The Genius of Play has released a book for children in honor of March’s National Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month.
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The book – “Let’s Play: A Playbook for Kids of All Abilities” – focuses on how play provides an opportunity to engage in activities that best support their development. It notes that when there is focus on a child’s strengths, interests, and areas in which they need more support, a play approach offers opportunities to participate in the challenge level that is suitable for them.
The free guide offers families a variety of adaptive, play-based activities to help children meet developmental milestones and promote social inclusion while having fun.
The book can be downloaded on The Genius of Play’s website.
The Genius of Play also offers play ideas for every age range, interest, and ability. Its resources include playbooks featuring games that help children to develop emotional intelligence, physical skills, and STEAM knowledge as well as activity sheets and other activities.
The Genius of Play is a national movement spearheaded by The Toy Association to raise awareness about play’s vital role in child development.
The 6×6 Assemble is seeking submissions from artists for its third annual show. This year’s theme is PLAY.
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Artists is called upon to think of how they play and create something. Creating a piece itself could be an act of play. Or, it could be a sport, video game reference, board game, pictorial hide and seek, or something you play with and touch.
Play is how humans learn about their environments as children and is a critical element for confidence building, problem solving, imagination, stress management, and socialization.
Those interested in participating should fill out a form that should be dropped off to Assemble – located at 4824 Penn Avenue – by Friday, January 24.
Each piece in the show will be sold for $25. All ages are welcome to participate. All funds raised will go to support Assemble’s free STEAM programs, although pieces that don’t sell will be returned to the artists.
Pieces in the show should be no larger than 6”x”6×1’. Artists will be invited to a VIP reception on Thursday, February 6. Those interested should RSVP now. The public Unblurred Gallery Opening is from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday, February 7.
Join the Allegheny Intermediate Unit for Storybook STEAM, an introduction of the dual approach to early learning that combines storytelling with hands-on learning in the fields of STEAM.
Attendees will learn to engage children’s natural curiosity and creativity, while also helping them develop important problem-solving and critical thinking skills.
Event Details
Thursday, May 11 | 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Allegheny Intermediate Unit
475 East Waterfront Drive
Homestead, PA 15120
Registration not required.
About Storybook STEAM Lessons
In a Storybook STEAM lesson, a teacher or educator begins by reading a storybook that relates to a particular STEM or STEAM concept. The storybook serves as a starting point for the lesson, providing context and engaging students’ imaginations. After the story, students are given a hands-on activity or project that relates to the STEM or STEAM concept introduced in the story. For example, after reading a story about the water cycle, students might conduct an experiment to observe the different stages of the water cycle.
The goal of Storybook STEAM is to make STEM and STEAM concepts more accessible and engaging for children. By using storytelling as a starting point, children are more likely to be motivated and interested in learning about these subjects. Additionally, by incorporating arts and creativity into STEM learning, Storybook STEAM helps children develop a well-rounded set of skills that will serve them well in the future.
Overall, Storybook STEAM is a creative and effective approach to teaching STEM and STEAM concepts to young children. It encourages children to think critically and creatively, and it helps make these important subjects more accessible and engaging.
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This event is part of Remake Learning Days. To learn more, visit the Remake Learning Days website.
Due to COVID-19 restrictions, Citiparks will offer its KidSMART Club as an at-home program for children in grades three, four, and five. An option for pre-kindergarten children is also available.
About
KidSMART Club is an afterschool program developed by Citiparks for children in grades three, four, and five. A pre-k option is also available and is best suited for children ages three to five years old. The program features a series of activities that explore science, math, art, reading, technology, and more! This year, the Club will be offered as an at-home program for 11 weeks with each week offering a new theme of learning.
Themes and Dates
Club members who complete six weeks or more of STEM/STEAM projects will be eligible for a chance to win cool prizes! View the full list of upcoming sessions below.
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- Week 1: Art Explosion, Multimedia Art Studio
October 5 – 9, 2020
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- Week 2: Wide World of Sports
October 12 – 16, 2020
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- Week 3: Urban Adventures
October 19 – 23, 2020
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- Week 4: DIY Maker Lab, “I Made It With Citiparks”
October 26 – 30, 2020
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- Week 5: Comic Central
November 2 – 6, 2020
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- Week 6: X-Treme Science
November 9 – 13, 2020
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- Week 7: Create With The Masters
November 16 – 20, 2020
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- Week 8: Junior Chef – Holiday Kit
November 23 – 27, 2020
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- Week 9: Space Station Pittsburgh
November 30 – December 4, 2020
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- Week 10: Holidays Around The World
December 7 – 11, 2020
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- Week 11: KidSMART – Holiday Kit
December 14 – 18, 2020
Registration
Registration is required to participate. When registering, you must select a pickup location for your weekly at-home kits. Kit pickup will occur every Monday (beginning October 5) from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. at one of the following Citipark Recreation Center locations:
To register, complete the KidSMART Club Registration Form. This registration reserves your kit for an 11-week period through the end of 2020. Space is limited.
