Vermont Core Teaching Standards

Standard 4.

The teacher understands the central concepts, tools of inquiry, and structures of the discipline(s) he or she teaches and creates learning experiences that make these aspects of the discipline accessible and meaningful for learners to assure mastery of the content.

4.1 The teacher understands the central concepts, tools of inquiry, and structures of the discipline(s) he or she teaches.

Evidence 1:

Teaching STEM in the Preschool Classroom, Workshop, 2 hours, 2016, VAEYC Conference, Professional Development Certificate, Photo's

Description:

This hands-on workshop presented by Elizabeth Nuckols from the ECHO Lake Aquarium and Science Center explored building a community that is Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) literate. The workshop focused on new ways educators can encourage STEM in preschool classrooms.

Analysis/Reflection:

This workshop focused on many ways preschool teachers can expand their curriculum to include more STEM activities. Young children are natural investigators and are always wanting to explore and invent. Giving the children tools and open-ended questions allows them to investigate, form hypotheses, and explore their innate curiosity. I took away from the workshop many new ideas, and new sense of excitement about introducing more STEM activities into my daily schedule.

The STEM activity I chose to do with the children was building structures with toothpicks and Halloween pumpkin candies. This activity was done with children ages twenty months to four and a half years. I first accommodated the activity by cutting off all the points of the toothpicks so the children would be safer building, especially the 20 month old. I then let the children build on their own, however they wanted to construct their creation. I was so captivated by how each child build their own structure their own way. I never produce a sample project instead, I always let the children build, construct, or create how they what to create something.

4.1

4.1

Evidence 2:

Picture of two children examining further into dinosaurs, 2016, Picture

Description:

This picture is of two children, each with a different dinosaur book, trying to match up the toy dinosaurs with the dinosaurs in the books. After they matched up the dinosaur, they asked me how to pronounce the name.

Analysis/Reflection:

Children are natural learners. They are always trying to learn more about subjects and objects that interest them. My curriculum (emergent) is based on taking the lead from the children, and having them lead me in their direction of concentration. During this time, dinosaurs were a focus, so we brought out everything dinosaur related, from books to toys to puzzles. The two preschool children pictured wanted to know all the names of the dinosaurs, but instead of just telling them the names of the dinosaurs, I suggested they look them up in the books, and I would help them pronounce them. This became an open-ended activity that lasted several days. A teaching experience for myself as well, learning all the names of the dinosaurs.

4.1

Evidence 3:

Pictures of the science area hatching and investigating the praying mantis life cycle, 2016, Photos

Description:

I have attached pictures of my science area with the focus of exploring the life cycle of the praying mantis. My philosophy in my program is, when we explore a subject, to use real life tools of inquiry and materials. When we study a certain life cycle, such as the life cycle of the frog, chicken, or monarch butterfly, I always use actual specimens, pictures, equipment, and materials for a more in-depth hands-on exploration.

Analysis/Reflection:

We found two praying mantis egg cases in our play yard from our previous year of hatching. We found them in the fall, but had to refrigerate them over the winter to have them ready for the spring weather, when I set up the science area with all the tools and materials to investigate and explore this subject further. I always make my own life cycle poster with pictures of our focus subject, and then create an eye catching area with many materials about our subject. In the pictures you will see all the materials I have collected for this focus theme.