Smithsonian Early Childhood Science Education Research Forum

Note that there is a webcast for this event, which looks amazing.

*Smithsonian Early Childhood Science Education Research Forum*****

Join us on *Wednesday, June 20* for a Smithsonian Early Childhood Science
Education Research Forum. Events begin at 9:00 am. This forum is open to
all educators, administrators, research and under/graduate students that
are interested in Early Childhood Science Education in formal and informal
environments. *This is a free event but registration is required: Please
register at the link at the bottom of the page.*

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*Morning Presentation*

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9:00 am- 10:30 am –  Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Ring Auditorium*
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*Foundations of Science Literacy (FSL): Professional Development that
Impacts Adult and Child Learning in Physical Science
*Presenters:  Nancy Clark-Chiarelli, Education Development Center (EDC),
Cindy Hoisington (EDC), Jeff Winokur (EDC), and Holly Harrick (Connecticut
Science Center)****

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Young children and science are a natural fit. In order to get the most out
of their science experiences however, young children need the support of
adults who can integrate science content and practices into children¹s
explorations. FSL is a comprehensive professional development program
designed to support science teaching and learning in the early years. In
this presentation we will describe the FSL program, present research-based
evidence of its impact, and share some compelling illustrations of what
young children¹s science inquiry and learning can look like when it is
facilitated by knowledgeable adults.  Holly Harrick from the Connecticut
Science Center will address the significance of the FSL approach to
informal learning environments.****

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The event will be webcasted on the National Air and Space Museum U-STREAM
Channel.****

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*Afternoon*

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11:30 am-12:30 pm ­ National Air and Space Museum, Briefing Room****

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After the forum, guests are invited to come to the National Air and Space
Museum Briefing Room for a lunchtime discussion of  the National Air and
Space Museum¹s Science in Pre-K program. From there, we will meet at the
National Museum of the American Indian for an afternoon of hands-on
workshops offered by the Education Development Center and Culture
Interpreters from the National Museum of the American Indian.****

*Workshops*

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**1:00 pm-3:00 pm ­ National Museum of the American Indian
Once you have registered, locations of the workshops will be sent to you
via email.****

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*Exploring Water with Young Children*

*Presenter: Jeff Winokur, EDC*

Water is a compelling material for young children to explore in both large
and small amounts. As a topic, it has the potential to engage them in
explorations over time and across settings and connect them to the ³big
ideas² in Physical Science. In this workshop, participants will engage in a
³minds-on² drops investigation. They will be introduced to the teaching
strategies and approaches used in the FSL professional development and
observe them in action during water explorations in an early childhood
classroom.****

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*Discovering Nature with Young Children*

*Presenter: Cindy Hoisington, EDC*

Nature explorations benefit children¹s physical, social-emotional, and
cognitive development.  When scaffolded by knowledgeable adults, plant and
animal investigations also have the potential to connect children to the
³big ideas² in Life Science. In this workshop participants will engage in a
³minds-on² small creatures investigation. They will be introduced to the
teaching strategies and approaches used in the FSL professional development
and observe them in action during animal explorations in an early childhood
classroom.****

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*Chesapeake Tour for Young Children*

*Presenter: Adrienne Smith, National Museum of the American Indian*

Native people have inhabited the Chesapeake region for thousands of years,
building their lives around local waterways and the abundance of plants and
animals found here. See how young **
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children can learn life sciences and culture through exploring a wetland,
touching objects made of cattails, and learning how local tribes, both past
and present, have cultivated meaningful relationships with their
surrounding environments.
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Great Plains Tipi Culture and Science for Young Children
Presenter: Mandy Foster

For Native people of the Great Plains life revolved around the bison.  They
followed their migrations throughout the year, lived in homes made from
their skins, and found over 100 ways to utilize the animal to support
themselves.  For the Lakota people, the bison is considered their closest
relative and the most generous of all beings because it gives its life for
their survival.  Experience how young children can learn about science and
material culture in how the bison was used, touch objects made from it, and
what life on the Great Plains was like over 100 years ago.

Presenter Bios

Nancy Clark-Chiarelli, EDC, is Principal Investigator of Assessing Efficacy
of a Comprehensive Intervention in Physical Science on Head Start Teachers
and Children, an efficacy and replication study funded by the Institute of
Education Sciences (IES). She is leading teams researching a credit-bearing
professional development program in New York State as part of an early
childhood teacher quality grant. Findings support the effectiveness of the
professional development on teacher instruction and children¹s science
learning. In a newly-funded grant award from US Dept of Education, Nancy
and her team will be partnering with the Connecticut Science Center to
develop and test two new professional development programs in preschool
science focusing on nature and structures.

Cynthia Hoisington, EDC, directs projects aimed at getting children and
adults outdoors exploring together; helping teachers use educational
television to facilitate science learning; and supporting low literacy
families to scaffold children¹s language development through everyday
science explorations. She has customized science trainings for United Way
of Miami-Dade, University of Northern Iowa, National Education Association,
National Head Start Association, and the Iowa Department of Education, and
collaborated with the Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University.  Currently,
Cindy is leading professional development programs in preschools in New
York and Westchester County as part of EDC¹s on-going research on early
childhood science.

Jeff Winokur, EDC, is noted for his work in preschool and elementary
science education, consulting with school districts and early childhood
programs about their science professional development. Connecting science
and literacy as a way to deepen students¹ science understanding is a key
feature interwoven into his work.   Jeff is a coauther of the Young
Scientist teacher guides and a lead contributor to EDC¹s preschool Water,
Structures, and Nature professional development projects.

Holly Harrick, MA, Connecticut Science Center (CSC), leads the development
and delivery of professional development programs at CSC.  Over the years,
Holly has been a driving force in CSC¹s  professional development outreach
to Connecticut¹s teachers. Currently, in partnership with EDC, CSC will be
expanding their professional development portfolio to include preschool
teachers in physical science, life science, and engineering initiatives.

Registration:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dG0xUXN3R3BGUUI1WEJsTG5
mQ09aS3c6MQ

Webcast:
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/smithsonian-national-air-and-space-museum