4 peer responses - due in 20 hours

4 peer responses due in 24 hours

Each set of 2 has its own instructions 

Guided Response: Read several of your peers’ responses. Then, collaborate with at least two of your peers by suggesting ways to get families involved in STEM either at home or in the school or center. Suggest at least three ideas your peers can use to link families to STEM. These can be activities, web resources, events, etc.

Abigail’s post:

Explain Your ideal STEM classroom

My ideal STEM classroom will be based on a universal Pre K class at three to four-year-old children.  They will be showing a hands-on experience by doing the creative curriculum.  This innovative curriculum identifies goals in all areas of development, such as social, emotional, cognitive, and physical.  Children learn by touching, tasting, listening, smelling, and looking.

Science STEM activity :

Supplies used: Rocks, plastic pond animals or bath toys, craft foam, and water.

We will fill a sand table or a large container with water. Gather plastic animals or bath toys that you might find in a pond. I found a few large rocks from the yard and cut Lily pads out of green craft foam, and then I would have the children arrange the items in the pond or set it up beforehand as a surprise. The lily pads made from craft foam float, so it is fun to put frogs or other animals on top of them. They will spend hours doing this, keeping children using their hands and fingers skills.

Technology STEM activity : 

Supplies used:  Camera, iPad, art supplies, tablets.

We will do a photo scavenger hunt.  This activity is excellent to do indoors and outdoors.  Outdoors has more benefits because you have more space to hide things, but if the weather does not allow the children to do it outside, they can still do it inside.  For the scavenger hunt activity, I will ask the children to find school art supplies, and once they see the item, they can snap a picture from their pads, tablets, phone camera or any other camera.  The child with the most articles and photos gets the technology award of the week.     

Engineering STEM activity:

Supplies used:  Color confetti, empty bathroom tissue roll, glue, cardboards, kid-safe scissors, and aluminum foil.

We will be doing a kaleidoscope.  Take a bathroom tissue empty roll and put two pieces of round shape cardboard and aluminum foil with slits at the end of the roll. Between the two round shape cardboards put some confetti in between and seal it with glue on the edges.  Once it is dry, look through the tube and turn the wheel, and you will see beautiful colors going in different directions.

Math STEM activity:

Supplies used: Timer, legos

They will work in groups, and they will have large lego pieces.  They will start building, and I will set a timer.  They will be counting the number of legos that they will be using.  As they grab each lego, they will score. Whoever gets to 25 first is the winner.  The object is to learn how to

count and to build great things.

A description of how your activity and or classroom is aligned to standards

All the activities mentioned above aligns to the NAEYC standards.  The activities promote child development and learning.  The children develop good relationships among themselves.  I sit there and I observe , document and do assessments as they work on their projects individually.  They connect with each other.  They are also learning academically and the students learn the importance of developmental domains. By doing the activities, the children demonstrate knowledgeable, reflective, and critical perspectives on their work, making informed decisions that integrate knowledge from a variety of sources (NAEYC, 2009). 

References

Jaruszewicz, C. (2019). Curriculum and methods for early childhood educators [Electronic version]. Retrieved from https://content.ashford.edu/

 NAEYC. (n.d.). Principles of effective family engagement (Links to an external site.) (Links to an external site.)

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. Retrieved from https://www.naeyc.org/resources/topics/family-engagement/principles

Elizabeth’s Post:

My ideal classroom would be an inclusive preschool classroom. I love including STEM in my classes, and preschoolers would be so ready to learn these concepts and participate in activities.

In my classroom, I will have STEM kits. These are boxes that have different objects and materials. For example, a box with wooden blocks, legos, tape and straws, popsicle sticks, or playing cards. Children could practice their engineering skills. Another material I would have in my classroom would be a science center and a math center, with toys children could use to learn important skills for each of these. For example, counting bears, a scale, a balance, test tubes, measuring cups, and fantasy play supplies. I would also make sure to have technology available in my classroom, with games and activities where students could learn to do things like code.

