What is STEM?STEM is an acronym that stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics.

What is Preschool STEM?Preschool STEM is a storytime, geared at preschoolers ages 3-6, which explores Science, Engineering & Mathematical concepts through picture and nonfiction books, games, and related hands-on activities. Technology is also utilized in the Preschool STEM program, but due to the age of the participants, it is not as much of a focus as Math, Science, and Technology. Parents (or adult caregivers) are expected to actively participate with their children throughout the program.

In 2010, Ohio public schools began using academic standards known as the Common Core. “The Common Core State Standards provide a consistent, clear understanding of what students are expected to learn, so teachers and parents know what they need to do to help them. The standards are designed to be robust and relevant to the real world…” The new Common Core State Standards encourage teachers to focus on skills such as creative thinking, investigation, conversations, and connections outside the classroom.

Common Core in Public Education

Common Core Standards

Why Preschool STEM in Libraries?The addition of the Preschool STEM program, both on and offsite, provides libraries with a convenient opportunity to promote the skills necessary to successfully prepare preschoolers for the Common Core State Standards.

Just as Every Child Ready to Read helps parents prepare their children for kindergarten by instilling in them the necessary skills for reading and writing, Preschool STEM helps parents prepare their children for kindergarten by introducing them to nonfiction science, math, and engineering books and concepts.

Preschool STEM promotes inquiry, curiosity and excitement about learning and offers fact-based learning and fun hands-on experiences.

Interactive Songs, Nonfiction & Picture Books

Hands on ActivitiesPreschool STEM emphasizes interactivity. The songs, games, flannel boards, books, and hands-on activities that we choose for Preschool STEM are all highly participatory and place a strong emphasis on interaction between the preschoolers and the librarian, as well as with their adults. Throughout the program, we encourage the preschoolers to make predictions and to provide feedback about our topics. As we read the books, we ask questions and point out pictures and words that will help participants fully understand the material, and then, when the book has ended, we discuss what we have read.

The picture books that we use in our regular preschool storytimes often contain facts that can be pointed out and discussed.

• A Tree is Nice, by Janice Udry

Nonfiction books convey information in interesting ways. Many preschool parents don’t use this part of the library as often – we like to show them that there are great informational books for preschoolers.

• Are Trees Alive? By Debbie S. Miller

Picture Books vs. Nonfiction

The Preschool STEM ProgramOur Preschool STEM program is scheduled for 45 minutes. The first 20 -25 minutes is dedicated to the storytime portion of the program. This includes 1) an opening song, 2) a picture book, 3) a song or interactive game, flannel board, or activity, 4) a nonfiction book, and time permitting, 5) another song. The second half of the program is set aside for hands-on activities. Hands-on activities allow our participants to put into practice the knowledge that they have gained in the earlier half of the storytime. We make each hands-on activity an extension of the topic we discussed.

Activities: Open-endedChild-centered

Then, filling in circles . . . What could they be?

-Going on a circle hunt

Parental InvolvementSince parents are their children’s first educators, we encourage parental involvement as much as possible during our programs, both in the storytime portion of our program and in the hands-on activities.

Take Home ActivitiesAlong with the storytime and hands-on activities, we like to include additional take home activities with related projects that participants can do with family members after they leave the library.

Planning STEMThere are multiple resources available for STEM planning. Simply stepping into your Juvenile Nonfiction department can help inspire you.

BooksMother Goose Asks “Why?”

Vermont Center for the BookYou Can Count on Mother Goose

Vermont Center for the Book

What’s the BIG Idea?Making Math and Science Come Alive for

Children and Families in Your LibraryVermont Center for the Book

Science Is Simple: Over 250 Activities for Preschoolers, by Peggy Ashbrook

More Picture-Perfect Science Lessons: Using Children’s Books to Guide Inquiry, K-4 by

Karen Ansberry and Emily Morgan

The Everything Kids' Easy Science Experiments Book : Explore the World of Science Through Quick and Fun Experiments, by J. Elizabeth Mills

Bridges! : Amazing Structures to Design, Build & Test, by Carol A. Johmann and Elizabeth J. Reith

WebsitesReading Rockets “Literacy in the Sciences” Tip Sheetshttp://www.readingrockets.org/extras/stem_series/

RIF’s STEAM Multicultural Booklisthttp://www.rif.org/us/literacy-resources/multicultural/2012-multicultural-booklist.htm

National Science Teachers Association Blog - The Early Years

http://nstacommunities.org/blog/category/earlyyears/

INK (Interesting Nonfiction for Kids)http://inkrethink.blogspot.com/

ODNR Division of Wildlife - Wild Kidshttp://www.dnr.state.oh.us/Home/ExperienceWildlifeSubHomePage/kidspagesplaceholder/kidsdefault/tabid/6024/Default.aspx

Education.com Preschool Math Activities http://www.education.com/activity/preschool/math/

BlogsKnowledge Matters: Public Library Programming for Young

Knowledge Seekershttps://kmatters0to6.wordpress.com/

Christina Jones, Children’s Services Librarian, Monroe County Public Library, Bloomington, Indiana

Library Makers {hands-on learning for all ages] : Wonderworkshttp://librarymakers.blogspot.com/search/label/WonderWorksYouth Services Librarian, Madison, Wisconsin

The Show Me Librarian: All Things STEAMhttp://showmelibrarian.blogspot.com/p/all-things-steam.html

Amy Koester, Children’s Librarian, St. Charles City-County Public LIbrary, Missouri - preschool & school age STEM

programs and links to additional resources.

Celebrate Sciencehttp://celebratescience.blogspot.com/

Nonfiction author Melissa Stewart’s blog.

Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medalhttp://www.ala.org/alsc/awardsgrants/bookmedia/sibertmedal

For most distinguished informational book for children, administered by ALSC. Most of these are older than preschool

audience.

Orbis Pictus Award for Outstanding Nonfiction for ChildrenNCTE (National Council of Teachers of English)

http://www.ncte.org/awards/orbispictus

Nonfiction Book Awards & Book Lists

Outstanding Science Trade Books for Students K-12National Science Teacher’s Association (in cooperation with the

Children’s Book Council)http://www.nsta.org/publications/ostb/

The Cook Prize http://bankstreet.edu/center-childrens-literature/cook-prize/Bank Street College of Education, for the best STEM (Science,

Technology, Engineering and Math) picture books for ages 8-10. Begun in 2012.

50 Books about Science and Scientistshttp://www.education.wisc.edu/ccbc/books/detailListBooks.asp?idBookLists=76

Books Count! Number Fun for Childrenhttp://www.education.wisc.edu/ccbc/books/detailListBooks.asp?idBookLists=148

Math & Science Booklists for Preschoolershttp://www.mothergooseprograms.org/math_science_book_lists.php

Big Idea BooklistsTopics include: Patterns, Mapping, Weather, Trees, Measurement,

Shapes and many more!http://www.mothergooseprograms.org/Big_idea_book_lists.php