"Research shows that an increasing number of early care and education providers want to take children outdoors more often and see real value in nature-based learning. This book will help them articulate connections between nature play, outdoor experiences, and STEM learning in young children. The book will include activities, examples, and resources for readers"--
"Connect nature play, outdoor experiences, and STEM learning for young children with activities, real-life examples, and educator resources. Nurture young children's innate tendencies toward exploration, sensory stimulation, and STEM learning when you connect outdoor learning and STEM curriculum. Discover the developmental benefits of outdoor learning and how the rich diversity of settings and materials of nature gives rise to questions and inquiry for deeper learning. Full of activities, examples, and resources to take the fun of STEM outside, this book will help teachers articulate connections between nature play, outdoor experiences, and STEM learning in young children. Use STEM and nature-based learning to nurture children's curiosity and explorationof the world. Patty Born Selly is an assistant professor of environmental education and STEM at Hamline University. She previously served as the executive director of the National Center for STEM Elementary Education at St. Catherine University. Selly has over twenty years of experience in early childhood education, has written two books, and regularly consults other educators on science and nature education approaches for young children"--
The author explains how to teach STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) and STEM-related thinking skills in the outdoors context, using nature and young childrens curiosity about it to teach practices like asking questions, making predictions, creating solutions to problems through building and making things, seeking patterns, sorting and organizing materials, and communicating ideas. She describes what STEM is, why STEM disciplines are important in the early years, and their role in the achievement gap; the role of nature in early childhood, including risks, benefits, and the relationship to STEM learning; each of the STEM disciplines and key thinking skills and practices common across disciplines; additional approaches, including inquiry-based learning, soft skills associations, tools for documentation, learning dispositions, and productive questioning techniques; evaluating a program to make changes in approaches and practices and integrate STEM more deeply; and 122 jumping-off points for specific activities to connect teaching to nature explorations and concepts in STEM. Annotation ©2017 Ringgold, Inc., Portland, OR (protoview.com)
Connect nature play, outdoor experiences, and STEM learning for young children with activities, real-life examples, and educator resources. Nurture young children’s innate tendencies toward exploration, sensory stimulation, and STEM learning when you connect outdoor learning and STEM curriculum. Discover the developmental benefits of outdoor learning and how the rich diversity of settings and materials of nature gives rise to questions and inquiry for deeper learning.
Full of activities, examples, and resources to take the fun of STEM outside, this book will help teachers articulate connections between nature play, outdoor experiences, and STEM learning in young children. Use STEM and nature-based learning to nurture children’s curiosity and exploration of the world.
Patty Born Selly is an assistant professor of environmental education and STEM at Hamline University. She previously served as the executive director of the National Center for STEM Elementary Education at St. Catherine University. Selly has over twenty years of experience in early childhood education, has written two books, and regularly consults other educators on science and nature education approaches for young children.
Connect nature play, outdoor experiences, and STEM learning with activities, real-life examples, and educator resources
