Port Discovery Children’s Museum Sarah Zimmerman STEM and Education Specialist szimmerman@ portdiscovery.org .

Port Discovery Children’s MuseumSarah Zimmerman

STEM and Education Specialist

szimmerman@ portdiscovery.org

www.portdiscovery.org

Our Mission

To connect purposeful play with learning

Port Discovery’s approach to STEM with Early Learners

Three Goals

• I like STEM

• I can do STEM

• STEM is FUN!

Why Early STEM Learning is Important

• Exposure- give early learners a head start for later in school

• Positive experiences- young children become excited about learning more STEM in the future.

Science as Inquiry

“Children need to practice the process skills of science so that they learn to ask questions about the world and then study the world in special ways to find answers, just like scientists do.”

www.mothergooseprograms.orgThe Vermont Center for the Book

Nano at Port Discovery

How does Port Discovery make Nanoscience accessible for Early Learners?

• Providing multiple entry points to the exhibit

• Facilitated activities within the exhibit• Methods of engagement in nanoseries

program, “Nanoscience Exposed”– Books– Theater– Crafts– Adaptation of experiments

Providing Multiple Entry Points

Learning about size, seriation, measurement, and tools

Facilitated Activities within the Exhibit

Exploration Station

Pop Up Science

Port Discovery’s “Nanoscience Exposed” Series Program

• Developed originally for a parent-child five session series• Program based on the book “Alice in Nanoland” by

Horton and Long– Outlines the “rules” of nanoland

• Became after school, summer camp, and

“Museum on the RoadTM” program

Using Books

Using Theater

Using Crafts

Adaptations Made for Judy Center

• In all previous models of Port Discovery’s nano series program, the target age range included 1st through 5th grades.

• Baltimore County’s Judy Center asked if we could provide programming for their Science Summer Camp for children entering Kindergarten.

• Very few modifications were made to the program for these youngest students– They participated in all of the experiments and activities including

extracting strawberry DNA

– All of the basic concepts were taught

– Vocabulary, depth of explanation, and length of discussions were modified for this age range (average 5 years old)

Steps for modifying an experiment for Early Learners

1. Choose an experiment that might be designed for higher level learners.

2. Evaluate if they will physically be capable of performing the experiment (do they have the fine motor skills)

3. Determine what you want them to get out the experiment. (What content to you want them to learn?)

4. Think, how can you explain this concept in the most basic way? (remember, the goal isn’t to have them remember facts, but to get them excited.)

5. Remember the goals:– Am I exposing them to concepts they will be learning later?– Will this activity provide the students with a positive experience

of STEM learning?

Feedback

The program and lessons were awesome. Some of the content was difficult, but Miss Sarah was able to explain the content in a way that the children remembered and enjoyed the lessons. Maybe there could be this program for afternoon sessions here during the year!

The program is very interesting, and engaging for the children, even with such difficult concepts.

Evaluation

Student Test Results:

Small

BIG

Nano Test Question % correctQ1: Nano is small or big? 96%Q2: Circle the body part that is your nanosensor. 48%Q3: Circle the picture that is unexpected. 52%Q4: Circle the picture that changes color when it is nano. 78%Total

REMEMBER!

• I like STEM• I can do STEM• STEM is FUN!