For science, I would do a science experiment frequently. An easy experiment would be dying carnations. The children could learn words like hypothesis, prediction, and even parts of the scientific method. We would have visuals and create a poster for the wall that they could look at. As the week goes on, chi;drew can observe these carnations changing colors.

For technology, I would love to use applications on iPads or chrome books in my classroom to teach children how to code. An app like Kodable is easy to use, fun for kids, and still teaches them important technological skills.

For engineering, I would have a bridge or tower building competition. For preschoolers, we could use different materials to build towers and see who could build the highest tower, or the coolest tower, or the biggest tower. They could compare which materials worked better and we could start to think about why. For example, why do wooden blocks make better towers than playing cards?

For math, I would do a cooking activity with the students. In cooking and baking, you measure out ingredients and do steps in a sequence. These are math based concepts that would stick with a student for a very long time. For example, I would choose to bake brownies. I would show them the recipe, show them the measuring cups and they could learn how they stack. Introducing fractions early is so beneficial for students, and baking is a great way to do that.

The activities that I chose would align with the standards because, for example, in math class, preschoolers should be learning to develop a sense of number comparison. By showing them the measuring cups, they would learn a comparison of numbers. Which is bigger and smaller? Technology should not replace adult-child communication and relationships, so by teaching them to play these coding games, it is interactive and fun for both. For science, one of the standards is “Explores what a variety of living organisms need to live and grow”. By watching the flowers soak up the colored water, the child will understand how a flower lives.

THE NEW YORK STATE PREKINDERGARTEN LEARNING STANDARDS: A RESOURCE FOR SCHOOL SUCCESS. (2019). Retrieved August 19, 2020, from https://earlychildhoodny.org/pdfs/NYS_Prek_Learning_Standards-2019.pdf

In your responses to no fewer than two of your classmates, compare and contrast your respective identifications and evaluations of theoretical arguments and grounding regarding your selected sexual identity-related problem. Additionally, identify any insights you have gained as a result of reading the responses of others.

Carmen’s Post:

Sexual Identity Development

Understanding sex and gender are important for me to consider what I feel is a sexual identity- related issue as this plays an important role in identity development. Sex and gender are connected but different in meaning, let me explain. According to Mossler, R. A., & Ziegler, M. (2016), it is extremely rare for a person to be born with undifferentiated sex organs, even someone who is born with two sex organs they generally have XX or XY genes. Biological sex is not adjustable, one is male or female. On the other hand, gender is more continues as Mossler, R. A., & Ziegler, M. (2016) explained, some individuals are drawn quite strongly to the behaviors and activities of one gender over another, while others engage freely in more varied activities. For me, this means that an individual has the power to determine sexual attraction and interest, gender identity, or sexual orientation. It becomes an issue when a male or female has a preference for the same sex or feels “trapped” in the wrong body. This is sometimes difficult for society to understand when not mindful, culturally some religions do not accept same-sex marriages. As in Finkelstein, S. (2006) video the two nine-year-old, identical, male twins, Gerald and Adam who although twins are so different. Gerald is very masculine and plays with what society would say is appropriate for a male boy, on the contrary, Adam had his bedroom filled with Bratz doll, pink color sheets, and his fingernails painted in pink with white flower design. This would be what society would say is more feminine. Adam’s behavior showed signs of gender non-conformity. Researchers, Braun, S. S., & Davidson, A. J. (2017) conducted a study on middle childhood to have a better understanding of gender-typed behavior, friendship, and peer preference. In this study, it is shown that masculine type behavior is valued by both boys and girls, and feminine-type behavior is devalued particularly by boys. In Adam’s case, his behavior would be considered as out the norm and at times unacceptable to society. The theoretical argument relating to this issue is if, for instance, Adam’s behavior is nature or nurture. Scientists have been arguing this matter as in the case of Adam and Gerald, they both are identical twins yet so unique. Freud’s theoretical view states that nurture is important during your child development. According to Freud, the superego makes a distinction between right and wrong according to parental and societal standards. Overall, Freud stressed that personality development was established early as a result of the mother-child relationship… Mossler, R. A., & Ziegler, M. (2016). Can this be the reason why Adam’s behavior is unique? Or can it be an attachment issue? Was Adam more attached to his mother than Gerald?

