SCIENCEUnderstanding the

World Around Us

Children have a natural interest about the world around them and

they act as scientists as they question their surroundings.

Science is BEST LEARNED THROUGH:

Experiences of the senses: – eyes, nose, mouth, ears, and touch

First hand experiences Simple experiments Unplanned discoveries Observations Predictions Exciting discussions Effective questioning

THE SCIENTIFIC PROCESS Observe: notice, wonder explore.

Ask questions Create a hypothesis

Predict outcome Perform experiment

Analyze results Evaluate hypothesis

Chemistry transformation: scientific process

Effective Questioning Children often need a little push or help thinking

about things. Effective questioning develops:

– Critical thinking skills and Problem solving– Language and promotes Discussion – Responsibility– Personal opinions– Cause and effect, compare and contrast, observations CLOSED-ENDED QUESTIONS: – Answering the question for the child.– Simple Single word answers or Yes and

No answers.• What color is it?• What shape is it?• Do you like to look at the fish? • Is that your favorite toy?

OPEN-ENDED QUESTIONS: What are you observing?

– Look at the cream in the jar. What happens when you ….? What do you think will happen if…. How did you do that? I wonder how _______ works? How could you group these? What can you do to make that happen? How does it look the same or different than it did yesterday? What can you change to make ___ work/happen out? When did this happen? What happened afterward? I don’t know either. Let’s see if we can find out

The SCIENCE AREA Allow the child to explore the world around them

through hands on activities, displays, and simple science experiments.

Place it near a window and away from active play. Include a variety of materials for the child to examine

and experience using all of their senses.

real and plastic animals

magnifying glasses

Sorting containers

Balance scale

Building materials

Microscopes globe Pictures Plants Leaves

Seeds Rocks insects Seashells water

Include a Sensory Table- Anything that provides children with an

opportunity to explore using their senses.- A sensory table is more than just sand and water: wheat,

straws, snow, mud, rice, ooblek - Contain water wheels, funnels, plastic beakers, cups etc.

-Sensory tables should be located near a sink for quick clean up.

ELLEN’S OOBLEK SHOW

SENSORY PLAYOOBLEK

1 Dixie cup 1 – 1 ½ TBL water 2 TBL cornstarch Stir it

CHEMISTRY Suspension Chemical reaction Chemical change

CHEMISTRY 1. Suspension

– Lava Lamp, Pepper Fun 2. Chemical reaction

– Volcano , Alka Seltzer Pop 3. Chemical change

– Oobleck, Butter, Soap– Flubber (Silly putty) and Gak

(slime)

PHYSICAL Balance Weight and Size Movements Gravity Water: Sink or Float Magnets Machines: wheels, gears, lever, etc.

PHYSICAL Conductor/Insulator

– Ice cubes on a metal baking sheet vs. ice cubes on a piece of cardboard, which melts faster?

– Crayon Melting on a hot plate– Electricity Static on hair with balloons

Balance– Does air have weight? 2 balloons and a ruler.– Dominoes falling in a chain reaction

Weight and Size Gravity

– Drop various objects to see how they fall, Water fountain Water:

– Test Sink or Float, Scuba Diver , Dancing raisins/popcorn Magnets

– Dancing Socks Machines:

– wheels, gears, lever (nutcracker), Push cars down a race track

ASTROLOGY-METEOROLOGY

Sun Light and Dark: Shadows Stars Weather

ASTROLOGY-METEOROGY Sun, Moon and Stars

– Make a sundial, sun prints on paper– Telescope

Light and Dark – Shadow tracing Outdoors with the sun,

indoors with the flashlight. The water cycle Weather

– Tornado in a bottle, Thunder in a brown bag

Season changes

BIOLOGY Living and non-living

things Animals Habitats and Diets

BIOLOGYStudying Living and non-living things Classify and sort items Animals

– Make a bird house or bird feeder, Care of pets, Habitats and Diets

Your Human Body– Our 5 senses

• Smelling jars, tasting table, sound cans, touch gel bags, hearing.

– Graph hair colors, favorite ice cream flavors– Drawing pictures of you

Germs and Bacteria– Germy Hands

Non-living things– Does it breath? Does it move on its own?

BOTANY Plants Germination Photosynthesis Purpose of plants: food, building,

clothing, etc.

BOTANY Plants and trees

– Do leaves breath? – Matching leaves with the tree.– Leaf rubbing

Germination– Sprout seed in plastic bag– Grass Head Guys

Photosynthesis– Carnation /Celery in colored water– Place one plant in sun, one plant in

dark.

ECOLOGY Conservation Recycling Erosion Care of the Environment

– Worms in soil

FIELD TRIP: AWARENESS WALK with your sidewalk chalk