Science
CDEC 1313
Nita Thomason, Ed.D.
Please touch!
Please explore!
What would happen if . . .?
Why?
What’s in my environment?
What effect do I have?
We should nurture young
children’s natural curiosity and
they need to know why, which
will lead to scientific exploration
and enthusiasm.
Science
• Process Skills - how children learn
• Content - what children learn
Strands of Science
• Life science - study of living things, people,
plants, and animals
• Ecology - the relationship between living
things and their environment
• Physical science - study of non-living things
• Earth and space science - study of earth
materials, objects in the sky and changes in
the earth and sky
Learning about Science through
Discovery
• Provide open-ended opportunities to
investigate, self-discover, and problem
solve
• Use the “hands-on, minds-on” approach
• Be guided by the interests of your students
Create a Scientific Environment
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Investigate water
Discover rainbows
Explore shadows
Grow plants
Focus on nature
Ecology
Science Materials and Equipment
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aluminum foil pans
aquarium
ant farm
binoculars
bird house and feeders
collection boxes & net
compass
corks, plugs, and stoppers
disposable cameras
dried plants
egg beaters
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eye droppers
feathers
flashlights
food coloring
fossils
garden hose
kitchen timer
magnets
magnifying glasses
pinecones
pipe cleaners
Science Materials and Equipment
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plants
plastic bottles, jars, trays
prisms
rain gauge
rocks
seashells
rulers, tape measure
yard stick
scales
seeds and catalogs
sieves, sifters, funnels
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Shallow pans
soil samples
stethoscope
sundial
tape recorder & cassettes
telescope
terrarium
thermometers
tongs and tweezers
watering cans
x-rays
Tips for Teachers
• Provide hands-on experiences making
science a part of every school day
• Preserve and value a child’s natural
curiosity
• Avoid telling them about science, involve
them in experiencing science
• Give them time to discover, make mistakes
and learn
• Ask open-ended questions
• Integrate science across the curriculum
Sharing Science with Parents
• Look at science around you - plants, insects,
animals, rocks, sunsets
• Go for walks in the park and woods
• Feel trees and discuss parts of the tree
• Collect all kinds of nature objects
• Help your child use her senses - sight,
smell, touch, hearing and taste
• Let child water plants
• Recycle (involve child in process and why)
Assessment
• Anecdotal records
• Evaluate children’s attitudes, skills, and
knowledge
• On-going