Dennis Schatz
Andrew
PEGGY ASHBROOK
Fraknoi
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PEGGY ASHBROOK
Arlington, Virginia
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19 18 17 16 4 3 2 1
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Contents
Acknowledgments
ix
Introduction by Karen Worth
xi
xiii
A Word About Safety
Part I. Teaching Science and Engineering in Early Childhood Settings
Chapter 1
Science Inquiry and the Use of The Early Years Column to
Support Science and Engineering Learning
Chapter 2
Assessment
1
40
Part II. Introduction to the Topics of The Early Years Column Entries
Chapter 3
Nature of Science and Science Process Skills
51
Chapter 4
Objects in Motion
54
Chapter 5
What Are Things Made of?
57
Chapter 6
Mixing and Making a Change: Chemical Science
59
Chapter 7
Exploring Our Senses
62
Chapter 8
Learning About Plants and Animals: Biological Science
64
Chapter 9
Water Play
67
Chapter 10
Weather
69
Chapter 11
Designing and Building to Solve a Problem: Engineering
72
Chapter 12
Technology
75
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Part III. The Early Years Column and Companion Blog
Chapter 13
Introduction to The Early Years Column and Companion Blog
81
Chapter 14
What Can Young Children Do as Scientists?
82
Chapter 15
The Matter of Melting
88
Chapter 16
Feet First
93
Chapter 17
Roll With It
99
Chapter 18
Young Questioners
105
Chapter 19
Learning Measurement
111
Chapter 20
Rocks Tell a Story
117
Chapter 21
Birds in Winter
124
Chapter 22
The Sun’s Energy
130
Chapter 23
Collards and Caterpillars
135
Chapter 24
Water Works
141
Chapter 25
Counting a Culture of Mealworms
147
Chapter 26
Observing With Magnif iers
154
Chapter 27
Objects in Motion
160
Chapter 28
An Invertebrate Garden
165
Chapter 29
Air Is Not Nothing
171
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Chapter 30
Bring on Spring: Planting Peas
177
Chapter 31
Does Light Go Through It?
184
Chapter 32
Hear That?
190
Chapter 33
Adding Up the Rain
196
Chapter 34
Planting Before Winter
202
Chapter 35
Safe Smelling
208
Chapter 36
Helper Hats
214
Chapter 37
Building With Sand
220
Chapter 38
Inquiry at Play
226
Chapter 39
Developing Observation Skills
232
Chapter 40
Investigable Questions
237
Chapter 41
Ongoing Inquiry
243
Chapter 42
Sharing Research Results
249
Chapter 43
Measuring Learning
255
Chapter 44
A Sense of Place
261
Chapter 45
Reading Stories and Making Predictions
266
Chapter 46
Seeing the Moon
271
Chapter 47
Circle Time
276
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Chapter 48
Drawing Movement
282
Chapter 49
Please Touch Museum
289
Chapter 50
The Wonders of Weather
295
Chapter 51
“Life” Science
305
Chapter 52
Water Leaves “Footprints”
311
Chapter 53
The STEM of Inquiry
316
Chapter 54
Are They Getting It?
322
Chapter 55
Now We’re Cooking
328
Chapter 56
Inviting Parents to School
335
Chapter 57
The Nature of Science in Early Childhood
340
Appendix 1
Additional Resources for Science Inquiry and
Engineering Design
345
Appendix 2
National Science Teachers Association Early Childhood
Science Education Position Statement
347
Index
353
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Acknowledgments
T
he children who so joyfully explored science concepts with me must be
thanked first. The programs that sought to include science and engineering
education in their curriculum, and the parents who support such programs,
made this work possible.
The Early Years columns written for Science and Children owe their clarity to the
excellent editors who supported my growth as a writer: Linda Froschauer, Valynda
Mayes, Stephanie Morrow, Stefanie Simmons, and Monica Zerry. Their understanding of science and engineering concepts and education practices, combined with their
wordsmith genius and gentle tutoring, make the work worthy to publish as a book.
Copyeditor Pat Freedman’s patient corrections of style and grammar, checking and
cross-checking details, and keen sense of order brought clarity to the book. Her cheerful requests made the revising enjoyable. However, any errors or omissions are mine.
I owe much of my understanding to colleagues in early childhood education
who taught me to honor children’s capabilities by going beyond “an activity”:
Karen Worth, Ingrid Chalufour, Cindy Hoisington, and Jeff Winokur at Education
Development Center, Inc., and those at the University of Northern Iowa Regents’
Center: Beth Van Meeteren, Rosemary Geiken, Sonia Yoshizawa, and Betty Zan.
The colleagues who provided feedback when I turned to them for expertise
improved the work: Ken Roy, Marie Faust Evitt, Katina Kearney, and Whitney White.
Thank you to the educators who provided the lists of resources for the original “Teacher’s Picks”: Fred Arnold, Charlene K. Dindo, Marie Faust Evitt, Yvonne
Fogelman, Sarah Glassco, Mary Ann Hoffman, Sarah Pounders, Juliana Texley, and
Nancy Tooker.
Thank you to NSTA Press editors Claire Reinburg and Wendy Rubin, and Donna
Yudkin, Book Acquisitions Coordinator, for publishing resources for early childhood educators. Thank you to the NSTA Press reviewers and other readers—I
appreciate your thoughtful comments because they helped me refine the ideas and
reduce confusing statements.
I have benefited from the knowledge and support of the communities of colleagues in the National Association for the Education of Young Children Early
Childhood Science Interest Forum and the National Science Teachers Association
Early Childhood Community Forum—thank you!
I am grateful to my husband, Darryl François, for our shared interest in science
and for his support of my writing.
Science Learning in the Early Years: ACTIVITIES FOR PREK-2
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ix
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Introduction
T
he past few years have seen an increase in understanding about the importance of providing young children with the opportunity to explore their
world and confront challenging concepts in science, engineering, and technology. This has led to an increasing number of resources for teachers of young
children, but few of these resources are designed to support teachers both practically and theoretically—to provide them with both classroom ideas and an understanding of how to use them effectively. Science Learning in the Early Years: Activities
for PreK–2 does just that. Thus, it is a pleasure to write this introduction.
Through her work with the National Science Teachers Association and the
National Association for the Education of Young Children, Peggy Ashbrook has
been a driving force in bringing an understanding of the importance of high-quality
science and engineering teaching and learning in the early years not only to the
early childhood community but also to the science education community writ
large. She has also been a tireless writer. Her column, The Early Years, in the journal
Science and Children; the column’s companion blog, Early Years; and the book Science
Is Simple (Ashbrook 2003) provide a wide range of ideas for bringing these subjects
into the classroom, helping teachers, parents, and other caregivers see what children
engaged in science and engineering really look like and how these subjects fit into
the life of a classroom or other child-care setting.
This book brings together in one place many entries from Peggy’s column and
comments and ideas from her blog. Peggy sets the context for these activities in Part
I and returns to it throughout the book. Herein lies one of the strengths of the book.
In Part I she makes clear that the work she has done has a direct link to standards
and frameworks. She explains that these experiences have the capacity to build a
foundation for children’s later understanding of the core ideas, cross­cutting concepts, and science and engineering practices outlined in the Next Generation Science
Standards (NGSS Lead States 2013). But she also makes clear that for the youngest
children, science and engineering experiences should be expansive, and not limited
to the specific performance expectations for kindergarten and elementary grades.
They should be play-based delightful experiences that enhance and maintain children’s natural curiosity and abilities. She also is careful to suggest how science
and engineering can support other goals, objectives, and standards, whether they
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xi
Introduction
concern overall cognitive development, the development of literacy and numeracy
skills, social and emotional competence, or physical development.
A teacher herself, Peggy addresses this book to teachers and others who work
with young children. Critical to the tone and content is the fact that she writes
from her own years of experience in the classroom and a deep practical as well as
theoretical understanding of teaching and learning science and engineering and of
young children and their teachers. As you read the column entries and related blog
posts in Part III, you feel you are talking with a fellow practitioner. She’s been there
and done these things and has learned and wants to share. And the blog posts add
another important perspective—that we all have something to contribute and that
it is through conversation and collaboration that we learn.
But this is not just another book of activities to do week after week; in its structure it is a resource to use to put together an interesting range of activities to enrich
a teacher’s carefully planned focus on a limited number of concepts. And this is
another of its strengths. Peggy reminds the reader that science and engineering learning is not about isolated fun activities but rather is about exploration, investigation,
and reflection over time focused on foundational concepts and the use of science and
engineering practices. It is exciting, it is challenging, and it is fun to engage teachers
and children alike. Peggy makes a careful distinction between learning facts and bits
of information and constructing an understanding of basic concepts. She insists over
and over that effective inquiry-based science and engineering teaching and learning
can only happen when learning is focused on important ideas and children are given
the opportunity to explore ideas in depth and follow interesting questions guided
by a well-prepared and curious adult. Thus, she says in Chapter 1 that this book is a
guide to activities that should be part of a larger science inquiry, “just as a side dish
is part of a meal that itself is part of a day’s nutrition.” And she reminds readers that
these activities are not stand-alone science or engineering curricula but rather are
small steps in a journey of science inquiry.
