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Dan Weigel

Child and Family Living Specialist

Office: (775) 784-4848
Email: weigeld@unr.edu
Address: 4955 Energy Way, Mail Stop 408, Reno, Nevada 89502
Representing: Washoe County
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Summary

As a Child and Family Living Specialist for Extension my role is to develop, deliver, and evaluate community education programs in child development and family living. Most of my teaching efforts have centered on issues of early literacy and school readiness, parent education, and child care. My teaching methods include presentations, workshops, curricula, simulations, workbooks, games brochures, pamphlets, media, display, and service delivery.

Programs
Publications

Programs

Two women read a book with a little girl at a Family Storyteller workshop

Family Storyteller Literacy Program

National award-winning Family Storyteller is a literacy program aimed at encouraging and training parents to play a vital role in the literacy development of their children. The statewide program creates an opportunity for parents and young children to interact around literacy and language activities.

Fun to Play

The program targets families where, due to the young age, inexperience or limited resources of the parents, young children are placed at-risk for developmental delays and later school difficulties.

Heart & Hope: Family Violence Prevention Program

Program works to promote resiliency, strengthen positive future relationships and stop the domestic violence cycle

A mother holds her sleeping newborn baby

Just in Time Parenting

Just in Time Parenting is an electronically delivered age-paced parenting newsletter originally developed by a national network of Extension Family Life Specialists in 2008. The program was designed to reach parents at teachable, transitional moments.

Let's Discover STEM

Let’s Discover STEM (Descubramos STEM) is a 7-week program that focuses on STEM enhancement and parent engagement for families with preschoolers and kindergarteners.

Photo collage of parents and children cooking together.

Little Books & Little Cooks

Healthy eating, family literacy and positive parent-child interaction is promoted in this 7-week program for families with preschool aged children. It also promotes children's school readiness skills. An important component of the program is the involvement of both parents and children, especially during the hands-on cooking activities.

News & Journal Articles, Fact Sheets, Reports...

