple requesting language. Narrate child s nonverbal language Ask questions: What tile is your favorite? What tile feels good to you? What tile feels bad to you? Respond promptly to children s words, vocalizations, and/or nonverbal communication attempts. Closing Thought "The whole purpose of education is to turn mirrors into windows." -Sydney J. Harris Copyright 2016 ZERO TO THREE. All rights reserved. 47 Continue Your Professional Development 16