This is a book that adults working with children in many different settings
will want to keep on hand and return to as a resource and guide for planning and
implementing rich science and engineering experiences for children.
Karen Worth
Instructor
Department of Elementary and Special Education
Wheelock College
References
Ashbrook, P. 2003. Science is simple: Over 250 activities for preschoolers. Beltsville, MD:
Gryphon House.
NGSS Lead States. 2013. Next Generation Science Standards: For states, by states. Washington,
DC: National Academies Press. www.nextgenscience.org/next-generation-science-standards.
xii
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A Word About Safety
Y
oung children repurpose materials in ways that early childhood educators may not foresee. For example, instead of feeling the texture of salt in a
cup while preparing to make playdough, children may unexpectedly blow
into the cup, sending salt grains into their eyes. By reading about safe practices
described in the Safety First column in Science and Children (Roy 2012–2015—see
list of column entries at the end of this section), we can learn from the experiences
of others. We can educate ourselves
about how to protect children from
accidents, thus allowing for a safer
teaching and learning experience.
Find the online Safety Data Sheets
(SDS) for common classroom materials, such as paint, and familiarize
yourself with needed precautions.
For example, when using tempera
paints under “normal conditions”
I do not require children to use
safety goggles based on SDS information. However, when we test the
paint's ability to splash while making a painting in the style of Jackson
Pollock, I have the children protect
their eyes with indirectly vented
chemical-splash goggles.
In addition to the safety precautions we use on a daily basis, such as covering outlets and removing choking hazards for children who put objects in their mouths, we need to protect children from
hazards they cannot foresee, such as germs on unwashed hands.
Each column entry in this book has alerts (signaled by the word CAUTION) for
safer practices. These safer practices should be used in addition to your own judgment and licensing safety requirements based on legal safety standards and better
Science Learning in the Early Years: ACTIVITIES FOR PREK-2
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xiii
A Word About Safety
professional practices. Before any activity or investigation is done, always review
important safety information with students and volunteers.
Disclaimer: The safety precautions of each activity are based in part on use of the
recommended materials and instructions, legal safety standards, and better professional practices. Selection of alternative materials or procedures for these activities
may jeopardize the level of safety and therefore is at the user’s own risk.
Kenneth Roy’s Safety First column entries in Science
and Children (in reverse chronological order):
• “Preventing Allergic Reactions,” 53 (4): 27–29, December 2015.
• “Safety at First Sight,” 53 (2): 93–95, October 2015.
• “Safer Science Explorations for Young Children,” 53 (7): 26–28,
March 2015.
• “Houston, We Have Liftoff!” 52 (3): 76–77, November 2014.
• “Feather, Feet, and Fin Safety in the Classroom,” 52 (1): 72–74,
September 2014.
• “Ensuring a Safer Outdoor Experience,” 51 (7): 82–83, March 2014.
• “The Elementary Mission,” 51 (2): 86–87, October 2013.
• “Getting Wired on Safety,” 50 (7): 80–81, March 2013.
• “Modeling Safety in Clay Use,” 50 (4): 84–85, December 2012.
xiv
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Part I.
Teaching Science and Engineering
in Early Childhood Settings
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Chapter 20
Rocks Tell a Story11
BEFORE YOU BEGIN THIS ACTIVITY:
Remember that each activity is not a stand-alone science or engineering curriculum.
Activities are small steps in a journey of science inquiry, as discussed in Chapter 1.
Your students will learn more about this concept and about the nature of science if
you use this activity as part of an ongoing exploration of a question, a concept, or a
topic being investigated by your class. Ask yourself, “What should come before this
and what should come after?” Refer to Table 1.1 (pp. 15–39) to find other activities
from The Early Years column that address the same concepts.
S
edimentary rocks, formed by an accumulation of sediments (tiny pieces of
rocks or minerals) in a water environment, tell a story that many students may be
familiar with. They may have visited areas
where water or wind carried sediments and
deposited them in rivers, lakes, oceans, or
dunes. The rocks are often visually or texturally interesting and may have the added
attraction of containing fossils.
We can understand the stories rocks tell
more easily if we have experience with the
materials that make up a rock. Here are a few
suggestions on how to experience these rock
materials:
• With permission, if needed, dig clay or sand from the ground to bring back
to the classroom. Examine it, and wash a cupful in water on a tray to see
what else is in the sample—perhaps “dirt,” organic matter from plants,
small pebbles, and shells.
11 This column entry was originally published in Science and Children in December 2006.
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117
20
Rocks Tell a Story
• Take a field trip to a beach on an ocean, lake, or river to see sediments
accumulate.
• Add a small amount of sand or clay to standard paints for painting
pictures on paper.
• Pour water into a tub of sand to see how it can move sand. CAUTION:
When finished, do not dispose of the sand in the sink drain.
• Mix sand and clay with water in jars to shake and watch the sediment
settle. Make one jar with ¼ cup sand, one with ¼ cup clay, and one with
2 tablespoons of each, and seal tightly with hot glue inside the lids and
tape outside. Ask questions before shaking: What do you think will happen
if we mix the sand or clay with water? How long will it take the sand to mix into
the water, and how long will it take the clay? What will happen when you stop
shaking? What did you find out?
When the clay and sand that the children have been working with dry out, the
children will notice that they no longer stick together. The sand is once again individual grains and the clay, although it’s hard to see particles, feels “dusty” and is
easily broken. CAUTION: Keep wet paper towels nearby to clean up dry clay dust rather
than sweeping it up, to avoid airborne dust (Roy 2014).
As part of the exploration of earth materials, students can record their ideas
about why clay and sand feel different and how they hold together when wet and
when dry. Direct exploration of clay and sand builds students’ understanding of
their properties. Describing and classifying materials by their observable properties
is part of the grade 2 performance expectation 2-PS1-1 in the Next Generation Science
Standards (NGSS), and experiences with clay and sand can help students understand Earth events, which is another grade 2 performance expectation (2-ESS1-1) in
the NGSS (NGSS Lead States 2013).
In the following activity it is very important to always use the term pretend
rock so children do not get the idea that rocks are human made. Rocks are formed
through natural processes. Many descriptions of rock formation for young children
say that the rock formed when sediment was buried under tons of more sediment
and dirt until it turned into solid rock, omitting the role of cementing materials.
Sediments are cemented together when water carrying dissolved minerals seeps
into the spaces between the particles and the minerals precipitate out from the
water in the spaces, cementing the grains together. In the Pretend Rocks activity,
plaster of paris will be added to the sediments in the cup to act as the cement.
Variation seen in sedimentary rocks comes from many differences, including
color of parent material, source of parent material, particle shape, particle size, and
118
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The Early Years Column and Companion Blog
20
the environment in which the sediment was deposited. You can offer various sediments in this activity to produce a variety of pretend rocks.
References
NGSS Lead States. 2013. Next Generation Science Standards: For states, by states. Washington,
DC: National Academies Press. www.nextgenscience.org/next-generation-science-standards.
Roy, K. 2014. Safety first: Modeling safety in clay use. Science and Children 50 (4): 84–85.
Activity: Pretend Rocks
Objective
To notice the range in grain size in sedimentary rocks and think about how such
rocks are formed
Materials
• Samples of various sedimentary rocks, including sandstone and shale,
made of different-size particles (Rock can be purchased through local stone
dealers or scientific supply companies or collected locally.)
• Magnifier
• Rock identification book for general audience
• Sand
• Ceramic (pottery) clay formulated for safe use by children (see “Resources”
section)
• Spoons to serve the sand and clay
• Paper towels
• One 5–8 oz. paper cup and craft stick for each child
• Plaster of paris
• Disposable containers to mix plaster
• Water
• Pebbles, dirt, and small shells (optional)
Science Learning in the Early Years: ACTIVITIES FOR PREK-2
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119
20
Rocks Tell a Story
Procedure
1. As the collected rocks are brought in, a discussion about where rocks come
from develops. Ask if anyone has ever seen a rock being made, to learn
the students’ ideas. Encourage the children to look closely at the rocks and
compare them with each other in color, size, shape, texture, and weight.
Have them use a magnifier to see the grain size. What size are the pieces that
make up these rocks? Can you see them or feel them? Are any of these rocks the
same? Note that a rock can be many sizes and have different names—such
as sand, pebble, stone, and boulder—and still be rock.
