15/05/2016
CREATING SCIENTISTS
Sue Southey
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Springwood
Community
Kindergarten
QCAA, eKindy & QUT
PD & training for early
childhood educators
throughout Australia
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15/05/2016
Children make meaning about their
world through science
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What does science look like?
Children’s thinking processes
Early childhood science teacher roles
Setting up environments for learning
Prompts for teaching science
1.
2.
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4.
Wow – look at that
I wonder....
Let’s find out
Let’s tell everyone
Science content – Australian Curriculum
Earth &
space
sciences
Science as
a human
endeavour
Biological
sciences
Stands
Physical
sciences
Chemical
sciences
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Science topics for early childhood
Environment
&
sustainabilit
y
Sound &
Light
Human
body
Weather
Plants &
Animals
EC
Science
????
Cooking
Materials
Air
Water
rocks
Gravity &
Machines
Children’s thinking processes
Rational /conscious
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Conscious
Uses language
Procedural memory
Knowledge can be
applied/transferred to
new situations
Information can be
retrieved
Intuitive
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Unconscious
Constant (like a movie roll)
Episodic memory (like visual
stories)
Enables
 Imagination
 Intuitive insights
 Emotional responses
Hard to generalise/apply
this knowledge – tends to be
specific to a time and place
“here and now” experience
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Two types of thinking are supported in
different kinds of learning environment
Rational
Supported by:
 Intentional teaching
 Attaching language to
children’s experience
 Helping children
negotiate between
experience and
“science concepts”
Intuitive
Supported by:
 ‘Hands on’ experiences
 Associating positive
feelings with learning
Which kind of thinking do we need to
support?
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Both are necessary for science learning
Rational thinking uses language to
create accessible, organised knowledge
(hierarchies of concepts)
Intuitive thinking builds positive
dispositions to learning
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Intentional teaching
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Experience alone is not enough to lead to concept
formation (McLachlan, Fleer & Edwards)
Intentional teaching is bridging the gap between
intuitive thinking and conscious/rational thinking
Scaffolded learning (intentional planned teaching)
provides experiences that
 Provide
language for children to think about concepts and
help them create their own rules about how things work
 Challenges children’s thinking
The early childhood science teacher
• Set up
exciting
environments
• Modelling
enthusiasm for
science
• Question,
challenge
Facilitat
or
Mentor/
catalyst
Model
Consulta
nt/colla
borator
• Listen, share,
co-research
Harlan, J. D., & Rivkin, M. S. (2012). Science experiences for early childhood years: An integrated affective approach (10th ed.).
Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Education Inc.
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Setting up exciting environments
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Spaces where science
discoveries can occur
Science tools & resources
Setting up exciting environments
Tools
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Information books (borrow books
from local library)
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iPad/computer
Clipboards & pens
Cameras or ipads for taking
photos
Science boxes
Magnifying glasses & baskets
Animal models
spaces
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Table for display
Storage for science
boxes
Access to natural spaces
Water/sand play areas
Pin board space for
sharing discoveries
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Science boxes
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Objects from nature (snake skins, seed pods,
birds nests, shells)
Viewers/kaleidoscopes /mirrors
Sound toys (rain shakers, rubber bands to
make guitars
Gravity objects– oil timers, sand timers,
balance toys, gyroscope
X rays
Rocks, crystals, minerals
Float & sink objects (corks, stones, timber,
rocks, nuts etc)
Air – balloons, pinwheels, paper planes,
streamers
Magnets , paper clips,
Machines – hand beaters, hand drill, apple
corer
Museum displays
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Create interactive displays
Families can help provide science
artefacts
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Parents doing a gardening project
A way to view science experiences in
early childhood settings
Creating &
applying
Scaffolded
learning
(intentional
teaching)
Immersion and discovery
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Prompts
• Encouraging
curiosity
• Challenging
children's
expectations
Wow - look
at that!
I wonder...
• Listening to
children's ideas
• Providing more
experiences
• Using scientific
language
• Using scientific ways
of finding out:
• research
• measuring
• classifying
• fair tests
Let's find out
Let's tell
everyone
• Sharing our findings
through:
• talking
• writing/scribing
• drawing
• making
Southey, S. (2014). Wow look at that! Young Children as scientists. In
the loop(Spring 2014).
Ages and stages
0 yrs
2 yrs
3 ½ yrs
• Encouraging
curiosity
• Challenging
children's
expectations
Wow - look
at that!
I wonder...
• Listening to
children's ideas
• Providing more
experiences
• Using scientific
language
• Using scientific
ways of finding
out:
• research
• measuring
• classifying
• fair tests
Let's find out
Let's tell
everyone
• Sharing our
findings through:
• talking
• writing/scribing
• drawing
• making
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15/05/2016
Prompt 1: Wow – look at that!
