Letter to ECSIF membership announcing new and improved NAEYC IF platform for communicating and conference information

October 2012

NAEYC Early Childhood Science Interest Forum update Fall 2012

Hello to all members of the NAEYC Early Childhood Science Interest Forum (ECSIF),

The NAEYC Early Childhood Science Interest Forum (ECSIF) continues to work toward these goals

·       Provide a forum for the exchange of effective strategies and quality materials for science teaching in early childhood.

·       Establish and maintain a collaborative relationship with other professional organizations with similar goals.

·       Build early childhood educators’ understanding of the nature of quality science teaching and learning.

·       Promote public understanding of the importance of inquiry-based science in early childhood settings, as well as an understanding of what is appropriate content and a picture of what young children are capable of doing and learning.

·       Support efforts to expand professional development opportunities for teachers and administrators.

Communication platforms

NAEYC has created a new platform for interest forums to share news, photos, event announcements, resources, and information among members. All members of NAEYC are invited to view the pages and contribute! We all have to make a fresh start on this new platform and join the interest forums of our choice again.

Now the ECSIF has multiple places online to exchange our views and information about teaching science in early childhood settings. Choose the place that suits your needs:

·       The NAEYC ECSIF page (NAEYC membership, sign in and join even if you have previously joined the ECSIF), http://member-forums.naeyc.org/

Connect with other NAEYC Members who share your passion within Early Childhood Education by visiting our enhanced online communities - just launched! The user-friendly platform includes many new features, such as a photo gallery, chat opportunities, discussion boards, and many easy ways to engage with fellow members. Check them out and get the most value out of your NAEYC membership. Thanks for being a part of the NAEYC family and be sure to join the conversation!

·       The ECSIF blog, http://ecsif.blogspot.com/

·       The ECSIF Facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/pages/Early-Childhood-Science-Interest-Forum-naeyc/140431919391071

·       The ECSIF Pinterest page, http://pinterest.com/ecisf/

National Conference

The Early Childhood Science Interest Forum is open to all—please add your voice. Join us at our annual meeting at the NAEYC 2012 conference in Atlanta, Georgia, on Friday November 9, 2012 from 6 PM – 7:30 PM in the Juniper Room Omni Hotel at CNN Center. We’ll show a brief video clip to stimulate discussion and plan for the future. We will also have a table with literature at the Interest Forum Café at the conference and will be there at most lunch hours.

The following sessions will be presented by ECSIF members:

More Ramps and Pathways: An approach to teaching physical science and engineering in early childhood

Betty Zan
Sonia Yoshizawa

11/7/2012 12:30 PM - 3:30 PM Room B213 Georgia World Congress Center

Learning to think: The role of scientific inquiry

Ingrid Chalufour
Nancy Clark-Chiarelli
Cindy Hoisington

11/8/2012 8:00 AM - 9:30 AM Room B216 Georgia World Congress Center

Science inquiry and practices: Fun experiences with hands-on materials to awaken young scientists

Peggy Ashbrook
Linda Froschauer

11/8/2012 3:00 PM - 4:30 PM Room B208 Georgia World Congress Center

Early Childhood Science Interest Forum Meeting

In Conjunction Group Activities

11/9/2012 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM Juniper Room Omni Hotel at CNN Center

Finding the trees in the forest: Support toddlers' developing problem-solving skills

Jill Uhlenberg
Rosemary Geiken

11/10/2012 1:00 PM - 2:30 PM Room B208 Georgia World Congress Center

We hope you will contact us before the conference if you plan to be there, especially if you want to help out at the Interest Forum Café! Please share this message with people you think will be interested, and reply "Unsubscribe" if you wish to be removed from this group email.

Sincerely,

Peggy Ashbrook

Ingrid Chalufour

Betty Zan

Early Childhood Science Interest Forum facilitators