2. Compare the actual rocks with those pictured in a rock identification book.
The “match” that young children make is usually based on color and
shape rather than other distinguishing properties or origin. At this age
they are beginning to understand the use of an identification book, not the
complexities of rock composition, so no corrections are needed.
3. Tell the students that now they are going to feel the raw materials that
make sandstones and shales. Have the students feel soft, damp clay and
damp sand, keeping the materials separate. Accentuate the difference
in textures by using clay that does not contain grit so its texture is very
smooth. Where have you seen clay or sand? How are these two materials alike or
different? What size are the pieces that make up the clay and sand?
4. Ask for ideas on how to make a “pretend rock.” Then tell the children that you
have a recipe to try. Give each child a small paper cup to fill about half-full
with damp sand or very wet clay. You might also provide pebbles, dirt,
or shells to be added. Make one pretend rock of just clay and one of just
sand so the children can later compare these types of pretend rocks. Have
the children stir their chosen material(s) using a craft stick (it doesn’t
accidentally flip sand the way a spoon does).
5. Using a finger, test to see if the mixture “is a rock yet.” Tell the children that
a “cementing” material must be added, then add a heaping teaspoon of
mixed plaster of paris. CAUTION: Only adults should mix and add the plaster
of paris; follow the package instructions, and do not wash the remainder down the
sink. Have the children stir their mixture thoroughly and describe it.
6. Review the process for sedimentary rocks formed by an accumulation of
sediment: Rock formation is happening all the time, not in schools or factories
but in nature. It takes a long time for the sand grains and clay minerals to pile
up in the same place and become buried as more sediment is deposited on top, and
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The Early Years Column and Companion Blog
20
for water to carry dissolved minerals into the sand and clay minerals to become
the glue that holds the pieces together. By tomorrow—a much shorter time—our
pretend rock materials will be cemented and become hard.
7. After 24 hours, have the students peel off the paper cup to reveal the pretend
sedimentary rock. Doing this as a group will allow the children to compare
rocks and talk about how their rocks are made of different-size particles.
As a follow-up to the activity, make a snack “rock” with a variety of cereal particle
sizes, including the puffed rice cereal in the original Rice Krispies Treats recipe (www.
ricekrispies.com/recipes/the-original-treats). The melted marshmallows are the cement!
Resources12
Art and Creative Materials Institute, Inc. (ACMI). 2015. Safety tips—what you need to
know. http://acminet.org/index.php?option=com_safetytips&view=safetytips&Itemid=30.
Gyllenhaal, E. 2002. Aaron’s treasures. Chicago Parent, July. Also available at http://
saltthesandbox.org/ChicagoParentArticle1.htm. (This article was written about preschool
children’s passion for collecting.)
Gyllenhaal, E. 2001–2002. Neighborhood rocks. www.saltthesandbox.org/rocks/index.htm.
(This website has lots of ideas for finding rocks in cities and suburbs and for collecting,
identifying, and playing with these finds.)
Gyllenhaal, E. 2001–2009. Salt the sandbox. http://saltthesandbox.org. (This collection of
websites is devoted to the interests of young children, especially topics related to nature
and science.)
Teacher’s Picks13
Publications
A Gift From the Sea by Kate Banks, illustrated by George Hallensleben
(Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2001).
Eric Gyllenhaal, a geologist and museum educator and evaluator, developed the three
resources on Earth science and collections; they are useful for parents and teachers of
young children.
13 These suggestions were provided by Marie Faust Evitt, a preschool teacher and author
of the book Thinking BIG, Learning BIG: Connecting Science, Math, Literacy, and Language
in Early Childhood (Gryphon House, 2009). The book’s website has a useful “Links/
Resources” tab: http://thinkingbiglearningbig.com.
12 Science Learning in the Early Years: ACTIVITIES FOR PREK-2
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121
20
Rocks Tell a Story
The sumptuous illustrations and lyrical text describe the journey a rock takes from
a volcano through the Ice Age and early civilization to the bottom of the ocean and
finally to the beach where a boy finds it. Though the text is simple, you can use it
with older children to help them speculate about the history of rocks they find.
Rocks in His Head by Carol Otis Hurst, illustrated by James Stevenson
(Greenwillow Books, 2001).
Understated humor punctuates this true story about the author’s father, whose passion for rock collecting as a boy eventually leads him to become curator of mineralogy
at a science museum. Learning about this natural-born scientist researching, labeling,
and displaying his beloved rocks will inspire students to follow their dreams.
Grand Canyon: A Trail Through Time by Linda Vieira (Walker, 1997)
This rich description of one of the natural wonders of the world reads as a story.
Facts about the canyon’s record of geologic time are interwoven with information
about the animals, plants, and people who live in it today.
The Sun, the Wind, and the Rain by Lisa Westberg Peters, illustrated by Ted
Rand (Henry Holt, 1988)
This beautifully illustrated book provides an excellent introduction to geologic processes by comparing the creation and evolution of mountains with a sand hill that a
girl builds at the beach. Children can readily see the connection between their own
experiences with sand and the weathering of the natural landscape.
Websites
Geology of National Parks, 3D and Photographic Tours; Geology of the
National Parks: Virtual Tours
http://3dparks.wr.usgs.gov; http://geomaps.wr.usgs.gov/parks/project/index.
html
From rock formations at Bryce Canyon National Park to the stones used to build
our nation’s capital in Washington, D.C., these U.S. Geological Survey websites
present the outstanding geology of many different parks.
122
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The Early Years Column and Companion Blog
20
Images of Clay
www.clays.org/EDUCATIONAL%20RESOURCES/ERimages.html
This website, a joint initiative of the Clay Minerals Society and The Clay Minerals
Group, provides a look at highly magnified photos of different clay minerals that
will help children understand that clay, like sand, is made of particles.
Related Early Years Blog Posts
The following information is from “Rocks: Collecting and Classifying,” published
June 13, 2009:
Walking along a creek is one place to find rocks that have been moved there
by natural forces, not by humans. (Be sure to wash hands afterward.) You
don’t have to know what type of rock it is to appreciate that it is smooth
and pinkish, or has sparkles, or has holes in it.
Label even the most nondescript rock with the location and date collected,
and that single rock becomes the beginning of a scientific rock collection.
A high school Earth science teacher might be willing to view the collection
and help with scientific names.
Read more at http://nstacommunities.org/blog/2009/06/13/rocks-collecting-and-classifying.
Additional related blog post:
“Exploring Natural and Human-Made Materials,” published December 20, 2012: http://
nstacommunities.org/blog/2012/12/20/exploring-natural-and-human-made-materials.
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123
Index
Page numbers in boldface type refer to figures or tables; those followed by “n” refer to footnotes.
