Science
Education
in PreK
“If a child is to keep alive his inborn sense of
wonder…he needs the companionship of at least
one adult who can share it, rediscovering with
him the joy, excitement and mystery of the
world we live in”
–Rachel Carson in The Sense of Wonder
Beliefs
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Teachers build on the “sense of wonder”
Learn science through play
DOING science is natural for young children
The science processes are more important than
learning science facts
• Teachers are “facilitators” of learning not
“instructors”
• Teacher observes children’s actions and listen to
follow the children’s leads.
Top 4 Science Processes
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Observing: All 5 Senses
Communicating: Oral, Written, Pictorial
Comparing: Sensory, Linear, Mass, #
Organizing/Sorting: group, sequence,
gathering data
Questioning in Science
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Listen
Follow Children’s Leads
Wait Time
Ask Genuine Questions
Engage in Science Processes
Use Science Tools
Genuine Questions
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“I’m not sure I understand what you mean. Try telling me again.”
“What makes you think so?”
“How would you describe it?”
“What does it (look/feel/smell/taste/sound) like?”
“How can we find out?”
“Can you think of another way?”
“What is the (same) about all these?”
“See if you can find other materials in the (room) that…”
“I wonder what that might like to (eat)?”
“How many (pennies) would it take to balance that object?”
What could you do to make that (marble) (roll) (farther)?”
“Can you think of a way to make your (shadow) (longer)?”
“Can you draw a picture that shows me…?”
O-W-L Chart
O
What do you Observe
about the object?
(Don’t forget to measure)
W
What do you Wonder
about the object?
L
What did you Learn
about the object?
Formative Assessment
Rubric
• Not Yet –Child doesn’t participate
• Emerging –Briefly participates and
watches adult do activity
• Almost Mastered –Child does activity and
describes what happens; participates in
adult-led discussion
• Fully Mastered –Child does activity and
helps peers; discusses outcome
independently
Your Task
• Complete an O-W-L for your group as
a TEACHER Resource
• Include 3-5 genuine questions to
guide students in the Wonderings
Column
• Make Suggestions/Adaptations for
each Station Activities.
Unit 3 – Wind & Water
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Inflating Balloons p17
What Can Air Move? p18
Absorbency of Materials p60
Water Sound Exploration p62
Drying & Reconstituting Clay p95
Exploring Insulating Materials p133
Other Wind Activities in
Your Packet
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A Windy Day
Air That Moves
Wind Walk
Parachute Play
Air Crafts the Game
Other Water Activities
in your Packet
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Water Painting
Water Magic
Looking Through Water
Absorbing Water
Water Mixtures
Water Drops
Today’s Books!
I Get Wet
by Vicki Cobb
Tale Of Jack Frost
by Marcia T. Jones
A Drop of Water: A Book of Science
and Wonder by Walter Wick
More Books!
Snowballs by Lois Ehlert
The Snowflake : A Water Cycle Story by Neil
Waldman
Can You See the Wind? by Allan Fowler
Feel the Wind by Arthur Dorros
How the Ladies Stopped the Wind
by Bruce McMillan
Jack Frost
by Helen Bayley Davis
Someone painted pictures on my
Windowpane last night -Willow trees with trailing boughs
And flowers, frosty white,
And lovely crystal butterflies;
But when the morning sun
Touched them with its golden beams,
They vanished one by one.
Snowball
by Shel Silverstein
I made myself a snow ball as perfect as could be.
I thought I'd keep it as a pet and let it sleep with me.
I made it some pajamas and a pillow for it's head.
Then, last night it ran away. But first -- it wet the bed.