Early Years
Prepared by Lisa Vien, Early Learning Coordinator
For CAYRE (Community Alliance for York Region Education)
A
NEWSLETTER
AND
Simple
SCIENCE
machines
without
of a bicycle.
scissors,
the workshop,
playroom.
TION
are all around
to the complexity
,ABOUT
FOR
EARLY
YOUNG
LE/~NGl
CHILDREN
us. \We use them
of itl They
ro,nge from
ever~fday
a simple
of a computer
I
stick
we
or the: gears
~/e use simple rnachinE~s when we cut with
use salad tongs,
a flag
PARENTS
EDUCA
even thinking
use as a lever
raise
FOR
up a flagpole,
play on a teeter-totter
use scre'wdrivers
and when we pull a ~,agon full
in 1'he park,
and hamm,ers in
of blocks: in the
Why introducesimplemachines
1.0youngchildren? ,
.
Children
.
Experimenting
children's
.
.
are naturally
and exploring
ability
in learnling
the concept
to problem-solve
Children
learn
activity,
like rolling
Experimenting
fascinated
the
with
rf~lationship
how things
of cause and effelct
and think
enhances
creatively
of c:ause f:lnd effect
(they
a ball down a Iramp, and observe
~)imple machines
wor.k
encolurages
plerform
and
an ou1tcome)
children
to construct
knowledge
GETTING
READY
FOR
KINDERGARTEN...
.
When you encourage your child to
exlplore, experiment
with simple
machines, you are preparing him/her to
meet the following expec:tations of the
Kindergarten Program:
By the end of KindergartE~n children will:
.DescrIbe
the functionS" of objects
found at home and at ;S'chool( cooking
utensils, tools, toys)
.Experimenting
with simple machines
.Work
with others usilJ:9 technology
.Make
a specific plan, ,fescribe
the
steps, and carry out tJie plan
.Make
appropriate obs~~rvations about
results and findings
Th.:~selearning expectations c,;omefrom The
Kindergarten Program, 1998, Ministry
of ,=-ducationand Traininq
DIGGING
.
.
.
.
IN l'HE
DIRT:
While you are gardening ( or
playing in the sand), provide little
shovels and spades for digging
Tell your child that he/she is using
a tool called a wedge
Challenge your child to dig a hole
with a shovel, and then without,
and decide which way is easier
Do wedges make our work easier
for us?
For more information please contact Lisa Vien, Early Learning
Coordinator at 416-969-7170
ex. 241:3 or [email protected]~du.on.ca
x
SCIENCE
Scissors
are an example
help to make work easier
CHILDREN'S
of a simple
machine
called
a lever .
Leve,"s
to do .
CHALLENGE : How many different
ways can yolu find
to cut paper using this leve,'.'?
At Home...
Help your child to find examples of hou.~ehold objects that
al.e
levers such as salad tongs and barbecu.:~ tongs .
At the Grocery Store...
Stroll down the kitchen gadget section.
What other levers can you
find?
At the Park...
The see-saw
is another
discover
example
how a lever works .
of a le~ver.
Encourage your child to