Science A Multimedia Teaching Approach in A Thematic-Learning Environment Nov / Dec 2006 Brought to you by: Our dedicated team of trainers A.L. Khoo, BSc. (UM) S.S. Tee, MEd. BSc. (UTM) P.Y. Loke, MSc. BSc. (USM)

Science for young children  Knowledge obtained by observations  Based on experiments  Proven facts

Objectives:   To train children to have reasoning thinking   To understand the cause-and- effect relationship   To make predictions based on reasoning thinking and the cause-and- effect relationship

Natural Science Living and non-living things   Human, animals, plants   Food, things around us Environment   Weather, seasons Energy   Water, wind, sun Nature   Sea, land, mountain

How to teach children Science? Observe (close-to-far) Observe (close-to-far) Compare (known-to-unknown) Compare (known-to-unknown) Record / Measure (elaboration) Record / Measure (elaboration) Discuss / Make predictions or inferences Discuss / Make predictions or inferences

Scientific thinking Mastering scientific thinking skills allows children to interact with materials and environmental phenomena. Mastering scientific thinking skills allows children to interact with materials and environmental phenomena. We should cultivate an exploratory and investigative behaviour in children from young. We should cultivate an exploratory and investigative behaviour in children from young. The fundamental skills of the scientific thinking process is mastered through observations, comparisons, measuring, and making predictions or inferences. The fundamental skills of the scientific thinking process is mastered through observations, comparisons, measuring, and making predictions or inferences.

For topics that involve experiments eg. forming a rainbow, carry out the experiment in class. For topics that involve experiments eg. forming a rainbow, carry out the experiment in class. Firstly, demonstrate to the children how to conduct the actual experiment or by using the multimedia. Firstly, demonstrate to the children how to conduct the actual experiment or by using the multimedia. Allow the children to do the experiment on their own and it is best that each child gets a chance. Allow the children to do the experiment on their own and it is best that each child gets a chance. Learning visually never beats hands-on experience. Learning visually never beats hands-on experience.

Theme: My Body Our 5 Senses  Sight  Sound  Smell  Taste  Touch Scope: Living things: Human – Our body Objective: To train children to react positively to a certain stimulus so that they are able to respond accurately to further tasks

  Activity: Rhyme “Hands on shoulders, Hands on knees, Hands behind you If you please. Touch your elbows, Then your nose, Touch your hair, Now touch your toes. Raise your hands up high, Wave hello, Stretch those arms and Watch you grow! Then bring hands down, Touch the floor, Now clap your hands... One, two, three, four!” Theme: Our Five Senses

 Activity: Rhyme “Fee, fi, fo, fum (Thump little finger, ring finger, middle finger, index finger, on desk.) Hear my fingers, (Thump fingers on desktop) Hear my thumb. (Thump thumb on desktop) Fee, fi, fo, fum... (Repeat first action.) Fingers gone, (Pull fingers into a fist) So is my thumb!" (Pull thumb into fist) (Thump little finger, ring finger, middle finger, index finger, on desk.) Hear my fingers, (Thump fingers on desktop) Hear my thumb. (Thump thumb on desktop) Fee, fi, fo, fum... (Repeat first action.) Fingers gone, (Pull fingers into a fist) So is my thumb!" (Pull thumb into fist)

Theme: Our Five Senses  Activity: Human body dice Six sides of the dice pasted with different pictures. Side 1 – Eye Side 2 – Ear Side 3 – Nose Side 4 – Tongue/Mouth Side 5 – Hand/Foot/Skin Side 6 – Boy/Girl/Animal/Plant Roll the dice and tell a story step-by-step.

 Activity: What do the different parts of a plant do? Roots Roots Stem Stem Leave Leave Flower Flower Fruit Fruit Theme: Plants

Flower – Head/Face Flower – Head/Face Stem – Body Stem – Body Leaves – Arms Leaves – Arms Roots - Feet Roots - Feet

Theme: Plant Activity: Do you know that the parts of plant can use to make food? Flower (e.g. flower tea, chrysanthemum tea) Flower (e.g. flower tea, chrysanthemum tea) Leave (e.g. tea, vegetables dishes) Leave (e.g. tea, vegetables dishes) Stem (e.g. vegetables dishes) Stem (e.g. vegetables dishes) Root (e.g. ginseng tea) Root (e.g. ginseng tea)

Draw a plant on the board. Draw a plant on the board. Draw a few examples of food from different parts of a plant. Draw a few examples of food from different parts of a plant. Let the children sit in a circle. Let the children sit in a circle. Play the music. Play the music. Let the children pass the pics of food. Let the children pass the pics of food. When the music stops, he has to paste the drawing on the certain part of plant. When the music stops, he has to paste the drawing on the certain part of plant.

Theme: Get to know yourself Topic: What does your body do? Other games Are you left-handed or right-handed? Are you left-handed or right-handed? Why do we have fingers? Why do we have fingers?

Theme: My Family Activity Topic: Animals and their homes Draw a picture of where you live. Draw a picture of where you live. Include pictures of the things you need to live where they do; for example, a place to cook and keep food, a place to sleep, a neighbourhood. Include pictures of the things you need to live where they do; for example, a place to cook and keep food, a place to sleep, a neighbourhood. Discuss what you drew. Discuss what you drew. Close their eyes and imagine: a bird's home, an ant's home, a bee’s home etc Close their eyes and imagine: a bird's home, an ant's home, a bee’s home etc

Theme: Our Earth  Activity: Words that come to mind when I think of the sky… What objects do you see? What objects do you see? Are any of these objects moving? Describe how they are moving. Are any of these objects moving? Describe how they are moving. Which of these objects do you think you would be able to see at night? Which of these objects do you think you would be able to see at night? What do you think will still be here tonight? What do you think will still be here tonight? What do you think will still be here tomorrow? What do you think will still be here tomorrow?