Power of Discovery Workshop April 9, 2013

Professional Development Strategies and

Resources for Afterschool STEM

Kurt Feichtmeir Director Extended Learning

Exploratorium

The Exploratorium’s new home at Piers 15/17 San Francisco

Levels of engagement

• Thriving Bay Area science learning ecology • Museums: part of the out-of-school time

space for students, educators, and families • Remote and in-person access to STEM

resources from museums – Remote: Online or Print publications; webinars,

webcasts, interactive activities – In-person: Personal Visit; Group Field Trip;

Professional Development Workshop

Exploratorium PD Resources

• STEM Activities: Developed and Tested by Exploratorium staff; Easy to implement with common materials; Many available for free download, also available in printed books

• Personal visit: explore the galleries for your personal enrichment or as preparation for a group visit; SFPL check-out pass program

Exploratorium PD Resources

• Online content: tools for teaching and learning: activities, digital library, content collectionshttp://www.exploratorium.edu/education

• Workshops for Professional Development Providers: Exploratorium Institute for Inquiry, – Fundamentals of Inquiry; 5-day (Fall) – Assessing for Learning; 3-day (Spring)

Activity Philosophy and Approach

• Developed and adapted by Exploratorium staff science educators

• Tested with students and families for clarity, usability, and engagement

• Emphasis on science process skills as well as content knowledge and interactive fun

• Reinforcement of literacy skills • Easy to do with common materials

Exploratopia Kid-friendly experiments and explorations for curious minds

Tools for Exploration

Sample Activity

Secret Sounds Experiment with sounds that only you can hear

Introduction, Materials, and Instructions

Explanation, Tools for Exploration, and Real World Connection

Activity time: 7 minutes

• Leader will facilitate the activity • Ask questions • Keep track of your discoveries • Explain what you notice • Share your experience

Tool for Discovery: Asking Questions

• Thinking of questions (and trying to figure out the answers) is part of trying to understand how the world works. Think of some questions that you could answer by experimenting. A great way to begin a question is with the words “What would happen if . . . ?

Questions?

To purchase Exploratopia or other Exploratorium publications, please go to: www.store.exploratorium.edu

Next Steps!

• Visit the new Exploratorium at Piers 15/17,

San Francisco • Opening April 17, 2013 • www.exploratorium.edu