Dr. Diane's Adventures in Learning
Connecting STEM/STEAM, Playful Learning,
and Diverse Children's Literature to Promote Engagement, Critical Thinking, Collaboration, and Creative Problem-Solving
Meet Dr. Diane
With more than 20 years of formal and informal teaching experience, Dr. Diane Jackson Schnoor has the skill and knowledge to help you connect literacy, multicultural picture books, and STEM for engaged learning across the curriculum.
Dr. Diane Jackson Schnoor earned her M.T. and PhD in Elementary Education from the University of Virginia. She founded a preschool built on the idea that all children were natural scientists and explorers (and that picture books could connect all of the thematic units). While working in the museum education field, she developed and provided in-person and virtual hands-on STEAM programs that inspired curiosity and wonder in children of all ages.
She currently works with teachers across the country, focusing on connecting multicultural literature with engaging and meaningful STEAM challenges. She collaborates with Chris Kesler Science on early elementary curriculum design and worked closely with Steve Spangler Inc. on the production and release of a Beyond Ever After on demand video course. She is an adjunct professor for the University of Virginia and Shenandoah University, and hosts an Adventures in Learning podcast that explores connections between picture books and STEAM.
What We Do
Dr. Diane’s Adventures in Learning offers high-energy, enriching, and engaging professional development workshops, trainings, and keynotes for teachers, librarians, and administrators, working to connect with and teach preschool and elementary students using engaging strategies.
Our programs help your staff effectively use STEM/STEAM as a tool for building literacy skills. All programs focus on ways to build connections using multicultural picture books, STEAM activities, and your curriculum to support and nurture the 21st century learner.
We also offer virtual or in-person programs designed to engage preschool and elementary children and families in hands-on science and creative STEAM learning (connected to multicultural picture books and building literacy, of course!).
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Josh Funk, Author of How To Code a Sandcastle, It's NOT Little Red Riding Hood, My Pet Feet, and the Lady Pancake and Sir French Toast picture book series
"It was really cool for me to see what you were doing with — not only my books, but picture books in general — and all the cool things that you are doing with the students, things that when I was writing these books, I never even imagined that they would be used in these ways...And with what you do, it was a more interesting experience than I've ever seen. It wasn't just read alouds, but you had puzzles and games and interactive activities for, it seems like, all of my books, which was amazing."
Early Childhood Educators
Smart Start of Mecklenburg County
"I came up with some great ideas to add STEAM activities and extensions in ways I had not thought of before!"
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"Your presentation was simply amazing! It was full of good information I can use in my classroom."
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"Had lots of fun, very interesting and intriguing. Kept me engaged all day."
Lynn Wareh Coles,
Science Teacher
Jacksonville, FL
"Your strength is your ability to understand how to make a connection with a student, and then you get right on their wavelength and rock their world."