More PEAS Please! Building a Partnership for Science Education with Teachers and Underrepresented Minority Preschool Subaward from NCSU

The proposed research project focuses on developing innovative curricular and teacher professional development resources that will impact over 300 Head Start preschool teachers and 3,400 underserved, minority (URM) children (3-5 years) living in rural North Carolina. This project aims to bridge the gap between preschool and K-12 science learning environments by: (1) developing and implementing an innovative, hands-on science curricular resource that emphasizes the Next Generation Science Standards' (NGSS) Practices of Science; (2) creating an NIH SEPA PEAS Institute for Early Childhood Teachers focused on building science teaching knowledge, science teaching interest, and science teaching efficacy among participating teachers; and (3) establishing an early STEM support network of Head Start teachers, administrators, program faculty, and community partners within and between NC-based Head Start programs. In addition to addressing the critical needs for early STEM professional development resources and high-quality science and health-focused learning activities for URM preschool children, it is our expectation that our approach to integrating STEM education into early learning environments will advance the field by serving as a model for future programs that seek to bridge the gap between the early childhood and K-12 science learning environments.

Scholars @ ECU