STEM workshops
We have ten engaging, play-based PD workshops which can be completed in any order. If the inquiry-based learning approach is new to you, may we suggest completing Water as one of your first workshops.
Good to know
- Suitable for all teachers and educators - Prior STEM knowledge not required
- NESA accredited
- TQI accredited (selected workshops)
- Aligned to the NQF and EYLF
- Delivered by highly experienced educators
- Receive comprehensive quality resources
- Learn strategies you can use immediately
- Each workshop costs $215pp (from 1/7/21)
STEM workshop topics
+ Philosophical inquiry in early childhood
Use your inventiveness and creativity to address real needs and thoughtfully design technologies for the future.
Explore technical inventions of the past, optimise present-day technology and design sustainable solutions for the future. Appreciate the relevance of technology education for children’s understanding of the world and encourage their creativity and innovative spirit.
Completing the STEM Design and Technologies educator workshop before 31 July 2021 under NESA’s interim arrangements will contribute 5 hours and 30 minutes of NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) Accredited PD in the priority area of Delivery and assessment of Early Years Learning Framework addressing standard descriptors 2.1.2, 3.3.2, 6.2.2 from the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers towards maintaining Proficient Teacher Accreditation in NSW.
Completing this workshop will contribute 5 hours of ACT Teacher Quality Institute (TQI) registered PD.
+ Peer group learning
Fizz, crackle, crash, boom, bang; delve into the world of everyday sounds.
Explore the presence and absence of sound, create your own sound maker and tell a sound story. Emphasise the potential of peer group learning in co-constructed environments and reflect on the educator’s impact on group dynamics.
Completing the STEM Acoustics educator workshop before 31 July 2021 under NESA’s interim arrangements will contribute 5 hours and 30 minutes of NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) Accredited PD in the priority area of Delivery and assessment of Early Years Learning Framework addressing standard descriptors 1.5.2, 2.1.2, 2.5.2, 3.3.2, 6.2.2 from the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers towards maintaining Proficient Teacher Accreditation in NSW.
+ Early STEM in co-constructed environments
Have you ever met a child who is not fascinated by water? From ice blocks to raindrops, children love to explore water from an early age.
Explore water with all your senses, investigate the different aggregate states and test the solubility of various substances. Discover how to create a nurturing learning environment through STEM inquiry with reflection on your current practice.
Completing the STEM Water educator workshop before 31 July 2021 under NESA’s interim arrangements will contribute 5 hours and 30 minutes of NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) Accredited PD in the priority area of Delivery and assessment of Early Years Learning Framework addressing standard descriptors 1.5.2, 2.1.2, 2.5.2, 3.3.2, 6.2.2 from the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers towards maintaining Proficient Teacher Accreditation in NSW.
+ Early computational thinking
Learn the foundations of computational thinking and how to “speak to a computer” by understanding how it works.
Immerse yourself in the world of computer science and playfully explore algorithms, sequencing and sorting without using computers. Understand the basic concepts of computational thinking and learn how to unlock the world of computers for children.
Completing the STEM Computer Science educator workshop before 31 July 2021 under NESA’s interim arrangements will contribute 5 hours 30 minutes of NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) Accredited PD in the priority area of Delivery and assessment of Early Years Learning Framework addressing standard descriptors 1.5.2, 2.1.2, 2.5.2, 3.3.2, 6.2.2 from the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers towards maintaining Proficient Teacher Accreditation in NSW.
+ Language development through STEM inquiry
Uncover the world of chemical reactions by exploring different substances and make a mess experimenting with carbon dioxide.
Discover chemistry in everyday life, handle ‘dangerous materials’, make a mess while experimenting with carbon dioxide and explore the properties of white substances. Learn how children’s language development can be enhanced through STEM inquiry.
Completing the STEM Chemical Reactions educator workshop before 31 July 2021 under NESA’s interim arrangements will contribute 5 hours and 30 minutes of NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) Accredited PD in the priority area of Delivery and assessment of Early Years Learning Framework addressing standard descriptors 1.5.2, 2.1.2, 2.5.2, 3.3.2, 6.2.2 from the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers towards maintaining Proficient Teacher Accreditation in NSW.
Completing this workshop will contribute 5 hours of ACT Teacher Quality Institute (TQI) registered PD.
+ Metacognitive thinking in early childhood
Bring fresh air into the room, catch soap bubbles and learn that air is so much more than ‘nothing’.
Experience air through touch, sound and movement. Discover that air is so much more than ‘nothing’ by making it perceptible to your senses. Uncover how communication, reflection and questioning enhance children’s ability to become confident life-long learners.
Completing the STEM Air educator workshop before 31 July 2021 under NESA’s interim arrangements will contribute 5 hours and 30 minutes of NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) Accredited PD in the priority area of Delivery and assessment of Early Years Learning Framework addressing standard descriptors 1.5.2, 2.1.2, 2.5.2, 3.3.2, 6.2.2 from the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers towards maintaining Proficient Teacher Accreditation in NSW.
