Atlanta, Georgia is the place to be this November for professional development opportunities at two conferences—the National Science Teachers Association’s area conference November 1-3, and the National Association for the Education of Young Children’s national conference November 7-10.

Both organizations offer sessions on teaching science in early childhood programs.
Here are just a few of those sessions at the NSTA conference. (Add your sessions to this list by commenting below.)
Thursday, November 1 12:30–1:30 PM. Teaching Forms of Energy to Younger Students. Georgia World Congress Center, B313. Join me for hands-on experiments on the fundamental concepts of energy. We’ll explore the science of motion, heat, sound, and light. Presenter(s): Karen Reagor (The NEED Project: Manassas, VA)
Thursday, November 1 3:30–4:30 PM. iScience. Georgia World Congress Center, B315. This engaging and enlightening session focuses on how iTechnologies (iTouches and iPads) can enrich the elementary science classroom. Presenter(s): Suzanne Edwards (Trinity School: Atlanta, GA); Anna Allen (Trinity School: Atlanta, GA); Kate H. Burton (Trinity School: Atlanta, GA)
Friday, November 2 11:00 AM–12:00 PM. Simple Setup STEM Activities. Georgia World Congress Center, B313. Planets, light and shadow, insect life cycles, fossils, and physical and chemical changes are used to develop scientific thinking in simple and adaptable labs. Presenter(s): Virginia Lucy ( Lilburn, GA)
Friday, November 2 12:30–1:30 PM. How Does Your Garden Grow? Georgia World Congress Center, B213. A school or community garden represents an ideal way to integrate across the elementary curriculum. Come discover lessons, plans, and trade books for any space or any school. Materials provided by Georgia Cooperative Extension Master Gardeners. Presenter(s): Juliana Texley (Palm Beach State College: Boca Raton, FL); Steve A. Rich (West GYSTC: Carrollton, GA)
Friday, November 2 12:30–1:30 PM. PreK and Kindergarten Science Activities That Encourage Critical Thinking. Georgia World Congress Center, B314. Experience hands-on engaging activities that can be used to encourage critical-thinking and problem-solving skills while introducing preK–K students to important science concepts. Presenter(s): John Payne (Mercer University: Lithia Springs, GA)
Friday, November 2 2:00–3:00 PM. CESI Session: Powerful Paper Projects for Physical Science. Georgia World Congress Center, B308. Join us to make flying, spinning, rolling, and floating creations that easily, cheaply, and memorably teach the basic concepts of force and motion. Click here for more information. Presenter(s): Barbara Z. Tharp (Baylor College of Medicine: Houston, TX); Julie Thomas (Oklahoma State University: Stillwater, OK); Michael Vu (Baylor College of Medicine: Houston, TX); Dee Mock (Baylor College of Medicine: Houston, TX)
Friday, November 2 3:30–4:30 PM. CESI Session: Council for Elementary Science International Share-a-Thon. Georgia World Congress Center, B308. Join CESI as we share a wealth of ready-to-use, classroom-tested hands-on activities created just for the K–8 teacher. Handouts and website links! Presenter(s): Many, many wonderful teachers.
Saturday, November 3 8:00–9:00 AM. Teaching Younger Students About Energy Outside the Science Classroom. Georgia World Congress Center, B313. Use language arts, math, and presentation skills to teach K–3 students about the energy resources we use. Activities can be implemented today with no special materials. Presenter(s): Karen Reagor (The NEED Project: Manassas, VA)
Saturday, November 3 9:30–10:30 AM. Science & Children—A Year of Inquiry. Georgia World Congress Center, B313. The highly anticipated Next Generation Science Standards are explicit—inquiry remains an important strategy to use in the classroom. Come learn ways to infuse components of inquiry into your curricula. Presenter(s): Linda Froschauer (Field Editor, Science & Children: Westport, CT)
NAEYC Executive Director Jerlean Daniel invites us to the 2012 annual conference the week following the NSTA conference. Here are some of the sessions offered at the NAEYC conference:
(Add your sessions to this list by commenting below.)
More Ramps and Pathways: An approach to teaching physical science and engineering in early childhood. Betty Zan, Sonia Yoshizawa. 11/7/2012 12:30 PM – 3:30 PM Room B213 Georgia World Congress Center
Learning to think: The role of scientific inquiry. Ingrid Chalufour, Nancy Clark-Chiarelli, Cindy Hoisington. 11/8/2012 8:00 AM – 9:30 AM Room B216 Georgia World Congress Center
Science inquiry and practices: Fun experiences with hands-on materials to awaken young scientists. Peggy Ashbrook, Linda Froschauer. 11/8/2012 3:00 PM – 4:30 PM Room B208 Georgia World Congress Center
Early Childhood Science Interest Forum Meeting. All are welcome at this annual meeting to discuss and plan. 11/9/2012 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM Juniper Room Omni Hotel at CNN Center
Finding the trees in the forest: Support toddlers’ developing problem-solving skills. Jill Uhlenberg, Rosemary Geiken. 11/10/2012 1:00 PM – 2:30 PM Room B208 Georgia World Congress Center
A “heads up” to programs in the DMV (Washington, D.C. metro area)—in 2013 the NAEYC Annual Conference & Expo will be held in D. C. on November 20-23. Plan now so staff can attend the conference next year. I hope to see you at one of these conferences—participate in worthwhile professional development with opportunities to network, and visit the vendor booths to see the products they list in the catalogs.