Lesson 12: Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) for babies

Attention

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this lesson's material, students will be able to

• Discuss how STEM relates to the first years of life.
• Discuss the simplicity of STEM in the first years of life.
• Plan developmentally appropriate activities for each STEM component.

Teaching

Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) related jobs are growing at a fast rate of 17% while other jobs are growing at 9.8%. Individuals holding degrees in STEM careers have a higher income and have a greater chance of succeeding in a sustainable career. I am definitely not an economy instructor or life coach, but that is almost TWICE the chance of succeeding later in life if you have a STEM related passion. STEM does not always mean working with computers and machines. It can be about critical thinking, innovating ideas and more outside-of-the-box skills. Despite the abundance of jobs that require a certain level of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math knowledge, American students are lagging behind other developing countries in these areas. Not too many years ago, the United States recognized the unfortunate lack of this skill in today’s citizens and started several initiatives to support development. The Department Of Education started a huge push for these subjects in high schools and it started to trickle down.

STEM in Early Childhood Education has not reached the same level of push that the higher grades are feeling but doesn't it seem natural to start at the beginning? After all, if 80% of the brain is formed by the time a child is three, wouldn't STEM concepts be best supported then?

I am sure you are left wondering how this translates to babies. Can you implement science, technology, and engineering and math activities with an infant? It seems a bit unrealistic but it's much easier than you think. Infants are born to be curious and have an innate need to explore the world around them. Babies are natural-born scientists. Let's break it down.

• Science is a way of thinking. It is about observing, wondering, and experimenting – what baby DOESN'T do that?
• Technology is the application of scientific knowledge – we just said babies are scientists.
• Engineering is creating structures or application of science, technology and math to design – babies love to knock down our state-of-the-art towers!

Often people overthink what the STEM possibilities could be for babies. In the simplest of forms, newborns are ready to explore all of these concepts. Just by living, the infant uses five senses to engage all of the STEM components. For example: A newborn uses hearing to recognize its mothers voice, it then cries out to its mother and as she gets closer it smiles.

When a baby hears its mother it is THINKING that it knows her (science). It then APPLIES that knowledge to CREATE THE APPLICATION of crying out to her (technology and engineering). When she comes CLOSER the baby smiles (math).

I know may be difficult to think about STEM from an infant lens, but that is how it all begins! As the baby is exposed to more of its surroundings, it thinks more and applies the knowledge to new things. This application of knowledge translates into how it will make things happen (cry when it's poopy so it gets changed, reach out to the bottle that is too far away, ask for more crackers). Of course creating activities for infants would be challenging but by the time the child is one, STEM activities are much easier to plan. Let's look again at the STEM components and what you might see once the child reaches a year old.

• Science is a way of thinking – The one year wants to get on the windowsill. It wonders how it will get up there.
• Technology is the application of scientific knowledge – The one year old remembers you standing on a stool to reach the plant hanging in the window. It goes and gets the stool.
• Engineering is creating structure of the application of science and technology and math – it gets the stool, stands on it and it still not tall enough. It brings the stool over to the chair so it can climb into the chair and then onto the window sill.
• Math is spatial awareness, measurement, quantity and forms – I'm pretty sure I covered this in Engineering but for definition's sake, the one year old realizes its way up high and can't get down.

Play and exploration has already been deemed the best way for children to learn. They learn best this way and enhance their skills in every domain. STEM concepts are no different. With a little intentionality and strategic selection of materials, you have the power to grow future problem solvers that are well equipped in the STEM components. The following handout, Talk Read Sing is used as a handout to families to help them understand the importance of STEM concepts from birth. The tip sheet for young children provides families with wonderful strategies that they can use in every day routines to build these skills.

Assessment

Lesson 12  Assignment

For this lesson, you will be creating activity plans for each of the STEM components. Using this lesson plan format (WORD), you will create

• 1 Science Activity
• 1 Technology Activity
• 1 Engineering Activity
• 1 Math Activity

Each activity should meet a different age bracket within the Maine Infant Toddler Guidelines (There are only three so one of the age brackets you will have to do twice. See the grid below to help you visualize. Two of your activities will be geared for the same age).

• 1 – Birth to 8 Months
• 1 – 8-18 Months
• 1 – 18-36 months

You do NOT have to implement the activities but you MUST create them like you are going to. To help kick start your thoughts, check out this awesome PowerPoint (PDF).  Each activity lesson plan will be graded individually for a total of FOUR grades. Each will be graded according to this lesson plan rubric (PDF).

Lesson 12   Discussion A

Do you believe STEM concepts are natural in the first years of life? Why or why not?

Lesson 12   Discussion B

After this lesson, how have your thoughts changed around an infant's ability to learn: Science, Technology, Engineering and Math skills?