Teaching STEM in the Preschool Classroom: Exploring Big Ideas with 3- to 5-Year-Olds

Teaching STEM in the Preschool Classroom: Exploring Big Ideas with 3- to 5-Year-Olds

ISBN-10:
0807761362
ISBN-13:
9780807761366
Pub. Date:
04/26/2019
Publisher:
Teachers College Press
ISBN-10:
0807761362
ISBN-13:
9780807761366
Pub. Date:
04/26/2019
Publisher:
Teachers College Press
Teaching STEM in the Preschool Classroom: Exploring Big Ideas with 3- to 5-Year-Olds

Teaching STEM in the Preschool Classroom: Exploring Big Ideas with 3- to 5-Year-Olds

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Overview

This book is designed to build educators’ confidence and competence so they can bring STEM to life with young children. The authors encourage pre-K teachers to discover the value of engaging preschoolers in scientific inquiry, technological explorations, engineering challenges, and math experiences based on learning trajectories. They explain the big ideas in STEM, emphasizing teaching strategies that support these activities (such as language-rich STEM interactions), and describe ways to integrate concepts across disciplines. The text features research-based resources, examples of field-tested activities, and highlights from the classroom.

Drawing from a professional development model that was developed with funding from the National Science Foundation, this book is an essential resource for anyone who wants to support preschool children to be STEM thinkers and doers.

Book Features:

  • An introduction to current thinking in early STEM teaching and learning.
  • Best practice strategies for including STEM in the pre-K classroom.
  • An in-depth look at the key concepts in each STEM area, including short activity descriptions, illustrations, and explanations.
  • Resources and models co-developed with educators and used in successful professional development.
  • Testimonials from educators explaining how the model connects with their curriculum.

Product Details

ISBN-13: 9780807761366
Publisher: Teachers College Press
Publication date: 04/26/2019
Series: Early Childhood Education Series
Edition description: Reprint
Pages: 144
Sales rank: 1,093,335
Product dimensions: 6.00(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.40(d)

About the Author

Alissa A. Lange is an associate professor of early childhood education at East Tennessee State University. Kimberly Brenneman is program officer for education at the Heising-Simons Foundation. Hagit Mano is an early childhood STEM specialist at East Tennessee State University.

Table of Contents

Foreword Betty Zan ix

Acknowledgments xiii

Part I Introduction and Background

1 What Is STEM and Why Teach It in Preschool? 1

Why This Book? 1

What Is STEM? 3

What Are the Standards for STEM? 5

Why Teach STEM in Preschool? 6

Why Include Specific Supports for Differentiation? 7

How Will This Book Help Improve Our Teaching? 8

Conclusion 9

2 Teaching Strategies 10

Overview 11

Reflecting on Our Own Experiences with STEM Teaching 12

Strategies for Teaching Preschool STEM 14

What Happens-Reports from the Classroom 28

Conclusion 29

Part II Teaching Stem

3 Science 33

What Is Science in Preschool? 33

What Is the Content of Science? 34

What Are Scientific Inquiry and Science Practices? 36

Big Ideas for Supporting Science Learners 37

Try It Out! 42

Spotlight on Practice 47

Explore More 48

Bringing It Home… and Back 50

More Great STEM Stuff 50

4 Technology 53

So How Do We Define Technology? 54

Technology As a Progression 55

Big Ideas for Supporting Technology Learners 55

Try It Out! 58

Spotlight on Practice 64

Explore More 68

Bringing it Home … and Back 69

More Great STEM Stuff 69

5 Engineering 71

What Is Engineering in Preschool? 71

What Is the Content of Engineering? 71

What Is the Engineering Design Process? 74

Big Ideas for Supporting Engineering Learners 76

Try It Out! 78

Spotlight on Practice 84

Explore More 86

Bringing it Home … and Back 86

More Great STEM Stuff 87

6 Math 89

What Is Math in Preschool? 89

What Is the Content of Math? 91

What Are Math Processes? 94

How Does Math Develop in Young Children? 94

Big Ideas for Supporting Math Learners 95

Try It Out! 103

Spotlight on Practice 108

Explore More 110

Bringing it Home … and Back 110

More Great STEM Stuff 111

Appendix: Example Materials That Promote STEM Learning Across Preschool Classroom Areas 113

References 117

Index 121

About the Authors 127

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

“I have read a lot of really good early childhood science education books over the years, and as far as I am concerned, this is the best one yet. It is clear that the authors care passionately about young children, respect their abilities to engage with STEM content, and recognize that preschoolers are capable of so much more than they are given credit for. This book paints a rich picture of all the many ways that preschoolers can engage with big ideas in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics that are authentic, meaningful, and accurate.”
—From the Foreword by Betty Zan, University of Northern Iowa


Teaching STEM in the Preschool Classroom is a book that excellently fulfills a need. The authors show that the important ideas of STEM are within every teacher’s and child’s grasp. They show how the STEM domains connect to each other—and connect to children. They show how learning progresses, providing playful, fun, and effective learning experiences that go beyond the all-too-common 'cute ideas.' This is a valuable resource for everyone who works with young children.”
Douglas Clements, Kennedy Endowed Chair in Early Childhood Learning, Morgridge College of Education, University of Denver


“Lange, Brenneman, and Mano weave together the wisdom of practice, scholarship, and deep respect for early education, producing a compelling invitation to engage children in STEM learning experiences. Speaking directly to teachers, the authors teach STEM content while sharing their strategies for robust and developmentally appropriate instructional practice. This book is the real deal!” —Beth Graue, Sorenson Professor of Early Childhood Education and director of the Center for Research on Early Childhood Education, University of Wisconsin–Madison

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