Improving Connections
Staff Development Guide
Training Situation: Training (large group)
Length: 60 minutes
Objective: Participants will design dough creatures to learn to connect youths’ prior experiences to STEM activities.
Agenda:
- Welcome – 5 minutes
- Silent Introduction – 5 minutes
- See the Skill in Action – 10 minutes
- Planning to Connect Experiences to Learning – 10 minutes
- Hands-on Learning – 20 minutes
- Conclusion – 10 minutes
Video-Based Learning Module
As you watch the skill video below, think about these questions:
- How does the staff member, Gauri, connect youth to different topics to guide the discussion? (Listen at 0:43, 1:06)
- What does she do that connects to what youth already know? (Watch at 0:10, 0:55, 1:25)
- How does Gauri re-state the youth’s responses and how does that link to their experiences in the current activity? (Listen at 1:35, 1:47)
- How would you lead this discussion differently? What would you do the same?
Now that you’ve watched the video, reflect on what you saw and post your responses.
- How did the youth use their prior knowledge to guide the planning and building of their stoves?
- Why do you think it is important for STEM to be linked to everyday experiences?
- What are some ways you have connected STEM to the needs of others?
- What are some examples of ways you could connect to prior knowledge or experiences of the youth you work with?
Explore More Like This
Connecting to Prior Knowledge with an Idea Walk
An idea walk in order to add more opportunities for youth to connect their prior knowledge to STEM activities.
Like a Real Engineer
Engage youth in a real engineering activity around circuit design and learn how to discuss what problem solving skills students are modeling.
Break It Down
The facilitator works to enable active learning as youth work in small groups and use the strategies of computational thinking to design and describe their own unique monsters.