STEAM-Animal Explorations for Young Children

Presented by Judy Ross, MSEd | April 15, 2026 7PM EST

1 HOUR | LIVE ONLINE via ZOOM | INTERACTIVE

Camera and Audio REQUIRED
There is no free access option ($19 to join)

Explore play-based STEAM activities based on ocean creatures, land animals, and birds. Discover how to encourage children to ask “What if…?” and “I wonder…?” questions, based on the characteristics, behaviors, and life cycle of an animal or bird. Next, we’ll follow those wonderings to a related, play-based STEAM activity that you can do with materials that you already have or are easily available (such as recycled materials, manipulatives, and loose parts). Sample activities include: Irresistible Anglerfish Lures; What Can You Trap With Your Whale Baleen?; Protect the Sloth! Designing and Camouflaging a Sloth Outhouse; Creating a Flipping Tool to Rescue a Tortoise; and Exploring the Connection Between a Hummingbird and a Nickel (using a simple, homemade balance scale). Activities incorporate STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math); 21st Century Skills (creativity, innovation, problem-solving, and collaboration); and purposeful play (with concrete materials, ideas, or both).

Teachers, therapists, social workers, and other early childhood professionals working with young children will benefit from this webinar.

Objectives

1. Explain the concept of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, Math), and the importance of STEAM activities for young children.

2. Describe 21st century skills (i.e., creativity, innovation, problem solving, collaboration), and explain how we can help children develop those skills through play-based STEAM activities.

3. Identify ways concepts of play, including concrete materials and inquiry-based questioning, can be integrated into STEAM activities related to animal characteristics, behaviors, and life cycles.

4. Describe one STEAM activity from any of the following categories (ocean creatures, land animals, birds) and explain how they would use that activity with their own students and learning environment.

How to Obtain Your CE Certificate:

You MUST turn your camera on for the entirety of the workshop (and audio during interactive activities)
-> CAMERA/AUDIO NOT REQUIRED FOR THOSE ATTENDING TO GET A CERTIFICATE OF ATTENDANCE ONLY.

You MUST attend the workshop from start to finish
You MUST submit the evaluation form after the workshop (will be sent via email)

This Workshop Offers The Following CE Certificate/Credits

You will select your Certificate or Credit Type after you pay the registration fee. After that, you'll be redirected to a form where you’ll be prompted to choose the Certificate/Credit Type you wish to receive.

1.0 CTLE CONTACT HOURS

New York State Education Department, Continuing Teacher and Leader Education (CTLE)

Provider Code #23394

Approval Period: 3/29/22 - 3/29/2027

Young Child Learning is recognized by the New York State Education Department's Office of Teaching Initiatives as an approved sponsor of CTLE for Professional Classroom Teachers, School Leaders and Level III Teaching Assistants.

1.0 NYSED SW CONTACT HOURS

New York State Education Department’s State Board for Social Work (NYSED SW)

Provider Code #0365

Approval Period: 8/31/25 - 8/31/28

Young Child Learning is recognized by the New York State Education Department’s State Board for Social Work as an approved provider of continuing education for licensed social workers. Young Child Learning maintains responsibility for the program. Social work professionals should contact their regulatory board to confirm course approval for continuing education credits.

Cancellation Policy

If you cancel within 30 days before the event, the registration fee is not refundable. However, you will receive a credit for the registration fee which can be applied to another Young Child Learning event within the following 12 months. The processing fee is non-refundable.

Speaker's Biography

Judy is an award-winning early childhood educator with 37 years of experience teaching Preschool-2nd grade. During the school year, she currently works with preschool and kindergarten children. She also teaches a popular summer STEAM class for 5-10 year olds at her local community college in Prescott, AZ. Judy holds an A.A. in Elementary Education, a B.A. in Spanish, a Multiple Subjects Teaching Credential with a Bilingual/Bicultural Emphasis, and an M.S. in Education (Curriculum and Instruction, Early Childhood Emphasis). Judy is the recipient of the Beth A. Lake Award (CAEYC), the American Literacy Corporation Award, and the Docia Zavitovsky Play Matters Award. Judy writes and presents webinars and workshops for local, state, regional, and national early childhood conferences. Judy's workshops emphasize purposeful play through Language Arts/Literacy and STEAM; 21st Century Skills; and building close, supportive relationships within a dynamic teaching/learning environment as the contexts for teaching and learning.

Host's Biography

Dr. Scott Mesh is the Director of Young Child Learning and the CEO and Co-Founder of Los Niños Services which serves 2,000 young children with special needs each year through homecare and center services. He is a Clinical Psychologist with over 25 years of experience working with young children and their families and is an expert on assessing young children for developmental disabilities and autism. He has helped thousands of parents over the years make the transition to gaining help for their children through early childhood special education services. He is a leader in early childhood development and working effectively with parents.

System Requirements

You can access this webinar from various devices and platforms, on both PC and Mac desktops/laptops, as well as Android and iOS mobile devices. Our system requirements for these follow below.

Minimum system requirements

Browser: The latest Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, or Opera for desktop/laptop
A broadband connection with a minimum speed of 5 Mbps

PC specific requirements

Platform: Windows 8.1 or higher with the latest updates installed
RAM: 4GB or more
Video: Graphics output capability
Sound: Sound output capability

Mac specific requirement

Platform: Mac OS X 10.12 or higher with the latest updates installed
RAM: 4GB or more
Video: Graphics output capability
Sound: Sound output capability

Mobile specific requirements

iOS 15.0 and above
Android 7.0 and above

Grievance Policy & Procedure

Young Child Learning will comply with all legal and ethical responsibilities to be non-discriminatory in promotional activities, program content and in the treatment of program participants.

The monitoring and assessment of compliance with these standards will be the responsibility of Young Child Learning. All grievances must be submitted in writing (via e-mail or mail) within 7 days after purchase of the webinar. Any supporting documents must be included with the submitted complaint.

For all grievances, contact information (name, phone number, and email) must be provided in the case that the Young Child Learning team may need clarification.

Submit complaints in writing to Young Child Learning, 505 8th Avenue, Floor 12A Room 02, New York, NY 10018 or via email at [email protected].

Special Accommodations or Requests

Individuals in need of special accommodations should contact the Admin, Cari Laroza at (212) 787-9700 ext. 3330 to make a request. Include name, contact info, webinar details, and accommodation needs. Our team will review requests and respond within 7-12 business days. Confidentiality is maintained. Compliance with ADA is assured.

Requests for special accommodations must be made prior to purchasing the webinar.

Individuals will be informed if the request can be accommodated. Once the individual confirms, the special accommodations will be secured. If the individual finds that they no longer need of the accommodations, they must inform the Admin.