By: Elidia Anaya

Los Angeles Mission College

Child Development Conference

April 26, 2014

Science Exploration

“Young children, like scientists, have a sense of wonder and natural curiosity about objects and events in their environment.” (p.48, CA Preschool Learning Foundations)

Basic Scientific Process/Inquiry Skills

Process/Inquiry Skills

Are based on concrete experiences

Opposite of rote learning

Support curiosity and exploration

Child-directed and child-centered

Inquiry is thought of as a questioning process

Full inquiry involves asking a simple question, completing an investigation, answering the question, and presenting the results to others.

Process Skill Terminology

Observation at the core of doing science

Investigation skills

Comparing

Classifying

Measuring

Communicating

Inferring

Predicting

Recording

Children Learn Science Concepts in a Social Setting Work with others in learning centers, cooperative groups, and paired activities

Engage in projects

Exchange of ideas

Discuss findings

©2012 Cengage Learning.All Rights Reserved.

7 Content (Concepts) of Science based on NRC

1. Science as inquiry

—offers frequent opportunities for children to question, investigate, classify, predict, and communicate with others

2. Life science

People

Plants

Animals

©2012 Cengage Learning.All Rights Reserved.

Content (Concepts) of Science

3. Physical science

Physics

Chemistry

4. Earth and space science

Geology

Meteorology

Astronomy

©2012 Cengage Learning.All Rights Reserved.

Content (Concepts) of Science

5. Science in personal and social perspectives

- Children develop an understanding of personal health, changes in the environments, and ways to conserve and recycle

6. Ecology

Relationship between living things and their environment

Content (Concepts) of Science

7. Science and technology

Establishing connections between natural and man-made items.

©2012 Cengage Learning.All Rights Reserved.

Methods of Discovery

Open-ended opportunities

Investigations

Self-discovery

Problem solve

Hands-on

Explore

Discover

Verify

Record

Critical Thinking and Problem Solving

Remember that young children think in concrete terms and learn in the context of playing

Build on what children already know Emphasize sensory awareness, explore

manipulate question, discover, and use other process skills

Take advantage of the children’s real world as you introduce new materials

Enable them to revisit their work so they can reflect and expand on ideas

Give children TIME

Rainbow Stew

Ingredients: 1 cup cornstarch, 1/3 cup sugar, and 4 cups water. Cook at medium heat until all water evaporates. Then, add food coloring red, blue, yellow.

Magnet Painting

Materials: Magnet balls, paint, magnet wands, and paper.

Absorption

Materials: cups, food coloring, paper towels, water.

Roller Coaster

Materials: Pipe insulation, marbles