More Information
For more information, visit the KidSMART Club webpage.
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Are you interested in learning how to utilize creative experiences to draw families into learning together? Attend the webinar “Co-Educating with Families” on November 4 to learn about practice strategies that bridge school and home learning.
About
In this webinar, Cheri Sterman and James Wells from Crayola will share practice strategies that bridge school and home learning. Whether it is Moved by Math, Writing Art-Inspired Stories, or STEAM for 21st Century Learners, projects that actively engage students as decision-makers who create, present, respond, and connect enliven learning!
This webinar will be of interest to pre-k through middle school teachers and school and district leaders. Time for questions will be included.
Registration
To register and learn more, visit the event webpage.
From June 15 to July 24, Citiparks will be offering CitiCamp@Home, a six-week program for families that offers weekly take-home STEM/STEAM projects, games, giveaways, and chances to win prizes.
About
Families are invited to join Citiparks lead explorer Caterina as she guides explorers through summertime urban adventures! Through conveniently packaged To-Go Kits, families will gain access to everything they need to create great projects that include built-in literacy and math components.
Additional resources will be provided by WQED, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh Penguins Foundation, United Way of Southwestern Pennsylvania, Carlow University Education Department, Pittsburgh Parks Conservancy, and UPMC Children’s Hospital.
Pick Up Locations
Kits will be available at the Citiparks Summer Grab & Go locations listed below starting Monday, June 15 on a first-come, first-served basis.
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- Northview Heights Public Safety Center
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If you are not able to participate in the Summer Food program but would like to play along, printable materials will also be available on the Citiparks website.
More Information
For more information, read the full press release or call 412.665.3665.
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Are you interested in learning how to transition your home or school into a making and tinkering environment for your young child(ren)? Join Cate Heroman, author of Making and Tinkering with STEM, and Lianna Kali, Project Director for The Tinkering Studio in San Francisco’s Exploratorium, as they share strategies for delightful investigations to try at home and school.
About
During this webinar, presenters will take a closer look at tinkering with two big ideas–light and shadow play and balls, ramps, and chain reactions. Attendees will receive a certificate of attendance for viewing this live webinar. For those who cannot attend, a recorded version of the presentation will be made available within six to eight weeks.
Registration
To register, visit NAEYC’s event page.
Summer in the Greater Pittsburgh Area is not only filled with sunshine and warmth, it’s also filled with special intensives, camps, and other summer training opportunities. That’s why Remake Learning launched its Summer Professional Development portal, highlighting local professional learning opportunities that will happen in summer 2020!
About
Remake Learning‘s Summer Professional Development portal is a curated collection of innovative, educator-led, and hands-on learning opportunities that are hosted in June, July, and August. By visiting the portal, community members can learn about and register for sessions covering a variety of topics, including making, STEAM, project-based learning, coding camps, and more!
The portal is regularly updated as new opportunities are made available. To view current opportunities, visit the Remake Learning website.
More Information
If you would like to add your professional learning opportunity to the list, start by submitting your event to the Remake Learning calendar! Please note that this calendar focuses on opportunities, professional development, and events specifically for educators and youth-centered organizations.
For questions or more information, contact info@remakelearning.org.
K-12 educators are invited to join the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust on January 11, 2020, for “Creating Patterns of Pride with Batik.”
About
Join the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust to explore how patterns exist across cultures and how you can bring your own, as well as your students’ cultural identity into original pattern designs. Using resistance and color, participants will learn how to accurately reproduce repeating patterns to create a unique batik wall hanging. You will leave with resources to guide you on connecting culturally responsive teaching to arts integration and STEAM.
This workshop is intended for K-12 Educators. ACT 48 and PQAS hours available.
Registration
To register and learn more, visit the event webpage.
Join the National Center on Early Childhood Development, Teaching, and Learning on October 1 for their upcoming webinar, “Little Scientists – Exploring STEAM with Infants and Toddlers.”
About
This four-part series of Teacher Time for Infants and Toddlers will cover STEM concepts, with one month dedicated to each letter. Presenters will provide an overview of each STEM component and include tips for using art to encourage STEAM learning. Participants will learn strategies and teaching practices that help infants and toddlers develop reasoning, creativity, problem-solving, language, and communication skills.
Register
To register and learn more, visit the event webpage!
*Information provided by ECLKC
