Some of the richest science experiences focus on helping children understand the here and now of where they are. One of the best gifts we can give to young children is to help them see how much there is that is interesting and valuable right where they live, no matter where they live. Just about every locale has birds, insects, some kind of plants, and the sky above as well as interesting things in the built environment like sidewalk ramps and slides, bridges and buildings, vehicles and cardboard. Teachers can help children notice these interesting things and find ways to learn more about them. I've been in several classrooms where the children have created field guides for their school grounds, illustrated with photos using the zoom on a camera to get up close for the details and far out for the big picture. In other classrooms, children explore ramps - what they do and how they work - and compare them to ramps out in the world. I had a grad student PreK teacher who had family members text her photos of ramps they saw over the weekend and she printed them out to inspire the children's constructions. I recently worked with 2 teachers in a blended early childhood special education classroom and state-funded PreK with many children who are dual language learners. They immersed themselves in cardboard constructions. One group built a "real house" which they defined has having a door, windows, and a chimney. Another group built "a house for all of us" - picture a cardboard corral. It took a lot of informal measuring and trial and error to create something that held them all. I worked with a second grade teacher who created a series of science detective adventures, one per quarter. The first one guided them in solving the mystery of the holes in the rose bush leaves. In this way, children become scientists and engineers who are building their own knowledge and skills, rather than consumers of science and engineering concepts created by other people.
Perhaps you can support your staff in making a shift to more of what is locally available if you talk about how it is a part of building community, a sense of belonging, and helping children value the richness and importance of where they live. It's possible no matter where you are. I've done workshops on Nature and the Young Child in parking lots and found much to explore.
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Elizabeth Sherwood
Professor
SIUE
Glen Carbon IL
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Original Message:
Sent: 03-07-2019 01:01 PM
From: Rebecca Sayegh
Subject: Science topics for preschoolers
We are really lucky to have an amazing outdoor environment and good California weather so our children are outdoors all the time.
The most amazing science that goes on in our center is watching the cycle of the Monarch Butterflies. We have milkweed planted for them in the courtyard and in some of the classroom yards. The children are able to watch the whole process live. In fact, the caterpillars love to hook themselves to the fence on the one year old's yard. They know what a chrysalis is and how to say it, and how to watch without touching for the butterfly to emerge. Last year we had so many caterpillars we had to make a sign for caterpillar crossing so they didn't get trampled.
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Rebecca Sayegh
San Diego CA
Original Message:
Sent: 03-04-2019 07:45 PM
From: Hilary Laing
Subject: Science topics for preschoolers
Hello all
I am a teacher and the curriculum specialist at an early childhood center. Many teachers choose studies around animals, often animals that the children have never seen other than on a screen. I have always been of the belief that a topic is only worth studying if there are meaningful ways to make connections between the animal's life and habits to the life of the child. For example, if talking about how birds eat, give children tools that mimic how different birds eat and let them experience what a bird experiences. I find that much of the curriculum feels filled with random facts and more theme based, where the learning is slim and relies on craft projects. I also find that there are so many other science topics that help children learn about the world around them that animal study seems less important. I would love to hear others' opinions about this as well as learn about any articles or books that address this issue. I rely heavily on any science books that Peggy Ashbrook has written and also the Young Scientist Series. I would like to be able to have a discussion with the staff centered on how we prioritize the curriculum we choose for science.
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Hilary Laing
Teacher
Orono Discovery Center
Orono MN
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