creating scientists · intuitive thinking and conscious/rational thinking ... •writing/scribing...
TRANSCRIPT
15/05/2016
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CREATING SCIENTISTS
Sue Southey
Springwood
Community
Kindergarten
QCAA, eKindy & QUT
PD & training for early
childhood educators
throughout Australia
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Children make meaning about their
world through science
What does science look like?
Children’s thinking processes
Early childhood science teacher roles
Setting up environments for learning
Prompts for teaching science
1. Wow – look at that
2. I wonder....
3. Let’s find out
4. Let’s tell everyone
Science content – Australian Curriculum
Stands
Earth & space
sciences
Biological sciences
Chemical sciences
Physical sciences
Science as a human
endeavour
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Science topics for early childhood
EC
Science
Environment &
sustainability
Human body
Plants & Animals
????
Gravity & Machines
Materials
Air
Water
rocks
Cooking
Weather
Sound & Light
Children’s thinking processes
Conscious
Uses language
Procedural memory
Knowledge can be applied/transferred to new situations
Information can be retrieved
Unconscious
Constant (like a movie roll)
Episodic memory (like visual stories)
Enables
Imagination
Intuitive insights
Emotional responses
Hard to generalise/apply this knowledge – tends to be specific to a time and place
“here and now” experience
Rational /conscious Intuitive
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Two types of thinking are supported in
different kinds of learning environment
Supported by:
Intentional teaching
Attaching language to
children’s experience
Helping children
negotiate between
experience and
“science concepts”
Supported by:
‘Hands on’ experiences
Associating positive
feelings with learning
Rational Intuitive
Which kind of thinking do we need to
support?
Both are necessary for science learning
Rational thinking uses language to
create accessible, organised knowledge
(hierarchies of concepts)
Intuitive thinking builds positive
dispositions to learning
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Intentional teaching
Experience alone is not enough to lead to concept
formation (McLachlan, Fleer & Edwards)
Intentional teaching is bridging the gap between
intuitive thinking and conscious/rational thinking
Scaffolded learning (intentional planned teaching)
provides experiences that
Provide language for children to think about concepts and
help them create their own rules about how things work
Challenges children’s thinking
The early childhood science teacher
• Listen, share, co-research
• Modelling enthusiasm for science
• Question, challenge
• Set up exciting environments
Facilitator
Mentor/
catalyst
Consultant/collaborator
Model
Harlan, J. D., & Rivkin, M. S. (2012). Science experiences for early childhood years: An integrated affective approach (10th ed.).
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Education Inc.
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Setting up exciting environments
Spaces where science
discoveries can occur
Science tools & resources
Setting up exciting environments
Information books (borrow books from local library)
iPad/computer
Clipboards & pens
Cameras or ipads for taking photos
Science boxes
Magnifying glasses & baskets
Animal models
Table for display
Storage for science
boxes
Access to natural spaces
Water/sand play areas
Pin board space for
sharing discoveries
Tools spaces
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Science boxes
Objects from nature (snake skins, seed pods, birds nests, shells)
Viewers/kaleidoscopes /mirrors
Sound toys (rain shakers, rubber bands to make guitars
Gravity objects– oil timers, sand timers, balance toys, gyroscope
X rays
Rocks, crystals, minerals
Float & sink objects (corks, stones, timber, rocks, nuts etc)
Air – balloons, pinwheels, paper planes, streamers
Magnets , paper clips,
Machines – hand beaters, hand drill, apple corer
Museum displays
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Create interactive displays
Families can help provide science
artefacts
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Parents doing a gardening project
Immersion and discovery
Scaffolded
learning
(intentional
teaching)
Creating &
applying
A way to view science experiences in
early childhood settings
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Prompts
• Encouraging curiosity
• Challenging children's expectations
Wow - look at that!
• Listening to children's ideas
• Providing more experiences
• Using scientific language
I wonder...
• Using scientific ways of finding out:
• research
• measuring
• classifying
• fair tests
Let's find out
• Sharing our findings through:
• talking
• writing/scribing
• drawing
• making
Let's tell everyone
Southey, S. (2014). Wow look at that! Young Children as scientists. In
the loop(Spring 2014).
Ages and stages
• Encouraging curiosity
• Challenging children's expectations
Wow - look at that!
• Listening to children's ideas
• Providing more experiences
• Using scientific language
I wonder...
• Using scientific ways of finding out:
• research
• measuring
• classifying
• fair tests
Let's find out
• Sharing our findings through:
• talking
• writing/scribing
• drawing
• making
Let's tell everyone
0 yrs
2 yrs
3 ½ yrs
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Prompt 1: Wow – look at that!
