Researcher(s)
- Grace Newman, Early Childhood Education/Early Childhood Special Education, University of Delaware
Faculty Mentor(s)
- Jennifer Gallo-Fox, Human Development and Family Services, University of Delaware
Abstract
Many early childhood educators face challenges in teaching STEM subjects due to limited confidence and classroom time constraints. The current lending library at the University of Delaware lacks appropriate kits and resources for early childhood educators teaching children from birth to second grade. This poster presentation showcases the outcomes of the summer scholars program and my work aimed at addressing these challenges. My efforts were directed toward developing interdisciplinary STEM kits tailored for early childhood classrooms. These kits integrate literature into lesson plans and align with Delaware curriculum frameworks and NGSS standards. Research involved a thorough investigation into existing curriculum and NGSS guidelines, ensuring kits meet educational standards and enhance learning outcomes. Collaborative efforts with the lending library guided the development of these plans and future collaborations will hopefully focus on further refinement and expansion of these plans into full kits in their collection to meet the evolving needs of early childhood educators and make these resources available to local teachers. By making these resources comprehensive and easily implementable, this initiative aims to empower teachers to effectively teach STEM concepts to young learners.