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Getting children engaged
Stimulating children’s senses
Focussing their attention
Pointing out interesting things to
them
Sharing children’s excitement in
their discoveries
Toddlers as scientists
https://www.dropbox.com/s/f8o8pbscps8tvuq/ECA%20Learning%20Hub%20Babies%
20%26%20Toddlers%20science.wmv?dl=0
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Engaging senses – tactile
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Playdough (add objects
to change textures)
Mercury dough
Water play
Shaving cream fingerpaint
Metamucil flubber
Moon sand
Recipes
http://www.health.wa.gov.au/docreg/Education/Population/Child_Health/Play_a
nd_Learning/HP1787_FS_12playdough_recipes.pdf
Metamucil flubber
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1 tab
Metamucil
1 cup water
Microwave on
high for 4 mins
Stir vigorously
until mixture
binds together
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“what do you notice?”
“Where did the colour go?”
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“What can you see?”
Where did the colours come from?
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Milk experiment
Exploring electricity
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Prompt 2. I wonder....
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Stimulating children to construct their own meanings
through their experience
Using scientific language - attaching language to
children’s experience
Noticing similarities and differences
 Classifying
– how are these things the same
 Comparing– how are they different
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Listening to children’s ideas and theories
Sustained shared conversations
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When children become interested in a topic you can set up a whole series
of learning experiences that created ‘shared conversations’ around a topic
You can provide resources (books & artefacts) that allow children to
continue to explore and refine their understanding
e.g. ‘machines’
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15/05/2016
Things that have wheels
The language of science – type in some
science words attached to these topics
Water
Animals
Light (optics)
Magnets
Sound
(acoustics)
machines
Plants
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15/05/2016
The language of science
water
 Buoyancy
 Evaporation
 Condensation
 Pressure
 Fluid
 Capillary
Light (optics)
Transparent
Opaque
Translucent
Shadow
Refraction
Reflection
Animals
Nocturnal
Native
Carnivore
Herbivore
Mammal
Vertebrates
Life cycle
Plants
Photosynthesis
Environment
Life cycle
magnets
Polarisation
Magnetic field
attraction
Repulsion
Sound
(acoustics)
Vibration
Volume
Resonance
Pitch
Amplify
machines
Levers
Fulcrum
Pulley
Gears
Inertia
Friction
Energy
Kinetic energy
Drawing from observation
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When children attempt to draw
from observation they attend to
details
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Comparing: ‘how are these different?’
Sorting ‘which set does the balloon
belong in?’
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Comparing colours from felt pens
Comparing how you see the outside
and the inside of animals (Xrays)
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What happens when you wind the
handle?
Prompt 3: Let’s find out .... using
scientific ways of working
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Create a research question (ie what do we want to
know?) then find out......
Finding out
(research)
By
experimenting
Fair test
measuring
By finding out
from experts
Ask someone
Use books
Internet
search
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15/05/2016
What do we want to know?
Research – using iPad
ECA learning hub https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z8dNDnezbYc
https://www.dropbox.com/s/osf9r9xbju6qnef/Discussing%20butterflies%27%20markings%20
%282%29.mp4?dl=0
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Research – Making information boards
Research: What do other arches look
like?
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Testing: Which is the best thing for
knocking down our wall?
Test: What will these magnets stick to?
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Test: Which seeds will grow the fastest?
Test: Does the train work better on the
flat or on a slope?
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Prompt 4:Let’s tell everyone!
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Sharing new knowledge and discoveries
 Talking
one to one or in small groups
 Show & tell
 Displays
 Wall documentation
 Drawing and recording
Sharing children’s projects
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Recording your findings
Recording information to share with
others
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Using dough for science – representing
bones
Making artefacts that demonstrate
science concepts
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Show & tell “things that reflect light”
Information books as discussion starters
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information boards “my favourite
animals”
Displays show families what we have
been talking about
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Displays show families what we have
been talking about
Making books
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James
What makes this
shadow,
What can it be?
Turn the page,
And you will see!
James
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Piper
What makes this
shadow,
What can it be?
Turn the page,
And you will see!
Piper
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15/05/2016
Recording your findings
Recording your findings
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15/05/2016
Science topics for early childhood
Environment
&
sustainabilit
y
Sound &
Light
Human
body
Weather
Plants &
Animals
EC
Science
????
Cooking
Materials
Air
Water
rocks
Gravity &
Machines
Children make meaning about their
world through science





What does science look like?
Children’s thinking processes
Early childhood science teacher roles
Setting up environments for learning
Prompts for teaching science
1.
2.
3.
4.
Wow – look at that
I wonder....
Let’s find out
Let’s tell everyone
35
15/05/2016
Notes for this workshop
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If you would like a copy of the notes for this
workshop please email Sue
[email protected]
Please contact Sue if you would like a ‘hands on”
version of this workshop for the staff in your service
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