Getting children engaged
Stimulating children’s senses
Focussing their attention
Pointing out interesting things to
them
Sharing children’s excitement in
their discoveries
Toddlers as scientists
https://www.dropbox.com/s/f8o8pbscps8tvuq/ECA%20Learning%20Hub%20Babies%
20%26%20Toddlers%20science.wmv?dl=0
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Engaging senses – tactile
Playdough (add objects
to change textures)
Mercury dough
Water play
Shaving cream finger-
paint
Metamucil flubber
Moon sand
Recipes
http://www.health.wa.gov.au/docreg/Education/Population/Child_Health/Play_a
nd_Learning/HP1787_FS_12playdough_recipes.pdf
Metamucil flubber
1 tab
Metamucil
1 cup water
Microwave on
high for 4 mins
Stir vigorously
until mixture
binds together
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“what do you notice?”
“Where did the colour go?”
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“What can you see?”
Where did the colours come from?
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Prompt 2. I wonder....
Stimulating children to construct their own meanings
through their experience
Using scientific language - attaching language to
children’s experience
Noticing similarities and differences
Classifying – how are these things the same
Comparing– how are they different
Listening to children’s ideas and theories
Sustained shared conversations
When children become interested in a topic you can set up a whole series
of learning experiences that created ‘shared conversations’ around a topic
You can provide resources (books & artefacts) that allow children to
continue to explore and refine their understanding
e.g. ‘machines’
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Things that have wheels
The language of science – type in some
science words attached to these topics
Water
Light (optics)
Sound
(acoustics) Magnets
machines
Animals
Plants
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The language of science
water
Buoyancy
Evaporation
Condensation
Pressure
Fluid
Capillary
Light (optics)
Transparent
Opaque
Translucent
Shadow
Refraction
Reflection
Sound
(acoustics)
Vibration
Volume
Resonance
Pitch
Amplify
magnets
Polarisation
Magnetic field
attraction
Repulsion
machines
Levers
Fulcrum
Pulley
Gears
Inertia
Friction
Energy
Kinetic energy
Animals
Nocturnal
Native
Carnivore
Herbivore
Mammal
Vertebrates
Life cycle
Plants
Photosynthesis
Environment
Life cycle
Drawing from observation
When children attempt to draw
from observation they attend to
details
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Comparing: ‘how are these different?’
Sorting ‘which set does the balloon
belong in?’
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Comparing colours from felt pens
Comparing how you see the outside
and the inside of animals (Xrays)
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What happens when you wind the
handle?
Prompt 3: Let’s find out .... using
scientific ways of working
Create a research question (ie what do we want to
know?) then find out......
Finding out (research)
By experimenting
Fair test measuring
By finding out from experts
Ask someone Use books Internet search
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What do we want to know?
Research – using iPad
ECA learning hub https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8dNDnezbYc
https://www.dropbox.com/s/osf9r9xbju6qnef/Discussing%20butterflies%27%20markings%20
%282%29.mp4?dl=0
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Research – Making information boards
Research: What do other arches look
like?
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Testing: Which is the best thing for
knocking down our wall?
Test: What will these magnets stick to?
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Test: Which seeds will grow the fastest?
Test: Does the train work better on the
flat or on a slope?
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Prompt 4:Let’s tell everyone!
Sharing new knowledge and discoveries
Talking one to one or in small groups
Show & tell
Displays
Wall documentation
Drawing and recording
Sharing children’s projects
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Recording your findings
Recording information to share with
others
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Using dough for science – representing
bones
Making artefacts that demonstrate
science concepts
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Show & tell “things that reflect light”
Information books as discussion starters
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information boards “my favourite
animals”
Displays show families what we have
been talking about
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James
What makes this
shadow,
What can it be?
Turn the page,
And you will see!
James
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Piper
What makes this
shadow,
What can it be?
Turn the page,
And you will see!
Piper
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Recording your findings
Recording your findings
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Science topics for early childhood
EC
Science
Environment &
sustainability
Human body
Plants & Animals
????
Gravity & Machines
Materials
Air
Water
rocks
Cooking
Weather
Sound & Light
Children make meaning about their
world through science
What does science look like?
Children’s thinking processes
Early childhood science teacher roles
Setting up environments for learning
Prompts for teaching science
1. Wow – look at that
2. I wonder....
3. Let’s find out
4. Let’s tell everyone
15/05/2016
36
Notes for this workshop
If you would like a copy of the notes for this
workshop please email Sue
Please contact Sue if you would like a ‘hands on”
version of this workshop for the staff in your service