Teacher Training By Dr. Diana Wehrell-Grabowski » Dr. Diana Wehrell-Grabowski teacher training

Designing, Constructing and Testing Parachutes: A STEM Investigation

Diana Wehrell-Grabowski — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 20:47:28 +0000

One of the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) investigations I often introduce during the STEM teacher training workshops I conduct nation and worldwide is the science of Parachutes.We begin the investigation by analyzing seeds and how they are dispersed. That may be followed up by designing and constructing a paper helicopter that floats through the air similar to how milkweed, pine cone, and dandelion seeds travel. We discuss how man borrowed the design of the modern-day parachute from nature as in the flight of dandelion seeds. Leonardo daVinci is said to have gotten his inspiration for his triangular-shaped parachute from observing and analyzing how seeds were dispersed. Additionally, we discuss STEM-related concepts relative to parachutes (air resistance, surface area, gravity, Newton’s Laws of Motion, kinetic and potential energy, and other concepts). We then move onto the engineering design process. Teachers observe and analyze a variety of pre-made parachutes. They then design, construct, and test their own parachutes, re-designing if necessary. I provide a wide-array of materials for teachers to build with. Low-cost and accessible being number one priority. Plastic trash bags, paper bags, tissue paper, string, washers, plastic figurines, tape, digital balances, and rulers are about all you need to design some pretty cool and functional parachutes.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0n6V6PQGFk

It’s All About Making Observations and Developing Critical Thinking Skills

Diana Wehrell-Grabowski — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 14:50:36 +0000

No matter what hands-on-minds-on inquiry-based teacher training workshop I’m conducting. A fundamental component of the teacher training is introducing teachers to investigations that help the student develop observational skills, as well as developing critical thinking skills. Developing observational skills and critical thinking skills is essential in all science classes. I find that in my STEM teacher training workshops the need for heightened observational skills and critical thinking skills is crucial for the student to fully comprehend STEM education concepts. Recently, I conducted a 3-day STEM teacher training institute for an elementary school that is in its first year of becoming a STEM school. Throughout the 3 days teachers were actively engaged in exploring STEM concepts through hands-on-minds-on inquiry-based investigations. Many of the teachers shared with me that they had never looked at nature and the world the way they learned to during the training. As teachers we often get caught up in the daily rut of covering mass amounts of information within short periods of time that becomes disjointed with little meaning to the student. The first priority in any classroom is to teach observational skills and help the student develop critical thinking skills. But first, teachers may need to take the time to look closely at nature themselves. The following slideshare below is from a recent Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) teacher training workshop I conducted.

Developing critical thinking skills via exploring science, technology, engineering, and math (stem) concepts aug 2011

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STEM Training for 21st Century Community Learning Centers

Diana Wehrell-Grabowski — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 13:53:26 +0000

Just back from conducting science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) teacher training workshops at the 2011 21st Century 4th Annual Institute hosted by Washington State Department of Education. I conducted two separate teacher training sessions during the conference. The first session titled :STEM On A Shoestring Budget. During this session teachers were introduced to low-cost inquiry-based STEM explorations that can be conducted with ease during their after school science programs and/or in the regular classroom setting. The second session was a three hour workshop titled: Developing Critical Thinking Skills via Exploring STEM Concepts.” During both workshops teachers were actively engaged in exploring hands-on-minds-on inquiry-based STEM explorations. Many of the STEM explorations introduced during the sessions can be expanded into project-based explorations such as designing, building and testing of parachutes, and building structures with simple materials. I enjoyed meeting all the teachers who attended my teacher training workshops, as well as the staff members responsible for organizing the conference. Great group of individuals who will share their knowledge with the students of Washington.