A
A Drive in the Country, 163
A Drop of Water, 248
A Drop of Water: A Book of Science and
Wonder, 248
A Flower Grows, 207
A Framework for K–12 Science
Education, 2, 5, 10, 40, 42, 75
connections of The Early Years
column entries to, 15–39
A Gift From the Sea, 121–122
A House Is a House for Me, 158
A Mealworm’s Life, 151
A Rainbow All Around Me, 133
A Sense of Place/Schoolyard as Model
activity, 18, 38, 261–265
before you begin, 261–262
blog posts related to, 265
materials for, 263
objective of, 263
procedure for, 263–264
Teacher’s Picks for, 264–265
A Year in the City, 206
Aardema, Verna, 109
ABCDrive! A Car Trip Alphabet, 163
Adding Up the Rain/Measuring Up
activity, 32, 34, 37, 196–201
before you begin, 196–197
blog posts related to, 200–201
materials for, 197
objective of, 197
procedure for, 198–199
teacher preparation for, 198
Teacher’s Picks for, 199–200
Adler, David, 114, 320
Air Is Not Nothing/Moving Air activity, 21,
23, 25, 33, 171–176
before you begin, 171–172
blog posts related to, 175–176
materials for, 173
objective of, 172
procedure for, 173–174
Teacher’s Picks for, 174–175
All About Birds website, 128
All the Colors of the Rainbow, 134
All the Water in the World, 247
Aloian, Molly, 206
Alphabeep: A Zipping, Zooming ABC, 163
Amazing Materials, 293, 326
An Invertebrate Garden/Attracting
Invertebrates activity, 28, 31, 165–170
before you begin, 165–166
blog posts related to, 170
materials for, 167
objective of, 167
procedure for, 167–168
Teacher’s Picks for, 169–170
And Everyone Shouted, “Pull!”, 287
Animal Diversity Web, 98
Animals, learning about, 64–66
An Invertebrate Garden/Attracting
Invertebrates activity, 165–170
Birds in Winter/Bird Shapes
activity, 124–129
Collards and Caterpillars/What
Do Caterpillars Eat? activity,
135–140
Counting a Culture of Mealworms/
Beetle Roundup activity,
147–153
The Early Years column entries
related to, 30–31
Feet First/Footprint Fun activity,
93–98
Anthony, Joseph, 309
AppLit. Appalachian Animal Tales:
Variants of “The Three Little Pigs”
website, 293
Are They Getting It?/Materials Have
Properties activity, 24, 36, 322–327
before you begin, 322–323
blog posts related to, 327
materials for, 324
objectives of, 324
procedure for, 324–325
Teacher’s Picks for, 326–327
Are We There Yet, Daddy?, 163
Arnold, Fred, 169
Around the Pond: Who’s Been Here?, 343
Ashbrook, Peggy, xi–xii
Ashburn, Boni, 293
Assessment, 40–42
Are They Getting It?/Materials
Have Properties activity,
322–327
of behaviors that indicate learning,
42, 44–48
documentation of, 41
Measuring Learning/Temperature
Changes activity, 255–260
methods for, 41
purposes of, 40
tools for, 41, 42, 44–48
Association for Constructivist Teaching, 11
B
Backyard Detective: Critters, 280
Baker, Jeannie, 264
The Ball Bounced, 163
Banks, Kate, 121
Bark, George, 269
Barner, Bob, 169
Barraclough, Sue, 206, 212
Barrett, Judi, 327
Barrett, Katharine D., 181
Benchmarks for Science Literacy, 10
Berkes, Marianne, 193
Bird Academy: All About Feathers
website, 159
Birds in Winter/Bird Shapes activity, 30,
124–129
before you begin, 124–125
blog posts related to, 128–129
extension of, 127
materials for, 125
objective of, 125
procedure for, 126–127
teacher preparation for, 126
Teacher’s Picks for, 127–128
BirdWatching website, 128
Bishop, Nic, 97, 280
Blog posts related to activities, xi, xii, 3, 5,
81. See also specific activities
Blow Away Soon, 175
Blumenthal, Deborah, 91
Booster Seat Flyer website, 164
Botany on Your Plate, 181
Boxes for Katje, 206
Brenner, Barbara, 98
Bridges Are to Cross, 321
Bring on Spring/Planting Peas and
Observing Growth activity, 28,
177–183
before you begin, 177–178
blog posts related to, 182
materials for, 179
objective of, 179
procedure for, 179–181
Teacher’s Picks for, 181–182
Brown, Margaret Wise, 194
Brown Cow Green Grass Yellow Mellow
Sun, 130
Brubaker, Kimberly, 286
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353
Index
Brubaker Bradley, Kimberly, 163, 235
Bubble Festival: Presenting Bubble
Activities in a Learning Station Format
website, 236
Bugs! Bugs! Bugs!, 169
Building Structures with Young Children,
287
Building With Sand/How High Can You
Build With Sand? activity, 16, 23, 25,
32, 35, 220–225
before you begin, 220–221
blog posts related to, 224–225
materials for, 222
objective of, 222
procedure for, 222–223
Teacher’s Picks for, 224
Bunting, Eve, 138–139
Burton, Jane, 236
Butler, M. Christina, 187
Buttemer, Helen, 241
Bzzz, Bzzz! Mosquitoes in Your
Backyard, 109
C
Can You See the Wind?, 175
Capacity and Length, 114
Caps for Sale, 218
Car Seat Types website, 164
Chadde, Joan, 320
Chalufour, Ingrid, 247, 287
Change It! Solids, Liquids, Gases and
You, 326
Changing State website, 92
Chard, Sylvia, 3
Chemical sciences
The Early Years column topics
related to, 15–39
Inviting Parents to School/Making
Lemonade From Scratch
activity, 335–339
mixing and making a change,
59–61
Now We’re Cooking/Ice Cream
Science activity, 328–334
Circle Time/Teach and Tell activity, 20,
276–281
before you begin, 276–277
blog posts related to, 281
materials for, 278
objective of, 277
procedure for, 278–279
teacher preparation for, 278
Teacher’s Picks for, 280–281
Clark-Chiarelli, Nancy, 247
Classify Insects: Zoom in on True Bugs
website, 110
Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs, 327
Cobb, Vicki, 103, 287, 326
Collards and Caterpillars/What Do
Caterpillars Eat? activity, 28, 30,
135–140
before you begin, 135–136
blog posts related to, 140
materials for, 136–137
objective of, 136
procedure for, 137–138
Teacher’s Picks for, 138–140
Collards website, 139
Come On, Rain!, 199
354
Compestine, Ying Chang, 333
Comstock, Anna Botsford, 169
Conceptual learning, xii, 4, 5, 41, 347
Cook-a-doodle-doo!, 333
Cooking
Inviting Parents to School/Making
Lemonade From Scratch
activity, 335–339
Now We’re Cooking/Ice Cream
Science activity, 328–334
Cooper, Elisha, 334
Coulombe, Deborah, 86
Count Us In website, 115
Counting a Culture of Mealworms/Beetle
Roundup activity, 30, 147–153
before you begin, 147–148
blog posts related to, 153
example of beetle count log sheet
for, 152
extension of, 150
materials for, 149
objective of, 148
procedure for, 149–150
Teacher’s Picks for, 151–153
Counting Is for the Birds, 127
Crab Moon, 275
Crosscutting concepts, 10
Cubes, Cones, Cylinders, and Spheres,
235, 287
Does Light Go Through It?/Playing With
Light activity, 23, 27, 37, 184–189
before you begin, 184–185
blog posts related to, 188–189
extension of, 187
materials for, 186
objective of, 185
procedure for, 186–187
Teacher’s Picks for, 187–188
Dog Breath: The Horrible Trouble With
Hally Tosis, 212
Doing a Fair Test: Variables for Beginners
website, 241
Dorros, Arthur, 175
Down the Road, 265
Drawing Movement/Just Draw It—Ramps
activity, 22, 35, 282–288
before you begin, 282–283
blog posts related to, 288
examples of children’s drawings
for, 285
materials for, 284
objective of, 283
procedure for, 284–285
teacher preparation for, 284
Teacher’s Picks for, 286–287
DSOKids Listen by Instrument website,
194
Dual-language learners, 11, 292
D
Dahl, Michael, 163, 286
Dancing on the Sand: A Story of an
Atlantic Blue Crab, 86
The Dark, Dark Night, 187
Data collection and analysis, 11, 12
Sharing Research Results/
Playdough Guidebook activity,
249–254
Davila, Claudia, 287
The Dead Bird, 309
DeBarbieri, Lili, 314
DeCosta, Imelda, 264
Demarest, Chris L., 218
dePaola, Tomie, 254
Designing and building to solve a
problem, 72–73. See also Engineering
Building With Sand/How High Can
You Build With Sand? activity,
220–225
The Early Years column entries
related to, 34–36
The STEM of Inquiry/Heavy Lifting
activity, 316–321
Developing Observation Skills/Making
and Observing Bubbles activity, 24,
32, 232–236
before you begin, 232–233
blog posts related to, 236
materials for, 233–234
objective of, 233
procedure for, 234–235
Teacher’s Picks for, 235–236
Developmentally appropriate teaching,
40–41
Digital media, 75–76
Disciplinary core ideas, 10
Diverse science learners, 11
Dodds, Dayle Ann, 163, 287
E
Early Years blog posts related to
activities, xi, xii, 3, 5, 81. See also
specific activities
The Early Years column entries, xi, 2,
3–4, 5, 81. See also specific activities
in chronological order, 15–39
Earth and space sciences
Adding Up the Rain/Measuring Up
activity, 196–201
Air Is Not Nothing/Moving Air
activity, 171–176
The Early Years column topics
related to, 15–39
Measuring Learning/Temperature
Changes activity, 255–260
Rocks Tell a Story/Pretend Rocks
activity, 117–123
Seeing the Moon/Crater Making
activity, 271–275
The Sun’s Energy/Making Sun
Prints activity, 130–134
Water Leaves “Footprints”/Sand
Movers activity, 311–315
weather, 69–70
The Wonders of Weather/
Observing Weather activity,
295–304
Edom, Helen, 145
Ehlert, Lois, 139, 145, 207
Eliza and the Dragonfly, 320
Energy
The Sun’s Energy/Making Sun
Prints activity, 130–134
Water Works/How Can We Move
Water? activity, 141–146
Engineering, 2, 3, 5, 11, 12, 40, 62.
