3 Basic of Science

8/23/2019 3 Basic of Science

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BASIC OF SCIENCE


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1. Define the relative importance of

science content, processes, and

attitudes in teaching young children2. Explain why science should be

taught to young children

3. Identify the major areas of scienceinstruction

OBJECTIVES


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4. List the science attitudes and

process skills appropriate to

preschool and primary grades5. Select appropriate science topics for

teaching science to young children

6. Select appropriate science contenttopics from the National Science

Education Standards


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Science is a way of trying to discover the nature of

things . Formal training in science classes often

promotes this view by requiring memorization ofseemingly endless science concepts.

Too many teachers approach the task of teaching

children science as if it were a body of knowledge

that anyone can memorize. The knowledge willchange and it might not be the one they will use in

their career.

Science and why we teach it to young

children


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The attitudes and thinking skills that have moved

science forward through the centuries are the same

attitudes and skills that enable individuals to solvethe problems that they encounter in everyday life.

An approach to science teaching that emphasizes

the development of thinking and the open-minded

attitudes of science would seem to be mostappropriate to the instruction of young children.


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In 1996 the National Research Council

published the National Science Education

Standards to support the development of a

scientific literate society. See attachment.


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A. BASIC PROCESS SKILLS1. Observing

2. Comparing

3. Classifying

4. Measuring

5. Communicating

B. INTERMEDIATE PROCESS SKILLS

6. Inferring

7. Predicting

C. ADVANCED PROCESS SKILLS

8. Hypothesizing

9. Defining and controlling variables

Science Process skills


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It is the most fundamental of the scientificthinking process skill; first step in gathering

information to solve a problem.

Children use senses as the means to send

the information to the brain.

Children need to observe properties of the

object such as, size, shape, color, texture, etc.

Teaching strategies that reinforce observation

skills require children to observe carefully to

note specific phenomena that they might

ordinarily overlook.

OBSERVING


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Teacher needs to facilitate them by asking

questions

Tell me what see.

What do you hear?

How do you describe the object?

Teacher can also enhance incorporate dramatic

play to enable children to observe, not just

looking. E.g. using observation glasses.


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As children develop skills in observation, they will

naturally begin to compare and contrast and to

identify similarities and differences.

It is the first step toward classifying.

Teacher can ask questions such as:

How are these alike?

How are these different?Which of these is bigger, wetter,..etc?

Compare similarities and differences between

these two animals.

COMPARING


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Classifying begins when children group and sort realobjects.

A subset is a group that shares a common

characteristic unique to that group. E.g sorting kinds

of leaves, button according to their properties. Teacher can guide them by saying:

Put together all of the animals that belong

together.

Can you group them in another way?

How are these animals organized?

Identify several ways that you used to classify

these animals.

CLASSIFYING


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Measuring is the skill of quantifying observations. Thiscan involve numbers, distances, time, volumes and

temperature, which may or may not be quantified with

standard units.

Measuring involves placing objects in order, such as anordered sequence (seriation), or length, shade.

Children can also invent unit of measuring, e.g. This

book is 12 beans long.

Teacher can guide by asking:How might you measure this object?

Which object do you think is heavier?

How could you find out?

MEASURING


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In early childhood science explorations,

communicating refers to the skill of describing a

phenomenon.

A child communicates ideas, directions, anddescriptions orally or in written form using pictures,

dioramas, maps, graphs, journals, reports.

Communication requires that information be

collected, arranged, and presented in a way thathelps others understand your meaning.

Teacher can ask them to keep logs, draw or record

what they have observed.

COMMUNICATING


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When children infer, they make a series of

observations, categorize them, then try to give themsome meaning.

The process skill of inferring requires that a

reasonable assumption of prior knowledge be present.

An inference is indirect E.g.

the leaves moving on the treesinfer---the wind is

blowing.

four cylinder filled up with different materials.

What is inside the cylinder?

What did you observe that makes you think

that?

How could you find out?

INFERRING


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Prediction is making a statement about what you

expect to happen in the future based on the prior

knowledge necessary.

The ability and willingness to take a risk and form a

prediction such as is of great importance indeveloping an awareness and understanding of

cause and effect.

E.g. I you race the metal car with the wooden

car, the metal car will go faster?

Which plant will grow faster? (subsoil and

topsoil)

Ask how they arrived at their prediction.

PREDICTING


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A hypothesis is a more formal operation than the

investigative questions that young children explore

in the preschool and primary grades.

It is a statement of a relationship that might existbetween two variables. If____ then _____. With

young children it can be the question: What

happen if ______?

The major types of hypotheses are varied in

character, but they correspond to the types of

knowledge or understanding that the investigation

aims to develop.

Hypothesizing and controlling

variables = investigation


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Curiosity

Withholding judgment

Skepticism

Objectivity Open mindedness

Avoiding dogmatism

Observing carefully Making careful

conclusions

Checking evidence

Positive approach tofailure

Positive self image

Willingness to change Positive attitude toward

change

Avoiding superstitions

Integrity

Humility

SCIENTIFIC ATTITUDES


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It takes a curious individual to look at somethingfrom a new perspective, question something long

believed to be true, or look more carefully at an

exception to the rule.

Often, years of formalized experiences in school,

which allow little time for exploration and

questioning, squish this valuable characteristic.

Educational experiences that utilize firsthandinquiry experiences like the learning cycle make

use of a childs natural curiosity rather than trying

to suppress it.

CURIOSITY


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Do you believe everything you see?

Are you skeptical about some things that you

hear?

Experiences designed around direct observationof phenomena and gathering data naturally

encourage children to explore new situations in

an objective and open-minded fashion. This type

of experience can do much toward developing

confidence and a healthy skepticism.

SKEPTICISM


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The science content for preschool and primary

education is not greatly different from that of any

other elementary grade level. The depth and

complexity of the science content and process skillsare determined by the developmental level of the

child.

The four main areas of science emphasis that arecommon in the primary grades are life science,

health science, physical science, and earth and

environmental science.

Appropriate science content


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Life science investigations lend themselves quite

readily to simple observations, explorations, and

classifications. Hands-on experiences are essential

to development of relevant concepts, skills, andattitudes.

It covers plants, animals, and ecology.

It builds the foundation for students understanding

of environment problems and solutions in higher

grade and adult life.

Life science


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In physical science, children in kindergarten

through four grade are expected to develop an

understanding of properties of objects and

materials; position and motion of objects; andlight, heat, electricity, and magnetism.

Physical science activities are more foolproof than

many other activities.

Future lifestyles and job opportunities may depend

on skills related to the realm of physical science.

Physical science


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In earth and space science, students inkindergarten through grade four gain an

understanding of properties of earth materials,

objects in the sky, and changes in the earth and

sky. Children have to opportunities to develop process

skills and are eager to learn about weather, water,

soil.

Although these topics are attention grabber, theteacher must be certain to make the phenomena

concrete. Hands on experiences need not be

difficult.

Earth and space science


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1. Why teach science to young children?

2. How is the appropriate approach in

teaching science to young children?

3. Explain the basic process skills.

4. List down the attitude needed in learning

science.

5. Explain appropriate main science content

for children.

Activity 1


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