Integrating Science and Children’s Literature K-8

Diana Wehrell-Grabowski — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 12:51:14 +0000

Back from conducting teacher training in the state of Colorado. Forty K-8 teachers from two Colorado magnet schools attended the training entitled “Integrating Science and Children’s Literature”. Teachers were introduced to over 60 children’s K-8 books that can be used to introduce and reinforce K-8 science concepts. Teachers were actively engaged in conducting hands-on-minds-on inquiry-based explorations to investigate K-8 science concepts. The Colorado Department of Education has revised the science standards from 5 to 3 to include Physical, Life and Earth Systems Science. The largest change to the science standards is acknowledging that scientific inquiry, science process skills, and content can’t be taught separately. These important aspects of science were integrated into the three science content standards. This change makes total sense. Teachers must integrate the nature of science, science process skills within all science explorations students undertake, as opposed to covering the nature of science in isolation in the first nine weeks of the school year. The following sample photos were taken from the Integrating Science and Children’s Literature K-8 teacher training workshop held in Colorado. Once again it was a great group of teachers.

Developing Critical Thinking Skills via Exploring Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) Concepts

Diana Wehrell-Grabowski — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 15:19:53 +0000

It’s a known fact based on statistical data that U.S. students fall behind their international peers in science and mathematics skills. There are many reasons for the lackluster performance on standardized tests, as well as the lack of in-depth knowledge of basic science and mathematical concepts among U.S. students. I suspect that one of the primary reasons U.S. students continually fall behind other countries in science and math is that many U.S. students have not been given learning experiences that help them to develop and strengthen critical thinking skills. I have developed a teacher training workshop entitled “Developing Critical Thinking Skills via Exploring Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) Concepts.” During this teacher training workshop teachers conduct numerous hands-on-minds-on inquiry-based explorations to investigate STEM concepts. The explorations teachers conduct require them to use critical thinking skills, in addition teachers are asked to develop higher-order thinking questions for each exploration undertaken. The following photos are from a recent Critical Thinking workshop I conducted with elementary teachers. Once again, another great group of teachers, and successful workshop that will have positive long-term benefits for the teachers and their students. I consider a teacher training workshop professional staff development experience a successful one when teachers have expanded upon their own content knowledge, and gained confidence in their ability to teach STEM concepts effectively.

Cherokee Nation Early Childhood Teachers Explore The Natural World Via Hands-On Teacher Training Workshop

Diana Wehrell-Grabowski — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 03:37:46 +0000

Dr. Diana Wehrell-Grabowski had the wonderful pleasure of sharing her expertise and enthusiasm for sharing nature with children during the Cherokee Nation Annual Conference held in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. Over one hundred Cherokee Nation early childhood teachers were introduced to numerous hands-on-minds-on environmental and life science explorations to implement within their early childhood classrooms. Dr. Diana Wehrell-Grabowski placed emphasis on connecting simplistic methods of connecting the young child with nature on a daily basis. Teachers were actively engaged throughout the teacher training sessions:

Using eye-loupes to observe specimens from nature;
Using simple microscopes to observe leaves;
Making leaf, tree bark and tree ring rubbings;
Observing and touching live pill bugs, earthworms, and garden snails;
Observing rocks, pebbles, and sand;
Observing how rocks break down via mechanical weathering- teachers placed sedimentary rocks inside of containers and shook the containers back and forth. This resulted in the rocks breaking down;
Observing, comparing, and sorting seeds;
Making paper helicopter models that depict how certain seeds travel; and
Observing and comparing animal coverings (fish scale, bird feathers, synthetic animal fur and more.

In addition, to exploring life and environmental science concepts Dr. Diana Wehrell-Grabowski introduced early childhood teachers to over 70 children’s literature that can be used in the classroom and at home to reinforce life and environmental science concepts. The list of books used during the workshop can be seen on the book page, as well as ordered from Amazon via the book page on this site, at no extra charge. This was a timely teacher training professional staff development experience for the Cherokee Nation early childhood teachers since outdoor education/ exploring the natural world has been designated as a major focus of their early childhood science curriculum for 2010-2011. On the national level “The No Child Left Inside Act” is now listed as one of four key pieces of legislation in the reauthorization of ESEA on the Ed & Labor Committee. For a good read Dr. Diana Wehrell-Grabowski recommends the book “Last Child In The Woods” by Richard Louv. Last Child In The Woods is the first book to bring together a new and growing body of research indicating that direct exposure to nature is essential for healthy childhood development and for the physical and emotional health of children and adults (from official website of Richard Louv).