See also Science and engineering
practices
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Index
Building With Sand/How High Can
You Build With Sand? activity,
220–225
designing and building to solve a
problem, 72–73
resources for, 345–346
The STEM of Inquiry/Heavy Lifting
activity, 316–321
Engineering Is Elementary program, 317
Engineering the ABC’s: How Engineers
Shape Our World, 320
Erosion, 315
Ets, Marie Hall, 300
Evans, Howard Ensign, 169
Evans, Lezlie, 199
Everyone Is a Scientist, 85
Evitt, Marie Faust, 121n, 133n, 153,
174n, 199n, 259, 273
Eye protection, xiii
F
Falwell, Cathryn, 332
Family Engineering, 320
Feel the Wind, 175
Feet First/Footprint Fun activity, 26, 30,
93–98
before you begin, 93–95
blog posts related to, 98
materials for, 95
objective of, 95
procedures for, 96–97
Teacher’s Picks for, 97–98
Feiffer, Jules, 269
Feldmann, Roseann, 103
Finson, Kevin D., 343
Firefighters A to Z, 218
First Book of Sushi, 327
Fleming, Candace, 206
Flower Garden, 139
Fogelman, Y., 138n, 145n
Force and motion
Drawing Movement/Just Draw It—
Ramps activity, 282–288
The Early Years column entries
related to, 21–22
Objects in Motion/Crash Dummy
Fun! activity, 160–164
Roll With It!/Wheel Work activity,
99–104
Water Works/How Can We Move
Water? activity, 141–146
Forces Make Things Move, 163, 286
Forest Explorer: A Life-Size Field Guide,
97
Fowler, Allan, 134, 145, 175, 213, 281
Fox, Mem, 269, 309
The Fred Rogers Company: Dealing With
Death website
French, Vivian, 181, 333
From Bulb to Daffodil, 204, 206
From Caterpillar to Butterfly, 169
From Cow to Ice Cream, 334
From Sand to Glass, 224
G
Galimoto, 321
Gandini, Lella, 3
Gardening Wizardry for Kids, 181
Gennarelli, Cindy, 248
Geology of National Parks, 3D and
Photographic Tours website, 122
Geology of the National Parks: Virtual
Tours website, 122
George, Lindsay Barrett, 343
Gibbons, Gail, 334
Gilberto and the Wind, 300
Glass, 293
Glassco, Sarah, 97n
Goggles, xiii
Grand Canyon: A Trail Through Time, 122
Grollman, Earl A., 309
Grollman, Sharon, 188
Guess Whose Shadow?, 188
Gyllenhaal, Eric, 121n
H
Handbook of Nature Study, 169
Handford, Martin, 158
Hanuscin, Deborah L., 344
The Happy Day, 213
Harrington, Rand, 286
Harvest of the Month website, 182
Hathorn, Libby, 145
Have You Ever Seen a Stork Build a Log
Cabin?, 320
Head Start Early Learning Outcomes
Framework, 11, 289, 312
Hear That?/Make a Kazoo activity, 21, 27,
190–195
before you begin, 190–191
blog posts related to, 194–195
materials for, 192
objective of, 191
procedure for, 192–193
Teacher’s Picks for, 193–194
Heil, David, 320
Heiligman, Deborah, 169
Helper Hats/Will It Protect Me From the
Water? activity, 31, 32, 35, 214–219
before you begin, 214–215
blog posts related to, 218–219
extension of, 217
materials for, 216
objective of, 215
procedure for, 216–217
sample student responses in, 217
Teacher’s Picks for, 218
Henderson, Ann L., 253
Henderson, Kathy, 206
The Herb Society of America website,
213
Hesse, Karen, 199
Hewitt, Sally, 293, 326
Himmelman, John, 151
Hoban, Tana, 188, 235, 287
Hoberman, Mary Ann, 158
Hoffman, Mary Ann, 109n
Hogue, Lynn, 91
Hoisington, Cynthia, 247, 264, 320
Hollenbeck, Kathleen M., 86
Holm, Sharon Lane, 218
Honey Cookies, 333
Hooper, Meredith, 333
Horowitz, Ruth, 275
Hot and Cold, 259
How Big Is a Foot?, 114
How Big Is a Foot? website, 115
How Do Dinosaurs Eat Their Food?, 326
How Do We Tell the Children? A Step-byStep Guide for Helping Children and
Teens Cope When Someone Dies,
309
How Tall, How Short, How Far Away, 114,
320
How the Ladies Stopped the Wind, 174
How the Robin Got Its Red Breast: A
Legend of the Sechelt People, 128
Howland, Naomi, 163
Hunter, Debra, 248
Hurst, Carol Otis, 122
Hutchins, Pat, 218, 270
Hutzler, Neil, 320
I
I Fall Down, 103, 287
I Get Wet, 326
I Had a Favorite Dress, 293
Ice Cream, 334
Ice Cream: The Full Scoop, 334
Ice Palace, 91
The Icky Bug Counting Book, 109
Images of Clay website, 122–123
In a Nutshell, 309
In the Garden: Who’s Been Here?, 343
In the Snow: Who’s Been Here?, 343
In the Woods: Who’s Been Here?, 343
Inclined Planes and Wedges, 103
The Indoor Noisy Book, 194
Inferences and observations, 51–53
Developing Observation Skills/
Making and Observing Bubbles
activity, 232–236
The Nature of Science in Early
Childhood/Observations and
Inferences activity, 340–344
Inquiry, scientific, xii
assessment of learning for, 40–42,
44–48
being a beginner in the process
of, 12–13
characteristics of, 12
compared with doing a science
activity, 5–10
definition of, 3
Developing Observation Skills/
Making and Observing Bubbles
activity, 232–236
Inquiry at Play/A Scientist Visits
activity, 226–231
Investigable Questions/How Much
Is Enough? activity, 237–242
The Nature of Science in Early
Childhood/Observations and
Inferences activity, 340–344
Ongoing Inquiry/Properties of
Water activity, 243–248
planning for, 10–12
resources for, 345–346
Sharing Research Results/
Playdough Guidebook,
249–254
The STEM of Inquiry/Heavy Lifting
activity, 316–321
using activities in process of, 2–4,
15–39
Inquiry at Play/A Scientist Visits activity,
16, 226–231
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355
Index
before you begin, 226–227
blog posts related to, 230–231
extension of, 229
materials for, 228
objectives of, 228
procedure for, 228–229
Teacher’s Picks for, 230
Insects, 13, 64–65, 76, 94, 98, 109–110,
155, 202, 265, 344, 349
An Invertebrate Garden/Attracting
Invertebrates activity, 165–170
Collards and Caterpillars/What
Do Caterpillars Eat? activity,
135–140
Counting a Culture of Mealworms/
Beetle Roundup activity,
147–153
Intrater, Roberta Grobel, 212
Introduction to What Sound Is website, 194
Inventor’s Toolbox: The Elements of
Machines website, 103
Investigable Questions/How Much Is
Enough? activity, 17, 29, 32, 237–242
before you begin, 237–239
blog posts related to, 242
materials for, 239–240
objectives of, 239
procedure for, 240–241
Teacher’s Picks for, 241
Investigating Solids, Liquids, and Gases
With Toys, 91
Inviting Parents to School/Making
Lemonade From Scratch activity, 24,
26, 28, 33, 335–339
before you begin, 335–336
blog posts related to, 339
materials for, 337
objective of, 337
procedure for, 337–338
teacher preparation for, 337
Teacher’s Pick for, 338
Is Sand a Rock?, 314
It Could Still Be Water, 145
Iwai, Melissa, 333
J
Jackson, Mia, 320
James, Betsy, 175
Jennings, Hope D’Avino, 248
Johnstone, Leslie, 333
Joseph Had a Little Overcoat, 293
The Jumbo Book of Hidden Pictures, 158
Jump Into Science: Sand, 224
K
K-W-L chart, 9
Kalman, Bobbie, 206
Kaner, Etta, 299, 320
Katz, Lilian, 3
Katzen, Mollie, 253
Kaufman, Kenn, 127
Kaufman Field Guide to Birds of North
America, 127
Keats, Ezra Jack, 92, 300
Keeley, Page, 286
Kids’ Inquiry of Diverse Species website,
169–170
KidsGardening website, 140, 182
356
Killer Bees, 109
Kitchen Science, 333
Kite, L. Patricia, 181
Kneidel, Sally, 98
Knight, Bertram T., 334
Kohl, MaryAnn F., 253
Krauss, Ruth, 213
Krishnaswami, Uma, 199
Krupp, E. C., 133
L
Landau, Elaine, 109
Lauber, Patricia, 139
Lawrence, Ellen, 247, 314
Leager, Craig R., 344
Learning environment, 6, 350
Learning Measurement/Measuring Hands
activity, 15, 37, 111–116
before you begin, 111–112
blog posts related to, 115–116
materials for, 112–113
objective of, 112
procedure for, 113–114
Teacher’s Picks for, 114–115
Leedy, Loreen, 114
Lehn, Barbara, 82, 83
Levers, 103
Levine, Shar, 333
The Life Cycle of a Flower, 206
Life cycles, 64–65, 202, 244
Counting a Culture of Mealworms/
Beetle Roundup activity, 30,
147–153
“Life” Science/A Plant’s Life
activity, 305–310
Life on a Little-Known Planet, 169
“Life” Science/A Plant’s Life activity, 29,
305–310
before you begin, 305–306
blog posts related to, 310
materials for, 306–307
objective of, 306
procedure for, 307–308
teacher preparation for, 307
Teacher’s Picks for, 308–309
Life sciences
An Invertebrate Garden/Attracting
Invertebrates activity, 165–170
Birds in Winter/Bird Shapes
activity, 124–129
Bring on Spring/Planting Peas
and Observing Growth activity,
177–183
Collards and Caterpillars/What
Do Caterpillars Eat? activity,
135–140
Counting a Culture of Mealworms/
Beetle Roundup activity,
147–153
The Early Years column topics
related to, 15–39
exploring our senses, 62–63 (See
also Senses)
Feet First/Footprint Fun activity,
93–98
Investigable Questions/How Much
Is Enough? activity, 237–242
Learning About Animals/Learning
About Plants, 64–66
“Life” Science/A Plant’s Life
activity, 305–310
Planting Before Winter/Some Like
It Cold activity, 202–207
Lillie, Patricia, 206
Lin, Grace, 333
Listen to the Desert/Oye al Desierto, 193
Literature and literacy skills, xii, 1, 11.
