STEMStorytimeExtendersAmy Koester

Preschool Services Discussion Group2013 ALA Annual Conference

Why do STEM with preschoolers?

STEM activities…• promote early literacy skills

development• engage children’s natural curiosity• exercise fine motor skills• are FUN

STEM Activities in Place of a Craft

• Build something useful—it’s engineering while still feeling like a craft• Set out STEM tools for kids to

explore

Have a science table for free playMagnifying glasses and specimens, magnet wands and magnetic objects, and a balance scale with objects to weigh make for great hands-on STEM exploration.

STEM Activities as the Main Event

• Build a story time around a STEM concept• Spend at least half the program

engaged in hands-on experiments and activities

Offer hands-on experiments for concept learningThere are a plethora of ideas for preschool-friendly STEM experiments and activities in your non-fiction collection (start with Janice Vancleave’s titles), on teacher and librarian blogs, and on Pinterest.

STEM Activities To Go

• Take-home STEM activity sheets• “Make it, Take it” stations with STEM

projects

Invite families to do STEM at home.Write up STEM activity instructions on a handout, or prep basic supplies to distribute in brown paper bags. Make it easy for caregivers to do STEM with their kids at home.

Links to more ideas and resources online

akoester@stchlibrary.org@amyeileenkhttp://showmelibrarian.blogspot.com