All of the teachers enjoyed the training session, many were heard discussing how they were going to implement what they had been introduced to immediately within their own classrooms. Many of the teachers overcame their pre-existing fears of touching common school yard invertebrates (pill bugs, earthworms, and snails). There is nothing that makes a teacher training facilitator smile more than seeing that they have had an immediate and positive impact on their audience, and more importantly the students of the teachers will benefit immensely from their teachers willingness to spend a Saturday exploring and learning about the natural world.

Early Childhood Teachers Learn How To Connect Science And Children’s Literature

Diana Wehrell-Grabowski — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 13:59:52 +0000

Seventy Seminole Tribe of Florida early childhood teachers attended a full-day hands-on science inquiry-based teacher training professional staff development workshop to learn how to teach science through children’s literature conducted by Dr. Diana Wehrell-Grabowski. Teachers were actively engaged in exploring early childhood science concepts through hands-on explorations. Additionally, teachers were introduced to early childhood children’s literature that can be used to teach early childhood science concepts in the classroom and at home. Teachers conducted hands-on explorations to investigate: the nature of matter, floating and sinking, plant and animal kingdom concepts, how rocks break down into smaller pieces, mathematical concepts including patterns, shapes, and sorting. The teacher training workshop was a great success. Participants left the workshop with increased content knowledge, motivated, confident, and ready to implement what they had learned in the teacher training workshop within their own classrooms. All of the children’s literature used during the teacher training workshop can be viewed and ordered from Amazon via this site at no extra charge (see book page).

Effective and Meaningful Professional Development (PD) For All

Diana Wehrell-Grabowski — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 03:11:26 +0000

Many teachers do not look forward to attending professional development (PD) sessions, I can’t say that I blame them. After you have attended one too many irrelevant PD sessions where the basis of the PD had little relevance to your needs or your students needs, it becomes rather difficult to become engaged in the learning experience. The very essence of teaching requires teachers to continually expand upon their own existing content knowledge. As well as become immersed in learning how to present science concepts in an effective and meaningful manner in order to improve student performance and learning in the classroom. I encourage school administrators and individual teachers to take a look at the many excellent articles in Science & Children Summer 2010 Volume 47 Number 9. This particular issue examines how to find the right professional development for your teachers, or yourself, and make the most of it. From creating professional learning communities to mentors, distance learning, and more. Editor, of Science & Children, Linda Froschauer hit the nail on the head ” if teachers don’t see the value of the PD in which they are involved, they will not be engaged.” The NSTA position statement on Professional Development in Science Education can be seen at the following NSTA Internet resource.

Teaching Science Through Children’s Literature

Diana Wehrell-Grabowski — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 15:25:30 +0000

