I remember the first time I attended a professional association conference when I was a child care provider beginning my career and was thrilled to be among so many educators who were passionate about improving themselves professionally. If you can’t attend a conference in person, a virtual conference may meet some of your needs for professional development.

Join me next week on Wednesday, June 29, 2016 in my happy space–talking with other early childhood educators about science education at the virtual conference, “Engaging Students in Science: PreK-6.” I will be presenting one of two sessions, along with Christine Royce, Professor in and Department Chairperson for the Teacher Education Department and co-director for the MAT in STEM education program at Shippensburg University. She is the co-author of the NSTA Press Book, Teaching Science Through Trade Books, which is related to one of her more familiar roles as the co-author for the ”Teaching Through Trade Books Column” in Science and Children. This National Science Teachers Association virtual conference will be archived for registrants.

I have seen how engaging in science investigations motivates students to develop and use their early literacy and math skills as they learn about the nature of science and specific science content. In the first part of my session, we will take a quick look at the research that calls for teaching our youngest learners to explore scientific ideas and then examine how young children use science and engineering practices in common activities in early childhood PreK-2 programs. In the second part, we will use photos (and materials if we have them at hand) to engage in one activity that can be part of an on-going inquiry into properties of water. Discussion will support how to extend children’s thinking from a simple “sink or float” activity to an on-going investigation.

Hope to see you on Wednesday, June 29, 2016 at 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. ET
9 a.m. – 12 p.m. CT
8 a.m. – 11 a.m. MT
7 a.m. – 10 a.m. PT
Member price: (Includes 1 e-book) $63
Nonmember price: (Includes 1 e-book) $79
Attendance/Participation Certificate: $9.95

(NSTA Press e-books: Science Learning in the Early Years or Teaching Science Through Trade Books) 

The free and open to all NSTA Learning Center early childhood and elementary science forums are other virtual communities for finding resources and discussion to support your science teaching. Search for resources and discussions and voice your experience.