See also Teacher’s Picks for specific
activities
Reading Stories and Making
Predictions/“What Might
Happen If...?” activity, 266–270
Llewellyn, Claire, 287
Loewen, Nancy, 109
Look-Alikes: The More You Look, the
More You See!, 158
Luckenbill, Julia, 247
Lyon, George Ella, 247
Lyons, Christine, 309
Lyons, Kelly Starling, 332
M
The Magic Hat, 269
Malaguzzi, Loris, 3
Maple Trees, 281
Marsh Music, 193
Marshall, James, 254
Masiello, Ralph, 109
Mason, Adrienne, 151, 326
Mathematics skills, xii, 1, 11, 72
Adding Up the Rain/Measuring Up
activity, 196–201
Counting a Culture of Mealworms/
Beetle Roundup activity, 30,
147–153
Learning Measurement/Measuring
Hands activity, 111–116
Matter
Air Is Not Nothing/Moving Air
activity, 171–176
Are They Getting It?/Materials
Have Properties activity,
322–327
The Matter of Melting/Melt Away!
activity, 88–92
Please Touch Museum/Materials
Museum activity, 289–294
what are things made of?, 23–24,
57–58
The Matter of Melting/Melt Away! activity,
22, 25, 31, 33, 88–92
before you begin, 88–89
blog posts related to, 92
extension of, 90–91
materials for, 89
objective of, 89
procedure for, 89–90
Teacher’s Picks for, 91–92
Mazzola, Jr., Frank, 127
McMillan, Bruce, 174, 265
McNaughton, Colin, 270
Mealworm Life Cycle website, 151
Mealworms: Raise Them, Watch Them,
See Them Change., 151
Mealworms and Darkling Beetles
website, 152–153
Measuring Learning/Temperature
Changes activity, 22, 27, 34, 255–260
National Science Teachers Association
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Index
before you begin, 255–256
blog posts related to, 260
example of data collection chart
for melting ice cubes, 259
materials for, 257
objective of, 257
procedure for, 257–258
Teacher’s Picks for, 259–260
Measuring Penny, 114
Meet the Mealworms, 151
Milbourne, Anna, 299
Milk to Ice Cream, 334
Miller, Pam, 224
Millions of Snowflakes, 300
Misconceptions, 11
Mixing and making a change, 59–61
The Early Years column entries
related to, 25–26
Inviting Parents to School/Making
Lemonade From Scratch
activity, 335–339
The Matter of Melting/Melt Away!
activity, 88–92
Now We’re Cooking/Ice Cream
Science activity, 328–334
Mixing and Separating, 338
Monsoon, 199
MoonLight Moon Calendar, 158
Mora, Pat, 193
More Pet Bugs, 98
Morgan, Emily, 275
Morrison, Gordon, 248
Motion. See Objects in Motion
Mouse Views: What the Class Pet Saw,
265
Move It!: Motion, Forces and You, 287
Mr. Rogers’ Parenting Book: Helping to
Understand Your Young Child, 309
Mudworks: Creative Clay, Dough and
Modeling Experiences, 253
Murphy, Patricia J., 287
Murphy, Stuart J., 224
My First Garden: Teacher’s Guide
website, 182
Myller, Rolf, 114
6, 10, 40, 338, 347–351
The Nature and Science of Bubbles, 236
Nature of science (NOS), 4–5, 51–53, 82
The Early Years column entries
related to, 15–20
Inquiry at Play/A Scientist Visits
activity, 226–231
The Nature of Science in Early
Childhood/Observations and
Inferences activity, 340–344
What Can Young Children Do as
Scientists? activity, 82–87
Young Questioners activity,
105–110
The Nature of Science in Early
Childhood/Observations and
Inferences activity, 20, 340–344
before you begin, 340–341
blog posts related to, 344
materials for, 341
objective of, 341
procedure for, 341–342
teacher preparation for, 341
Teacher’s Picks for, 343–344
Neuman, Susan B., 280
Next Generation Science Standards
(NGSS), xi, 2, 3, 5, 10
Appendix G, 161, 197
Appendix H, 4–5, 15–20, 36, 37,
197, 341
connections of The Early Years
column entries to, 15–39, 81
(See also specific activities)
Next Time You See the Moon, 275
Novak, Patty O’Brien, 320
Now We’re Cooking/Ice Cream Science
activity, 26, 328–334
before you begin, 328–329
blog posts related to, 334
ice cream recipe for, 332
materials for, 330
objective of, 330
procedure for, 331
teacher preparation for, 330
Teacher’s Picks for, 332–334
N
National Association for the Education of
Young Children (NAEYC), 11, 13, 40
position statement on
developmentally appropriate
practice, 40–41
National Association of Early Childhood
Specialists in State Departments of
Education, 40
National Council of Teachers of
Mathematics, 112
National Geographic Education
Encyclopedia: Erosion website, 315
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA) photo library
website, 86
National Science Education Standards,
2, 3, 10
National Science Teachers Association
(NSTA), 81. See also Science and
Children
position statement on early
childhood science education,
O
Objects in motion, 54–56
Drawing Movement/Just Draw It—
Ramps activity, 282–288
The Early Years column entries
related to, 21–22
Objects in Motion/Crash Dummy
Fun! activity, 160–164
Roll With It!/Wheel Work activity,
99–104
Objects in Motion/Crash Dummy Fun!
activity, 21, 35, 160–164
before you begin, 160–161
blog posts related to, 164
materials for, 161
objective of, 161
procedure for, 162–163
Teacher’s Picks for, 163–164
Observation skills
Developing Observation Skills/
Making and Observing Bubbles
activity, 232–236
The Nature of Science in Early
Childhood/Observations and
Inferences activity, 340–344
Observing With Magnifiers/
Exploring Magnifiers activity,
154–159
The Wonders of Weather/
Observing Weather activity,
295–304
Observing With Magnifiers/Exploring
Magnifiers activity, 16, 23, 26,
154–159
before you begin, 154–155
blog posts related to, 159
materials for, 156
objectives of, 156
procedure for, 156–157
Teacher’s Picks for, 158–159
Olien, Becky, 315
Oliver’s Fruit Salad, 333
Oliver’s Vegetables, 181–182, 333
On the Same Day in March: A Tour of the
World’s Weather, 260
One Small Place in a Tree, 98
Ongoing Inquiry/Properties of Water
activity, 22, 24, 33, 34, 38, 243–248
before you begin, 243–244
blog posts related to, 248
extension of, 246
materials for, 245
objective of, 245
procedure for, 245–246
Teacher’s Picks for, 247–248
Oxlade, Chris, 293, 338
P
Pallotta, Jerry, 109
Pancakes for Breakfast, 254
Park Rogers, Meredith A., 344
Path to Math: Measurement With Young
Children website, 115
Paysnick, R., 42
Pearce, 237–238
Pearson, Debora, 163
Peep and the Big Wide World website,
145
Performance expectations, xi, 10, 17–39.