Brochures
*Family Storyteller \| Calendar Fun* University of Nevada, Reno Extension 2018, Extension, University of Nevada, Reno
Fact Sheets
*Engineering in the Preschool Classroom* Children are natural engineers. Adults can help develop children’s beginning engineering skills by giving them things to build with and to take apart, asking questions, and providing them with safe opportunities and places to test out their ideas. In this fact sheet we focus on the engineering-related skills of building and construction, and movement and force. Weigel, D., Byington, T. and Kim, Y. 2019, Extension \| University of Nevada, Reno, FS-19-04
*Science in the Preschool Classroom: Physical Science* Byington, T., Kim, Y., and Weigel, D. 2017, University of Nevada Cooperative Extension
*Science in the Preschool Classroom: Earth Science* Kim, Y., Weigel, D., and Byington, T. 2017, University of Nevada Cooperative Extension
*Science in the Preschool Classroom: The Living World - Animals and Plants* This fact sheet contains extensive information on how children can learn to be scientists at an early age by exploring different topics and ideas for the classroom. Weigel, D., Byington, T., Kim, Y. 2017, Extension \| University of Nevada, Reno, FS-17-09
*Math in the Preschool Classroom Number Identification, Counting and One-to-one Correspondence, and Addition and Subtraction* In this fact sheet, we focus on the following number sense skills: number identification, counting and one-to-one correspondence, and addition and subtraction. Byington, T., Kim, Y., and Weigel, D. 2016, University of Nevada Cooperative Extension, FS-16-14
*Math in the Preschool Classroom Spatial relations, Geometry and Measurement* In this fact sheet we focus on three fundamental math skills — spatial relations, geometry (shapes) and measurement. Byington, T., Kim, Y., and Weigel, D. 2016, University of Nevada Cooperative Extension, FS-16-13
*Math in the Preschool Classroom Classification, Matching, Seriation and Patterning* In this fact sheet we focus on the math skills of classification, matching, seriation and patterning. Byington, T., Kim, Y., Nazarechuk, C., Weigel, D. 2013, Extension \| University of Nevada, Reno, FS-16-12
*Facts About Shaken Baby Syndrome (SBS)* This fact sheet explains in great detail the harmful effects and consequences of Shaken Baby Syndrome (SBS). Kock, J. 2007, Extension \| University of Nevada, Reno, FS-07-48
*Shaken Baby Syndrome (SBS)* This fact sheet explains what Shaken Baby Syndrome (SBS) is and serval ways to prevent it. Kock, Jo. 2007, Extension \| University of Nevada, Reno, FS-07-49
*Money Sense for your Children - The Pressures of Advertising* This fact sheet contains a variety of information on how children can learn more about money and advertising. Koehler, C, Crites, A., Behal, P., and Horton, S. 2007, Extension \| University of Nevada, Reno, FS-07-19
*Pre-Kindergarten Math Concepts* This fact sheet provides a quick overview of pre-kindergarten math concepts and more. Bixler, M. 2006, Extension \| University of Nevada, Reno, FS-06-91
*Pre-Kindergarten Standards: Building the Framework for Learning* This fact sheet provides information on Pre-kindergarten standards and concepts such as math, science, creative arts, and more. Bixler, M. 2006, Extension \| University of Nevada, Reno, FS-06-20
*Developmental Milestones For Infants* This fact sheet explains things that infants can do from birth to 12 months old. Kock, J. 2006, Extension \| University of Nevada, Reno, FS-06-77
*Developmental Milestones For Preschoolers* This fact sheet explores the things preschoolers can do from age three to five. Kock, J. 2006, Extension \| University of Nevada, Reno, FS-06-79
*Developmental Milestones for Toddlers* This fact sheet explains the many things toddlers can do from 12 to 36 months. Kock, J. 2006, Extension \| University of Nevada, Reno, FS-06-78
*Money Sense for Your Children - The Spending Plan* This fact sheet is lesson 4 of the Money Sense for Your Children and will explore money management and how to create a spending plan by understanding the needs and wants of children. Koehler, C., Crites, A., Behal, P., and Horton, S. 2006, Extension \| University of Nevada, Reno, FS-06-96
*Money Sense for Your Children - Saving and Sharing* This fact sheet is lesson 3 of The Money Sense for Your Children series which explores how children can save and share their money. Koehler, C., Crites, A., Behal, P., and Horton, S. 2006, Extension \| University of Nevada, Reno, FS-06-95
*Money Sense for your Children - Money Management Sense* This fact sheet is lesson 1 of money sense for your children that specifically deals with money management. Koehler, C., Crites, A., Behal, P., and Horton, S., 2006, Extension \| University of Nevada, Reno, FS-06-93
*Money Sense for your Children - Where Money Comes From* This fact sheet is lesson 2 of Money Sense for your Children series and will explore where money comes from. Learn more about how children can find ways to make money early on in their life. Koehler, C., Crites, A., Behal, P., and Horton, S., 2006, Extension \| University of Nevada, Reno, FS-06-94
*Money Sense for your Children - Your Questions - Your Answers* This fact sheet is lesson 6 of the Money Sense for your Children series and will explore common questions and answers that parents and children have about money loss, stealing, allowance, and more. Koehler, C., Crites, A., Behal, P., and Horton, S., 2006, Extension \| University of Nevada, Reno, FS-06-97
*Bullying - It’s Not Child's Play* This fact sheet explains bullying such as the types the reasons behind bullying. Learn more about how parents can help stop or reduce bullying from happening. Bixler, M. 2004, Extension \| University of Nevada, Reno, FS-04-58
Informational Publications
*Let's Discover STEM: Five-Year Report 2017-2022 Nevada Sustainable Communities Project* A seven-week workshop targeting children in at-risk communities in Las Vegas & Reno-Sparks to promote STEM topics and the results of said workshop. Weigel, D., Kim, Y., and Evans, B. 2022, Extension \| University of Nevada, Reno, IP-22-01
Journals
*What Cooperative Extension Professionals Need to Know About Institutional Review Boards: Risks and Benefits* What Cooperative Extension Professionals Need to Know About Institutional Review Boards: Risks and Benefits Weigel, D., Martin, S., and Brown, R. 2005, Journal of Extension
*What Cooperative Extension Professionals Need to Know About Institutional Review Boards: Recruiting Participants* As more Cooperative Extension professionals conduct evaluations, needs assessments, and research that is professionally published and presented, there is a need to better understand the process for navigating the university Institutional Review process. This article examines challenges associated with recruiting participants and is the second in a series providing tips for preparation of IRB proposals and the implementation of more sound and productive studies. Brown, R., Martin, S., and Weigel, D. 2004, Journal of Extension
*What Cooperative Extension Professionals Need to Know About Institutional Review Boards* Increasingly, Cooperative Extension professionals are required to have their projects approved by their university Institutional Review Boards. For many, this can be an intimidating task. In this article we provide information that we hope will help ease the confusion and frustration that can sometimes accompany the process. We also present several tips for helping the process go more smoothly. Weigel, D., Brown, R. and Martin, S. 2004, Journal of Extension
Special Publications
*Nevada State Crop and Resource-Use Needs Assessment: Stakeholder Perspectives on Crop, Resource Use, Pest and General Agricultural Needs* Needs Assessment special publication for the state of Nevada, on crops, resource use, pest control, and general agricultural needs. Walia, M., Snider, K., Evans, W., Weigel, D. 2021, Extension, University of Nevada, Reno, SP-21-13