Resource

Braun, S. S., & Davidson, A. J. (2017). Gender (non)conformity in middle childhood: A mixed-methods approach to understanding gender-typed behavior, friendship, and peer preference. Sex Roles, 77(1-2), 16-29. 

Finkelstein, S. (2006). 20/20: Exploring sexual orientation: Gay or straight, Part 1 [Video file].

Mossler, R. A., & Ziegler, M. (2016). Understanding Development: A Lifespan Perspective. San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education, Inc

Tammy’s Post:

Identifying a sexual identity-related problem or issue that is of importance to self and society and culture.

Gender Dysphoria and LGBTQ is a growing cultural group and identity “issue” with social and cultural lenses. As people discover their identity, he or she may deviate their physical traits and behaviors to align and conform with one opposite of their assigned (biological) sex. An association of anything other than the assigned sex is accepted by same and similar populations, but also is rejected and discriminated by many others such as Christians. In some cultures, however, it is not atypical to live in opposition of assigned genetics to achieve status, earn sustainable wages, or for reasons of refuge such as in India.

Identifying and evaluating the key positions and theoretical arguments of the issue.

Biological, evolutionary, and cognitive influence all present in the advent of gender expression and identity. When a person chooses to live a life misaligning with their ascribed traits and characteristics, society tends to fear the unknown or ridicule those who are different. This instance of rejection is common for faith-based populations. People fitting the group of LGBTQ and congruent cultures are minoritized for their choices and often live in forms of disparity as an outcome. Disparity then presents as a bigger issue alongside hate crimes.

Reasons for differences in sexual orientation (e.g., from biological, cultural, or physiological causes).

People may choose to life a life that rebukes the norm of heterosexuals for vast reasons. For some, he or she may feel they are “trapped” in the body of the opposite gender, saw, or subjected to an appealing event that captured a desire to live in such way. Additionally, a person may feel he or she was born to be the opposite sex he or she is categorized as. As Dr. Michael Bailey concluded in the video interview the nonconformity of gender is not nurture or external and explicit, but rather it is nature and internal and implicit factors that gravitate toward one gender norm or sexual orientation (Finkelstein, 2006. 2:54). The text, Understanding Development: A Lifespan Perspective is in a consensus that outside of the most familial relation and home, that social influence will impact a child or person to act or live in the same or opposite sexual assignment (Mossler & Zeigler, 2016).

Ground all positions and conclusions in theory and evidence.

As twin Jared said, “I’m a kid.” His statement did not specify as his twin brother, “I’m like a girl” (Finkelstein, 2006. 2:30). In analyzing this we can presume that if society had no sexualized stigma , then the generalization of being a kid would be fitting since it would illustrate universalism, or conformity. Since there is a social caste and hierarchical system that has found no bipartisan of diversity to date, the division or segregation remain to group sex and gender to self-value and imagery. Although evidence is indicating the gender identity, expression, and sexual orientation is more physiological than psychological or physical, as mentioned in the experiment segment of the three part video series Exploring sexual orientation: Gay or straight (2006), behaviors were directly and immediately associated to gender ideals of masculinity and feminist. The bottom line is understanding that people are bias to their raising and role model influences. More powerful than the persuasion in our lives is genetics do not lie.

References

Mossler, R. A., & Ziegler, M. (2016). Understanding Development: A Lifespan Perspective. Bridgepoint Education, Inc

Finkelstein, S. (2006). 20/20: Exploring sexual orientation: Gay or straight, Part 1 [Video file]. New York, NY: CBS Corporation.