See also specific activities
Pet Bugs, 98
Peters, Lisa Westberg, 122
Physical sciences
Air Is Not Nothing/Moving Air
activity, 171–176
Are They Getting It?/Materials
Have Properties activity,
322–327
Developing Observation Skills/
Making and Observing Bubbles
activity, 232–236
Does Light Go Through It?/Playing
With Light activity, 184–189
Drawing Movement/Just Draw It—
Ramps activity, 282–288
The Early Years column topics
related to, 15–39
The Matter of Melting/Melt Away!
activity, 88–92
mixing and making a change,
59–61
objects in motion, 54–56
Science Learning in the Early Years: ACTIVITIES FOR PREK-2
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357
Index
Objects in Motion/Crash Dummy
Fun! activity, 160–164
Please Touch Museum/Materials
Museum activity, 289–294
Roll With It!/Wheel Work activity,
99–104
The STEM of Inquiry/Heavy Lifting
activity, 316–321
Water Works/How Can We Move
Water? activity, 141–146
what are things made of?, 57–58
The Piggy in the Puddle, 254
Pilkey, Dav, 212
Pinkney, Sandra L., 133
Pipe, Jim, 103
Planning for science inquiry, 10–12
Planting a Rainbow, 139, 207
Planting Before Winter/Some Like It Cold
activity, 29, 202–207
before you begin, 202–203
blog posts related to, 207
materials for, 204
objectives of, 203
procedure for, 204–205
teacher preparation for, 204
Teacher’s Picks for, 206–207
Plants, learning about, 64–66
Bring on Spring/Planting Peas
and Observing Growth activity,
177–183
Collards and Caterpillars/What
Do Caterpillars Eat? activity,
135–140
The Early Years column entries
related to, 28–29
Investigable Questions/How Much
Is Enough? activity, 237–242
“Life” Science/A Plant’s Life
activity, 305–310
Planting Before Winter/Some Like
It Cold activity, 202–207
Playing With Shadows website, 188
Please Touch Museum/Materials
Museum activity, 20, 24, 27, 29, 38,
289–294
before you begin, 289–290
blog posts related to, 294
materials for, 291
objective of, 291
procedure for, 291–292
teacher preparation for, 291
Teacher’s Picks for, 293
Pluckrose, Henry, 114
Poisonous website, 182
Pop! A Book About Bubbles, 235
Position statement of NSTA on early
childhood science education, 6, 10,
40, 338, 347–351
Pounders, Sarah, 181n
Prager, Ellen, 224
Pretend Soup and Other Real Recipes:
A Cookbook for Preschoolers and
Up, 253
Project 2061, 10
Project Approach, 3
Pulleys, 103
Pumpkin Pumpkin, 139
Push and Pull, 287
358
Q
Q?rius: Insects, Centipedes, Millipedes,
Spiders and Relatives website, 151
Questioning. See also Inquiry, scientific
Investigable Questions/How Much
Is Enough? activity, 237–242
Young Questioners activity,
105–110
R
Rain, 193, 199
Rain Song, 199
The Rainbow and You, 133
Rainbow Crow, 128
Rainbow Stew, 332
Reading Stories and Making
Predictions/“What Might Happen If...?”
activity, 19, 266–270
before you begin, 266–267
blog posts related to, 270
extension of, 269
material for, 268
objective of, 268
procedure for, 268–269
teacher preparation for, 268
Teacher’s Picks for, 269–270
Reggio Emilia approach, 3
Resources, 345–346. See also specific
activities
Rinehart, Susie Caldwell, 320
Ring, Susan, 230
Robbins, Ken, 207
Robertson, William, 188, 326
Robinson, Fay, 145, 200
Rocks in His Head, 122
Rocks Tell a Story/Pretend Rocks activity,
23, 25, 117–123
before you begin, 117–119
blog posts related to, 123
materials for, 119
objective of, 119
procedure for, 120–121
Teacher’s Picks for, 121–123
Rogers, Fred, 309
Roll, Slope, and Slide: A Book About
Ramps, 286
Roll With It!/Wheel Work activity, 21, 34,
36, 99–104
before you begin, 99–100
blog posts related to, 104
materials for, 101
objective of, 101
procedure for, 101–102
Teacher’s Picks for, 103
Rosen, Michael J., 163
Roskos, Kathleen, 280
Rotner, Shelley, 293
Royston, Angela, 259
S
Sableski, Nancy, 264
Safe Smelling/Do You Smell What I
Smell? activity, 27, 29, 31, 208–213
before you begin, 208–209
blog posts related to, 213
materials for, 210
objective of, 210
procedure for, 210–211
sample tally chart for smell
guessing game, 212
teacher preparation for, 210
Teacher’s Picks for, 212–213
Safety Data Sheets (SDS), xiii
Safety practices, xiii–xiv, 3
Sand, 224
Sand Castle, 224
Sand Dune Daisy: A Pocket Mouse Tale,
314
Sand to Glass, 224
Sanger, Amy Wilson, 327
Sarquis, Jerry L., 91
Sarquis, Mickey, 91
Schaefer, Daniel, 309
Schertle, Alice, 265
School Garden Wizard website, 182
Schwarz, Trudi, 247
SCI4KIDS Cool Careers website, 230
Science and Children
“A Walk in the Woods” in, 264
The Early Years column in, xi, 2,
3–4, 5, 15–39, 81
“Gimme an ‘E’! Seven Strategies
for Supporting the ‘E’ in Young
Children’s STEM Learning”
in, 320
“Inference or Observation?” in,
343
“Inquiry on Board!” in, 241
Meet the Mealworms in, 151
“Perspectives: Learning to
Observe and Infer” in, 344
Safety First column in, xiii, xiv
“Science 101: What Is the
Difference Between Solids and
Liquids?” in, 326
“Science 101: Why Are There
So Many Different Models of
Light?” in, 188
“Science Shorts: Observation
Versus Inference” in, 344
“Talk Strategies: How to Promote
Oral Language Development
Through Science” in, 280
“When a Hypothesis Is NOT an
Educated Guess” in, 269
Science and engineering learning, xi–xii,
1–13. See also Inquiry, scientific
assessment of, 40–42, 44–48
being a beginner in the process of
inquiry, 12–13
for diverse science learners, 11
engineering in early childhood, 5
nature of science, 4–5
planning science inquiry, 10–12
resources for, 345–346
safety practices for, xiii–xiv
using activities in the process of
inquiry, 2–4, 15–39
Science and engineering practices, xi,
xii, 2, 51–52, 75. See also Science
process skills; specific activities
Adding Up the Rain/Measuring Up
activity, 196–201
Circle Time/Teach and Tell activity,
276–281
Counting a Culture of Mealworms/
Beetle Roundup activity, 30,
147–153
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Index
Developing Observation Skills/
Making and Observing Bubbles
activity, 232–236
Drawing Movement/Just Draw It—
Ramps activity, 282–288
Inquiry at Play/A Scientist Visits
activity, 226–231
Investigable Questions/How Much
Is Enough? activity, 237–242
Learning Measurement/Measuring
Hands activity, 111–116
Observing With Magnifiers/
Exploring Magnifiers activity,
154–159
Ongoing Inquiry/Properties of
Water activity, 243–248
A Sense of Place/Schoolyard as
Model activity, 261–265
Sharing Research Results/
Playdough Guidebook,
249–254
Young Questioners activity,
105–110
Science Is Simple, xi
Science Online: Nature of Science
website, 110
Science process skills, 51–53. See also
Science and engineering practices
The Early Years column entries
related to, 15–20
Science With Water, 145
Scientists at Work, 230
Screws, 103
Seascape video website, 86
The Seaside Naturalist, 86
Sechelt Nation, 128
Seeing the Moon/Crater Making activity,
19, 22, 271–275
before you begin, 271–272
blog posts related to, 275
extension of, 275
materials for, 273
objective of, 273
procedure for, 274
teacher preparation for, 274
Teacher’s Picks for, 275
Senses, exploring, 62–63
Developing Observation Skills/
Making and Observing Bubbles
activity, 232–236
Does Light Go Through It?/Playing
With Light activity, 184–189
The Early Years column entries
related to, 26–28
Hear That?/Make a Kazoo activity,
190–195
Please Touch Museum/Materials
Museum activity, 289–294
Safe Smelling/Do You Smell What
I Smell? activity, 208–213
Senses at the Seashore, 293
Seven Blind Mice, 343
Shadows and Reflections, 188
Shanahan, Therese B., 280
Sharing Research Results/Playdough
Guidebook, 18, 24, 25, 27, 38,
249–254
before you begin, 249–250
blog posts related to, 254
example of playdough data chart,
253
materials for, 251
objective of, 251
procedure for, 251–252
teacher preparation for, 251
Teacher’s Picks for, 253–254
Shea, Lauren M., 280
Siddals, Mary McKenna, 300
Singer, Marilyn, 260
Slobodkina, Esphyr, 218
Smelling Things, 213
Snowballs, 145
The Snowy Day, 92, 300
Snyder, Inez, 224, 334
Sophie, 309
Sound Activities website, 194
Soup Day, 333
Spier, Peter, 193, 199
Staller, Teena, 151
Standards, xi, 2, 4, 10, 12. See also Next
Generation Science Standards
Steiner, Joan, 158
STEM education, 72, 73. See also