On a balmy Friday in June on the Gulf Coast of Florida thirty elementary teachers took part in a six-hour hands-on-minds-on inquiry-based teacher training workshop. Teachers were immersed in exploring intermediate level (grades 3-5) science concepts through popular children’s literature. Children’s authors included Dr. Seuss, John Himmelman, Anthony Fredericks, Jean Craighead George, Carol Hiaasen, Roberta Edwards, Robert Byrd, Janis Herbert, Laura Driscoll, Jennifer Dussling, Lynne Cherry, Kevin Kurtz, and many more authors. Teachers explored Big Ideas within the four of the new world-class Sunshine State Standards (Nature of Science, Earth and Space Science, Physical Science, and Life Science) through hands-on-minds-on- inquiry-based investigations. Teachers explored the states of matter by making Oobleck, a unique Non-Newtonian substance that takes on the characteristics of both a solid and a liquid. Teachers also used Oobleck to teach earth and space science concepts including: mudslides, landslides, and volcanic eruptions. Dr. Seuss’s book Bartholomew and the Oobleck was the literary connection in this investigation. Teachers designed and constructed terrestrial or aquatic bottle biology ecosystems to explore a wide-range of life science concepts including: ecosystems, food chains, food webs, consumers, decomposers, consumers, limiting factors, oxygen cycle, water cycle, nitrogen cycle, photosynthesis, and the animal kingdom. The following children’s literature were reviewed during the designing and construction of the bottle biology ecosystems:Everybody’s Somebody’s Lunch by Cherie Mason, A Pill Bug’s Life and An Earthworm’s Life both by John Himmelman, Under One Rock by Anthony Fredericks, and others. Teachers observed and studied mangrove seedlings and learned all about mangrove ecology. Lynne Cherry’s children’s literature book The Sea, The Storm, and the Mangrove Tangle was used in this investigation to reinforce mangrove ecology concepts. Teachers were introduced to the vast array of ideas and inventions of Leonardo daVinci by exploring simple machines, airplanes, helicopters, and parachutes. Who Was Leonardo da Vinci by Roberta Edwards was the primary children’s literature book used during the investigations. However, teachers were also introduced to many other children’s literature books that cover Leonardo daVinci’s life, innovations, and inventions. Teachers studied bird feathers to make connections to bird anatomy, aerodynamic concepts, and gravity. There’s an Owl in My Shower by Jean Craighead George as well as books about Leonardo daVinci were used during this investigation. Teachers explored the concepts of erosion and weathering, and the rock cycle through the Ellen Prager’s book Sandand Kristine and Robert Thorson’s book Stone Wall Secrets. Teachers explored the concepts of erosion and weathering through hands-on investigations using Coquina Rock. The culminating investigation involved the teachers exploring the behavior of light waves with emphasis on reflection, refraction, visible spectrum, electromagnetic spectrum, the use of spectroscopes by astronomers to analyze stars. Teachers constructed a simple spectroscope out of a mailer tube and diffraction grating material. The children’s literature used during this investigation was The Rainbow Mysteryby Jennifer Dussling part of the Science Solves It! Series. The teachers left the workshop with children’s literature books listed in this article, science references, Teaching Science Through Children’s Literature manual by Dr. Diana Wehrell-Grabowski, models made during the workshop, and a wealth of additional knowledge. Once again, I was elated to have had the opportunity to meet a wonderful group of teachers willing to expand their own scientific knowledge during their summer vacation. All of the books used during Teaching Science Through Children’s Literature can be found and ordered from this site on the books page.

Hands-On Ecology-Based Explorations For Earth Day

Diana Wehrell-Grabowski — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 15:18:27 +0000

Today is the official celebration of Earth Day. It is my hopes that all educators have embraced some type of exploration that awakens each student to the wonders of the natural world. During my life science teacher training workshops, teacher participants can be guaranteed that one of the investigations will include explorations with live earthworms. Some of the teachers are reluctant to touch the slimy and wiggly invertebrates. To see a teacher participant overcome their aversion of handling an earthworm, snail, or pillbug brings a great deal of satisfaction to me. Mainly, because I feel confident that the teacher is now more likely to expose their own students to living creatures within their own classroom.

I produced the following video to pay tribute to the earthworm, a common backyard invertebrates. The earthworm’s activities are vital to the plant and animal kingdom. Earthworms are not only consumers, they are decomposers as well. Earthworms benefit the plant and animal kingdom by decomposing organic matter, excreting nutrient rich casts, and their burrowing actions aerate the soil. An earthworm science lesson is a great hands-on science lesson to investigate a multitude of science concepts including: animal classification, interdependence, food chain, population, decomposers, consumers, and producers. As you’ll observe in the video, young children enjoy learning about snails, pill bugs, and earthworms via hands-on explorations. Ideas for earthworm explorations include:

Comparing and contrasting Gummy Worms to synthetic fishing worms, to live earthworms.
Exploring the anatomy of live earthworms.
Measuring earthworms.
Experimenting with what type surfaces earthworms prefer (dry, wet, rough, smooth, etc.).
Making earthworms out of Playdoh and clay.
Make earthworm paintings with fishing worms.
Drawing earthworms based on observations of live earthworms.
Make a classroom terrarium to house common backyard invertebrates (snails, pillbugs, and earthworms).
Make a composte or vermiposte pile.
Read children’s literature with earthworm themes.