THE YOUNG NA
TURALISTS: CONCEPT MAPPING AS AN INSTRUCTIONAL TOOL FOR CONCEPTUAL
DEVELOPMENT OF PRESCHOOL CHILDREN
By Janice Hunter, Ph.D., Heather Monroe-Ossi, M.Ed., and Stephanie Wehry, Ph.D.
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Hypotheses
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Assessment
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Assessments
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The Young Naturalists project focused on increasing the background
knowledge and conceptual development of preschool children (n = 53)
enrolled in three classes at a child care center in a southeastern state. This
study built on the work of Novak & Gowin (1984), Zimmerman (2005),
Hirsch (2006), and Neuman & Celano (2006) regarding concept mapping,
elementary science learning, and the knowledge gap of at-risk, young
children. This project was conceived as a foundational study in the
development of young children’s knowledge about plants and their role in
the environment. Concept mapping has been primarily conducted with
students at the upper elementary level through college levels (Novak &
Gowin, 1984). There has been some seminal work in Spain and Italy
(Figueiredo, Lopes, Firmino & de Sousa, 2004). In the Spanish study
(Figueiredo et al., 2004), 13 children aged 3-6 years were engaged in an
instructional unit about cows for a period of four weeks. Our project, lasting
eight weeks, focused on the study of plants and their role in the
environment.
Young children will not be able to articulate the hierarchical relationships
among the concepts related to plants and their role in the environment.
Following the construction of initial class concept maps, children were
assessed three times by university researchers. Assessment 1 required
children to individually sort and organize pictures of plants and butterflies.
Assessment 2 included child interviews based upon the question "What do
you know about plants?" Finally, Assessment 3 required children to explain
the relationships between concepts children identified on their class concept
maps.
Assessment 1: Task of sorting and organizing around pictures
about plants and butterflies.
This project addressed three goals focused on how young children learn:
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to increase knowledge of plants and their role in
the environment.
to introduce scientific learning through hands-on
instructional experiences.
to examine the utility of concept mapping as a tool to track
conceptual development in young children.
Instructional Focus
Purpose
Vocabulary development
to use informational texts to develop
rich concepts
Building background knowledge
through concrete experiences
to actively engage children in their
learning
Advance organizers
to guide children’s investigations
Investigations (such as determining
the effects of sunlight on plant
growth)
to provide concrete, hands-on
experiences
Concept mapping
to document the hierarchical
relationships described by children
Young children will not be able to construct a concept map that includes
second or third level concepts, related to plants and their role in the
environment.
Young
Naturalists
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to r Curriculum
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Teachers provided instruction based on a unit of lessons developed for the
Young Naturalists curriculum. Instructional strategies involved the use of
advance organizers or scientific beliefs about the nature of plants and the
environment and the use concept mapping. Advance organizers were
identified in research as an essential strategy for use with young children.
Additionally, project teachers were trained in basic concept mapping. Read
alouds continued to be a predominant instructional strategy for vocabulary
and concept development; therefore, the curriculum was an extension of the
school’s literacy curriculum. Reinforcement of concepts occurred through
hands-on experiences in the butterfly garden.
Assessment 1
Children were assessed individually by university staff. Pictures of the
children’s concept maps were reviewed. Two-thirds (67%) of the four-year-old
children were able to make at least one second-level concept connection
about plants. Their connections were basic, such as,“flowers (first-level) need
sunlight (second-level).” Only 35% of the three-year-old children were able
to make at least one second-level concept connection. Three-year-old
children tended to name the pictures without making connections.
Assessment 3: To assess the understanding of the final concept map
itself, each child was asked, “What do these pictures represent?
This is the concept map you did with Ms. ____. What do the
pictures tell you about plants?”
Children were assessed individually and videotaped by university staff. Their
responses, ranging from 7 to 117 words, were transcribed and concept maps
constructed based on their statements. A review of the concept maps revealed
that 28 (93 %) four-year-old children and 11 (85%) three-year-old children were
able to make second- and third-level concept connections. Assessment results
indicate both hypotheses can be rejected.
Assessment 3
Assessment 1
Assessment 2
The first lesson for each class involved the development of an initial class
concept map, based on a series of 20-25 pictures.This class concept map was
a point of reference throughout the eight-week instructional period
(March-April 2007). Modifications were made to the class concept map as
children learned new information (concepts) that needed to be added or as
they chose to correct errors that they detected in their first attempt.
Following the first lesson, teachers and children worked with volunteers and
parents to plant a butterfly garden. Various experiments were conducted to
determine the effects on the plants (e.g., effect of too much water on plants).
All lessons were provided in the packet/unit developed for instruction.
Assessment 2: Individual talk—“What do you know about plants?”
Assessment 3
Initial Class Concept Map
Children were assessed individually by university staff and their responses
were transcribed. Responses ranged from 3 words to 136 words. Concept
maps were constructed to reflect their statements about plants. A review of
the concept maps revealed that 18 (64%) four-year-old children and 7 (41%)
three-year-old children were able to make second- and third-level concept
connections.
Assessment 2
Conclusions
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Based on the results of the three assessments, preschool children
demonstrated improved ability to articulate relationships among concepts
they learned. The three-year-old children improved from 35% making
second- and third-level concept connections to 85%. During the final
assessment 93% of four-year-old children were able to articulate second- and
third-level concept connections. This small study indicated that it is possible
to use concept mapping as both an instructional tool and assessment tool
with preschool children with some success.
Acknowledgement
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The Young Naturalists project was made possible through grant funding
provided by the Environmental Center of a state university.
Final Class Concept Map
Janice Hunter, Ph.D., Heather Monroe-Ossi, M.Ed., and
Stephanie Wehry, Ph.D.
Florida Institute of Education at the University of North Florida
Graphic Designer: Alice DeLeon