Preparing STEM Learning Opportunities

Staff and and volunteers will prepare high-quality STEM activities for youth.

As a result of ongoing, consistent professional development efforts, staff and volunteers will be able to:

Understand that science learning begins with play and moves toward disciplined practice
Determine if STEM activities are well designed and suited to the unpredictable environment of out-of-school learning and to their specific program’s structure and needs.
Identify and employ strategies to create an environment of co-inquiry and learning together with youth

Resources

Participants will create a detailed lesson plan to learn to prepare for STEM learning.

Participants will reflect on their management of materials to learn to better prepare for STEM learning.

Participants will evaluate Wonderful Junk in order to prepare high-quality STEM learning opportunities.

Participants will evaluate common STEM activities in order to prepare high-quality STEM learning opportunities.

Participants will engage in the egg drop challenge to learn to plan and rate STEM learning opportunities on their quality.

Participants will prepare materials and contingency plans for common STEM activities in order to prepare high-quality STEM learning opportunities.

Participants will engage in the straw rocket challenge to learn to prepare and plan STEM learning opportunities.

Participants will watch the Using a Focus Question Video-Based Learning Module and develop a focus question for an activity they plan to facilitate.

Participants will develop a focus question in order to make learning objectives more apparent.