Engineering; Mathematics skills;
Technology
The STEM of Inquiry/Heavy Lifting
activity, 36, 316–321
before you begin, 316–317
blog posts related to, 321
materials for, 318
objective of, 318
procedure for, 318–319
Teacher’s Picks for, 320–321
Stevens, Janet, 182, 333
Stevens, Susan, 333
Stille, Darlene, 259
The Story of Noodles, 333
Sturges, Philemon, 321
Suddenly!, 270
The Sun, the Wind, and the Rain, 122
Sunflower House, 138–139
The Sunny Day, 299
The Sun’s Energy/Making Sun Prints
activity, 26, 28, 33, 130–134
before you begin, 130–131
blog posts related to, 134
extension of, 133
materials for, 131
objective of, 131
procedure for, 132–133
teacher preparation for, 132
Teacher’s Picks for, 133–134
Super Sand Castle Saturday, 224
Swinburne, Stephen R., 188
T
Taback, Simms, 293
Tafuri, Nancy, 163
Taking Science to School, 1
Talking About Death: A Dialogue Between
Parent and Child, 309
Taylor, Kim, 236
Tea Cakes for Tosh, 332
Teaching Young Children, 248
Technology, 72, 75–76, xi. See also
Engineering
digital media, 75–76
The Early Years column entries
related to, 36–39
use of tools, 76
Temperature: Heating Up and Cooling
Down, 259
Texley, Juliana, 103n
Thinking BIG, Learning BIG: Connecting
Science, Math, Literacy, and
Language in Early Childhood, 121n,
133n, 153, 174n, 199n, 259, 273
Tires, Spokes, and Sprockets: A Book
About Wheels and Axles, 163
Titherington, Jeanne, 139
Tooker, Nancy, 158
Tops and Bottoms, 182
Treasures of American History: American
Hats website, 218
Trumbauer, Lisa, 85
Two Eyes, a Nose and a Mouth, 212
U
The Ugly Vegetables, 333
Uncovering Student Ideas in Physical
Science, Vol. 1, 286
Understanding Science 101. Fair Tests: A
Do-It-Yourself Guide website, 241
University of California Museum of
Paleontology’s Understanding
Science website, 5, 51, 340
U.S. Department of Agriculture, 148, 177,
180
V
Van Laan, Nancy, 128
Vanilla Ice Cream Without the Machine
website, 334
Vieira, Linda, 122
Vocabulary development, 11. See also
specific activities
W
Walker, Sally M., 103
Walters, Virginia, 163
Watch a Glacier Melt website, 92
Water, 247
The Water Cycle—USGS Water Science
School website, 200
Water Leaves “Footprints”/Sand Movers
activity, 33, 311–315
before you begin, 311–312
blog posts related to, 315
materials for, 313
objectives of, 313
procedure for, 313–314
Teacher’s Picks for, 314–315
Water play, 6–9, 67–68
The Early Years column entries
related to, 31–33
Ongoing Inquiry/Properties of
Water activity, 243–248
Water Leaves “Footprints”/Sand
Movers activity, 311–315
Water Works/How Can We Move
Water? activity, 141–146
Wet Sand activity, 6–9
Water Works/How Can We Move Water?
activity, 21, 31, 35, 37, 141–146
before you begin, 141–142
blog posts related to, 146
extension of, 144
Science Learning in the Early Years: ACTIVITIES FOR PREK-2
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359
Index
materials for, 143
objectives of, 142
procedure for, 143–144
Teacher’s Picks for, 145
Weather, 69–70
Adding Up the Rain/Measuring Up
activity, 196–201
Air Is Not Nothing/Moving Air
activity, 171–176
The Early Years column entries
related to, 33–34
Measuring Learning/Temperature
Changes activity, 255–260
Planting Before Winter/Some Like
It Cold activity, 202–207
The Wonders of Weather/
Observing Weather activity,
295–304
The Weather Dude website, 200
Weather Wiz Kids website, 175
Weiss, Ellen, 206
Wet Sand activity, 6–9
What are things made of?, 57–58. See
also Matter
The Early Years column entries
related to, 23–24
What Are Those Squiggly Lines? Using
Light to Learn About the Universe
website, 134
What Can I Smell?, 212
What Can Young Children Do as
Scientists? activity, 15, 36, 82–87
before you begin, 82–83
blog posts related to, 86–87
extension of, 84–85
materials for, 83–84
objective of, 83
procedure for, 84
Teacher’s Picks for, 85–86
What Does a Wheel Do?, 103
What Is a Scientist?, 82, 83
What Is the World Made Of? All About
Solids, Liquids, and Gases, 91, 326
What’s That Bug? website, 170
360
Wheel Away!, 163, 287
Wheels and Axles, 103
When a Pet Dies, 309
When This Box is Full, 206
Where Do Puddles Go?, 145, 200
Where’s Waldo?, 158
Who Eats What? Food Chains and Food
Webs, 139
Who Likes the Wind, 299
Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People’s Ears:
A West African Tale, 109
Wick, Walter, 248
Williams, Karen Lynn, 321
The Wind Blew, 218, 270
Wind website, 175
Window, 264
Winokur, Jeff, 5, 247, 320
The Wonder Thing, 145
The Wonders of Weather/Observing
Weather activity, 34, 39, 295–304
before you begin, 295–296
blog posts related to, 300
examples of curriculum areas
and activities connected to,
296–297
extension of, 299
materials for, 297–298
objective of, 297
procedure for, 298–299
rainfall gauge recording template,
303
tally chart for counting weekly
or monthly occurrences of
weather events, 304
teacher preparation for, 298
Teacher’s Picks for, 299–300
temperature recording template,
302
weather symbol strips for
documentation, 301
Woodward, Linda, 91
Work, 103
Worms, Shadows, and Whirlpools:
Science in the Early Childhood
Classroom, 188
Worth, Karen, 188, 287
Writing skills, 11, 13. See also specific
activities
Y
Yee, Brenda, 224
Yolen, Jane, 326
Young, Ed, 343
Young Children
“Blocks: Great Learning Tools
From Infancy Through the
Primary Grades” in, 286
“Grief: Helping Young Children
Cope” in, 309
“Let’s Get Messy! Exploring
Sensory and Art Activities With
Infants and Toddlers” in, 247
“Promoting Children’s Science
Inquiry and Learning Through
Water Investigations” in, 247
“Real Life Calls for Real Books:
Literature to Help Children
Cope With Family Stressors”
in, 309
“Teachers on Teaching: What
Happens When a Child Plays
at the Sensory Table” in, 248
Young Questioners activity, 15, 105–110
before you begin, 105–106
blog posts related to, 110
materials for, 107
objectives of, 107
procedure for, 107–108
Teacher’s Picks for, 109–110
Young Scientist Series, 42
Z
Zemlicka, Shannon, 224
Zoehfeld, Kathleen Weidner, 91, 326
Zoe’s Hats: A Book of Colors and
Patterns, 218
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“Peggy Ashbrook has been a driving force in bringing an understanding of the
importance of high-quality science and engineering teaching and learning. … A teacher
herself, Peggy addresses this book to teachers who work with young children. Critical
to the tone and content is the fact that she writes from her own years of experience
in the classroom and her deep practical as well as theoretical understanding.”
—from Karen Worth’s introduction to Science Learning in the Early Years
This book is for all preschool and elementary teachers who wish they had a
mentor who understood inquiry, young children, and the need for truly engaging
science activities. For nearly three decades, teacher, columnist, and blogger
Peggy Ashbrook has promoted the importance of high-quality experiences for
children in prekindergarten through second grade. This collection of her writing
for NSTA’s elementary journal, Science and Children, is the next best thing
to having her as your own personal guide to the challenges and fun of
working with the youngest scientists.
Science Learning in the Early Years offers both classroom ideas
and an understanding of how to use them effectively. The
book is uniquely helpful because it recognizes that you’re
a generalist teaching all areas of the curriculum. Ashbrook
emphasizes important science concepts in 40-plus activities that
are clearly presented and developmentally appropriate, connect to the Next
Generation Science Standards, and highlight safety concerns. Perhaps most
important, Ashbrook shows how to group individual activities into an ongoing
science unit so students can develop science inquiry skills over time.
Ashbrook the writer will inspire you even as Ashbrook the science teacher
helps you develop a carefully planned course on appropriate concepts that
are just right for your students.
Grades PreK–2
PB407X
ISBN: 978-1-941316-33-7
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TO PURCHASE THIS BOOK, please visit www.nsta.org/store/product_detail.aspx?id=10.2505/9781941316337