2.  State why science is important to the development of young children  Name and describe three general kinds of science  Discuss the discovery center and its importance in the ECE program

3. Children and scientists: -investigate by carefully studying their environment -gain knowledge by finding answers to questions or problems about the world Investigation and knowledge cannot be separated

4.  Learning how to is considered more important than the answers themselves  Three types of science experiences for young children ◦ Formal science ◦ Informal science ◦ Incidental science

5.  Children learn by doing ◦ Actively involved in investigation of their world ◦ Most effective  Science helps children develop skills in using their senses ◦ These skills can be used throughout their lifetime ◦ Transfer of knowledge: knowledge and skills gained in one area and used in others  Exercise their creative abilities ◦ Open environment to play with materials and objects

6.  Formal science – planned by the teacher to develop particular skills ◦ Including pouring and measuring tools in the sand and water area  Informal Science – little or no teacher involvement ◦ Discovery center ◦ Activities to stimulate curiosity, exploration, and problem solving

8.  Incidental science – cannot be planned; unplanned occurrence a teacher may take advantage of ◦ Worms after a spring rain ◦ Thunderstorm and its damage ◦ Teacher can encourage children to explore and seek answers to some of their questions

9.  Working with art materials may make for scientific observations ◦ Water makes tempera paint thinner ◦ Crayons near heat become soft  Cause and effect discoveries ◦ Colors change as they are mixed ◦ Sponges absorb liquid ◦ Observe differences between liquids and solids ◦ Simple machines (hammer and scissors)

10.  Naturally love animals  Stimulate children’s artistic exploration  After exploration, children will use art media to make representations of animals  Can be spontaneous ◦ Children finding a grasshopper on the playground ◦ Teacher may ask throught provoking questions

11.  Draw, paint, model representations of the children’s pets  Find pictures for collages showing animals  Make zoo cages or farm environments for play toys  Create real or imaginary characters from boxes

12.  Should contain things for children to “do”  Sand and water table is common ◦ Rice, beans, cornmeal, sawdust, mud with measuring equipment  Cooking ◦ Recipes that do not require adult supervision ◦ Children prepare individually  Can contain plants and animals for children to observe

14.  Please Touch!  Can be set up for independent use  Printed directions can be prepared  Tape-recorded directions may also be prepared  Location of the discovery center is important ◦ Invites participation but limits distractions

16.  As teachers, we need to educate our students on the importance of caring for the environment  Areas in Kansas are projected to be without water in their lifetimes!  Environment consists of home, school, and community for each child  Environment provides for their basic needs (water, food, clean air), safety, intellectual growth

17.  In this chapter, the term environment refers to two things: man-made and natural things  Man-made: streets, houses, schools  Natural: trees, grass, birds  Home environment-pleasant/unpleasant part of a child’s life  School environment-pleasant/unpleasant  Neighborhood-friendly, safe or unfriendly, dangerous

18.  Study of all elements of an environment, both living and nonliving, and the interrelation of these elements  Comes from two Greek words: ecos meaning home, and ology meaning study of  ECO programs encourage recycling of materials: reusing materials for art projects, we think twice before throwing anything away

19.  Teach another way of living (licensing regs.) ◦ Use durable dishes instead of disposable ones ◦ Clean beverage containers ◦ Recycle tin cans, pop cans ◦ Use personal cloth towels instead of paper towels  Young children need opportunities to observe the total process rather than just a portion of it or only the finished product ◦ Paper making process, life cycle of a plant

20.  Increase the amount of time spent outdoors  Music, movement, art activities outside  Reading, working on projects outside  All depends on weather conditions!  The more natural an environment, the better  National Standards on earth and science: “all students develop an understanding of the properties of the earth”

21.  Teacher’s most important role is sharing enthusiasm, curiosity, and wonder  Get down on the child’s level to interact with him/her  Focusing attention on something can encourage exploration and child-adult conversation

22.  Best way for children to learn about animals is to have them in the classroom  Children learn through observation and caring for pets  Effects of having pets: ◦ Children grow in understanding animals’ needs ◦ Appreciation for different animals ◦ Compassion ◦ inspiration

23.  Be sure children do not have allergies to the animals  Guinea pigs  Rabbits  Parakeets  White mice / hamsters  Turtles / salamanders  Gerbils  Goldfish or fish of any kind

24.  Children should learn that pets are not toys  Animals have feelings, and when provoked, some may bite  Discuss how pets feel, look, sounds they make  Write experience charts  Draw/paint/model representations  Take a trip to the pet shop or zoo  Tell animal stories, sing songs, etc

25.  Cost food, vet, replacement, cage. etc.  Who is going to care for pet, weekends, extended holidays?  If it dies a natural discussion of death can result, or in the case of fish, usually just replaced. (Is this something we want to get into? Depends on the program’s philosophy)

26.  Watching a bean seed sprout  Playing with snow in the texture table before playing outside  Watching birds and squirrels through the windows before suggesting children let a goat eat from their hands  Walking barefoot in the grass and sand before wading in a shallow stream

27.  Language-Exp. Center-books and pictures about nature  Manipulative Ctr.-simple puzzles with nature themes, shells, pebbles of differing sizes and colors  Art Ctr.-dried leaves or small pieces of bark for rubbings; seeds, shells, dry grasses, and feathers for collages

28.  Music/Listening Ctr.-audiotapes of sounds from nature (bird, ocean, rainforest sounds)  Dramatic Play-camping equipment, garden tools, picnic basket

29.  Make a garden using flower and/or vegetable seeds  Give choices to the children  Older children can measure the growth, then chart

30.  Children can try to design and build bird feeders  Try different types of bird seeds to attract birds  Identify birds using books, binoculars to view birds through windows  Once you start feeding birds they become dependent on you, so continue feeding.

31.  On nice days, take the children outside to lay on their backs to view the clouds  Ask questions!!  Follow up with It Looked Like Spilled Milk

32.  Walking in the woods, on the sidewalk, to hear the sounds of nature  Use a tape recorder for later activities  Again, ask questions as you do this activity

34.  After a rainstorm, take the children outside to observe how the rain water flows  Pavement/grass  Dirt/grass  Erosion

35.  Under bushes, trees  Thick grasses, large rocks  Great time to ask questions about animals  Get the children to think like an animal, and they could answer questions as if they were that animal  “If you were a rabbit, why would you hide under the bush?”

36.  Explore the outdoors to experience plants firsthand  Find the tallest tree, roughest bark, needles, pinecones, etc.  Experience vegetables, eat the results!  Compare plants (leaves, seeds, size, etc.)  Plant some plants in a garden plot or in plastic baggies

38.  May use a large wading pool for experiments outside  Following items for water play experiences: ◦ Sponges, corks, light pieces of wood ◦ Funnels, strainers, plastic tubing ◦ Spray containers, squeeze bottles ◦ Plastic containers, paintbrushes ◦ Spoons, dippers

39.  Limit the number of children  Use only unbreakable items for water play  Develop water rules with the children ◦ Water stays in the tub vs. NO Splashing ◦ Keep water in the containers ◦ Have towels available for spills ◦ Children wipe up or mop up spills immediately

40.  What are the 2 phases of science? Which phase is more important for young children?  The teacher is most involved in planning in _____________.  The teacher cannot plan for ___________.

41.  Observing skills are taught to children in ____________.  Free investigation is used most often in ____________.  Discuss the discovery center and its importance in the ECE program.