Module # 8

The Value of Science Education at the Pre-Kindergarten Level

Article 1: Fearless Science in the Early Years: Co-Construction in a Rural Childcare Centre by Barbara Jordan and Sue Smorti

This article is about an action research project that took place in a childcare centre in New Zealand, with students from three to five years of age. The children are seen as competent scientists, and are encouraged at home and at school to investigate the world around them, and to develop a mature understanding of the concepts and language connected to science. The central question of the research study undertaken by the authors was "How does our fearless teaching and learning approach to science, in a rural early childhood setting, involve children and their families in investigating real life (authentic) science experiences?" This fearlessness was evident through children's willingness to interact with the natural world around them, such as handling worms, tadpoles, snails and slime, and looking at animal carcasses. The authors give several examples of children's involvement in their environment, and how this led to increasing knowledge of scientific concepts. One example is a two and a half year old girl who took home a small worm farm for a weekend, and was able to explain to her parents about where the worms live, what they eat,and how they benefit the environment. She also used words such as "habitat" in her explanations. The authors stress the importance of dialogue between teachers and children, and also that teachers need to have appropriate content knowledge if their students are to become enthusiastic about science. This is an area where many pre-school teachers feel they are lacking, and so they tend not to include science in the daily curriculum. The authors of this article feel strongly that people will develop a life-long respect for and understanding of science and the environment, if they are exposed to science in a meaningful way in early childhood.

Reflection

I found this article to be very interesting and encouraging in terms of the future of science education. I had not thought that such young children would be able to grasp science concepts, and also wondered about the ability of teachers trained for pre-school, to teach science. This article really made me realize that my thinking was incorrect on both counts. Teachers can develop the knowledge and confidence with which to guide young children, while they explore their world and ask questions. The authors point out that the fearless approach which young children have towards the natural world, pre-disposes them to experiences that they may not be open to as they grow older. They also stress the importance of interaction with teachers and parents, to extend children's learning and help them make connections. The response of teachers to children's natural curiosity would require them to research topics which may be discussed, so as to be able to guide children in a knowledgable way.
I liked the examples given in this article of situations in which students have used their own questions about the world around them,to develop scientific language and learning. This makes me think of the constructivist approach to learning, where children bring their questions and background knowledge, and through questions and prompts, build upon this knowledge. As children are interested in their immediate environment, the knowledge they build will be highly relevant to them. I think that these lessons can be extended to our elementary teaching, where children are encouraged to be observant and question the world around them. As the authors of the article point out, this can form the basis for a lifetime of learning.


Article 2:Using Children's Literature to Teach Standards-Based Science Concepts in Early Years by Mesut Sackes, Kathy Cabe Trundle, and Lucia M. Flevares

The authors of this article investigated the use of literature to introduce science concepts to young children. Young children tend to respond well to information presented in narrative form, and so using literature to teach science could help make concepts more meaningful to children. The authors caution that there are many aspects of children's books that teachers need to be aware of- many children's stories include anthropomorphism, giving human characteristics to animals. Also, language and illustrations in some children's books may be a source of misconceptions, such as pictures showing the moon "coming out" at night. They feel that if students are encouraged to ask questions and talk about the content of books, that literature can be used successfully in teaching science concepts. The article gives specific books that can be used with students aged from three to five years of age, their applications, and the misconceptions that may arise. Teachers are offered advise on how to overcome the limitations of the books. To help teachers find books that have scientifically sound ideas and illustrations, the authors focused on identifying books that are compatible with many state standards and can be thought of as appropriate for teaching science to young children. They suggest that when choosing books, the teacher should consider the science background of the author and illustrator, or those that were written with the guidance of science consultants. The authors conclude that literature can provide an opportunity to integrate science concepts into meaningful learning experiences for young children.

Reflection:

I have often used narratives with social studies, but had not thought of using stories for science integration, especially for young children. I agree with the authors that care would need to be taken so that children did not mistake fact and fiction. This may be especially true of many of the illustrations in books for young children, in which animals not only talk but often take on human-like expressions and actions. Teachers would need to be careful not to use books that are too factual, as these many be too advanced for young children. Having said that, in my experience with young children, I find that they are often fascinated by non-fiction books, especially those with compelling and supporting illustrations. But the narrative in literature is likely to be far more captivating for most children, and spark their interest and desire to know more. One book that comes to mind is the story of Stellaluna, by Janell Cannon. This is a highly engaging story about a bat who loses its mother, and finds a home with birds. This story could lead to looking at the differences between bats and birds, how they live, what they eat, as these aspects are touched on in the story. The illustrations are true to life as well. The list of books provided by the authors is a useful starting point for teachers, and will help them to develop confidence in moving forward with science and literature integration. I like the idea and would think of doing this with older students as well.

References:

Jordan, B. et al., (2010). Fearless Science in the Early Years: Co-Construction in a Rural Childcare Centre. The International Journal of Science in Society. 1 (4), 85-104.

Sackes, M. et al., (2009). Using Children's Literature to Teach Standards-Based Science Concepts in Early Years. Early Childhood Education.36: 415-422