Completing this workshop will contribute 5 hours of ACT Teacher Quality Institute (TQI) registered PD.
+ Technical education
Swinging, running, jumping, falling: Physical forces are all part of the fun and children love to explore their effects.
Explore physical forces while leveraging, lifting, swinging and moving and unleash your inner engineer. Are you an inventor or do you like to immerse yourself into step-by-step instructions? Discover how to playfully integrate technical education into a nurturing learning environment.
Completing the STEM Engineering educator workshop before 31 July 2021 under NESA’s interim arrangements will contribute 5 hours and 30 minutes of NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) Accredited PD in the priority area of Delivery and assessment of Early Years Learning Framework addressing standard descriptors 1.5.2, 2.1.2, 2.5.2, 3.3.2, 6.2.2 from the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers towards maintaining Proficient Teacher Accreditation in NSW.
Completing this workshop will contribute 5 hours of ACT Teacher Quality Institute (TQI) registered PD.
+ Inquiry projects in early childhood
Enjoy a day full of lights, colours and optical illusions. Explore the land of mirrors, colourful shadows and nature’s paint palette.
Appreciate the magic of colour, mirrors and shadows through the eyes of a child. Discover the empowering effects of child-led inquiry projects in early childhood and become immersed in your own inquiry project.
Completing this workshop will contribute 5 hours of ACT Teacher Quality Institute (TQI) registered PD.
Completing the STEM Optics educator workshop before 31 July 2021 under NESA’s interim arrangements will contribute 5 hours and 30 minutes of NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) Accredited PD in the priority area of Delivery and assessment of Early Years Learning Framework addressing standard descriptors 1.5.2, 2.1.2, 2.5.2, 3.3.2, 6.2.2 from the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers towards maintaining Proficient Teacher Accreditation in NSW.
+ Mathematical reasoning
Experience the wonder of mathematics hidden in everyday patterns, shapes and structures. Fall in love with shapes and space.
Watch the beauty of mathematics unfold in everyday patterns, shapes and structures and discover the potential of play for the development of mathematical skills. Discover mathematics in the everyday and explore your own relationship with maths.
Completing the STEM Mathematics educator workshop before 31 July 2021 under NESA’s interim arrangements will contribute 5 hours and 30 minutes of NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) Accredited PD in the priority area of Delivery and assessment of Early Years Learning Framework addressing standard descriptors 1.5.2, 2.5.2, 3.3.2, 6.2.2 from the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers towards maintaining Proficient Teacher Accreditation in NSW.
+ Scientific models in early childhood
We may look quite different on the outside, but underneath our skin, our organs, muscles and bones are working in very similar ways.
Investigate your sense of smell, focus on your breath and explore exciting functions of the human body. See the human body through the eyes of a child and learn how to playfully include scientific models into your setting.
Completing the STEM Human Body educator workshop before 31 July 2021 under NESA’s interim arrangements will contribute 5 hours and 30 minutes of NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) Accredited PD in the priority area of Delivery and assessment of Early Years Learning Framework addressing standard descriptors 1.5.2, 2.1.2, 2.5.2, 3.3.2, 6.2.2 from the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers towards maintaining Proficient Teacher Accreditation in NSW.
Completing this workshop will contribute 5 hours of ACT Teacher Quality Institute (TQI) registered PD.
Testimonials
Literally best PD ever!
Hands-on activities and opportunity for group discussion.
Hands-on, sharing with other teachers, link into Primary Connections.
Thank you! Very well run + highly met my expectations.
Loved all of it, it really broadens your thinking outside the box.
100% engaging, fantastic presenters and lots of time to discuss concepts and ideas.
Easy learning because it was hands on.
Got lots of ideas from this session which will help children to learn more about science experiments.
Encouraged self-discovery in the journey of learning.
Fantastic and so excited to start implementing inquiry more in my classroom.
Hands-on experiences, guiding questions so we knew what/how to investigate.
Thank you! Very well run + highly met my expectations.
This workshop was amazing!
The hands on experiences were engaging and fitted in well with the other learning opportunities.
Great space for colleagues to discuss the role of STEM in their own programs/organisations.
Really enjoyed the practical nature of the workshop – and the interaction with peers in similar roles and situations.
Hayley provided exceptional customer service and explained the topics and concepts extremely well.
Good to know
- NESA & TQI accredited
- Aligned to the NQF and EYLF
- Delivered by highly experienced educators
- Receive comprehensive quality resources
- Learn strategies you can use immediately
- Each workshop costs only $200 per person.
All workshops completed before 31 July 2021 under NESA’s interim arrangements will contribute 5 hours and 30 minutes of NSW Education Standards Authority NESA Accredited PD in the priority area of Delivery and assessment of Early Years Learning Framework.
Little Scientists Engineering, Human Body, Chemical Reactions and Design and Technology workshops provide TQI Registered Professional Development for teachers. Each workshop counts as 5 hours of PD.
In addition to our regularly scheduled face-to-face workshops, Little Scientists offers webinars as well as cost-effective, in-service training in selected areas.