Three ways of developing and presenting science in the classroom Putting on a Science Fair Involving Parents with Science ZipKits Library Kits Bibliography of children's books relevant to science Assistance available from TCHS Demonstration Center Staff Three ways of developing and presenting science in the classroom Children love hands on science. Teachers will discover that their problems in managing children's attention and behavior really diminish when they offer hands-on science activities. Offering children activities that interest them is wonderful, but it is only a beginning. The preschool years are a critical time to help children build the essential cognitive foundations that will support their learning throughout life. Science is a wonderful vehicle for this, because it simultaneously meets children's passion to learn about the world around them and offers opportunities to practice and develop the intellectual skills we call essential cognitive foundations. Not all early childhood teachers are ready to do what TCHS Demonstration Staff have done, and adjust their curriculum so that science is the leading activity on a daily basis. So we have developed three ways that teachers can introduce science into the classroom. In all three approaches, it is essential to model and support the children in using the cycle of scientific reasoning shown here: Too often, teachers just present an activity for science time - perhaps as a demonstration or perhaps as a hands-on activity. By taking a little more time, teachers can help children learn and practice the process of scientific reasoning. Take time to introduce the activity, invite children to think about what they already know that might be relevant. Plan together how you will proceed. Make predictions together about what will happen. Do the activity. Talk about what happens. Were the predictions accurate? What have you learned? Next, develop a plan for sharing (reporting) what you have learned - a picture, a chart, a story. It is important to incorporate this process of scientific thinking into each of the three types of science instruction described here. Single Activity Science ZipKits QuickRecipe for Creating a Science Unit Science Everyday, Everywhere: Science as the leading activity of the Early Childhood Classroom. Putting On a Science Fair A Science Fair is a wonderful way to celebrate children's learning and to show strong support for the importance of children learning science. When parents help in putting on the Science Fair, they share in their children's learning. Many parents see their children in a new light after seeing how engaged and curious they are when working with science activities. We have prepared guidelines for putting on a successful science fair. These guidelines include suggested science activities, ways of inviting parent involvement, and ways of supporting parent involvement so that everyone has a positive experience. Click here for information on ordering the guidelines. Library Kits and Bibliography RESOURCE KIT REFERENCE LIST Monroe Library Science Connection (716) 271-1957 MONROE BRANCH LIBRARY 809 Monroe Avenue Rochester, NY 14607 3 Week Loan $2/day Late Fee * activities included in booklet for these topics   # Topic * 1 Air 2 Birds 3 Butterflies and Caterpillars 4 Clouds * 5 Color 6 Dinosaurs * 7 Eggs * 8 Fall/Apples * 9 Fall * 10 Fall 11 Farming 12 Fish 13 Frogs and Tadpoles * 14 Human Body 15 Insects and Spiders * 16 Magnets * 17 Nutrition * 18 Recycling * 19 Seeds and Gardens * 20 Senses/Hearing * 21 Senses/Sight * 22 Senses/Smelling * 23 Senses/Tasting * 24 Senses/Touching * 25 Shadows and Light * 26 Simple Machines * 27 Sound 28 Space 29 Spring/Rain * 30 Spring * 31 Spring 32 Summer/Seashore * 33 Summer * 34 Summer * 35 Trees * 36 Water 37 Weather * 38 Winter * 39 Winter * 40 Winter 41 Teachers Resources Assistance available from TCHS Demonstration Center Staff TCHS Demonstration Center Staff is committed to helping other early childhood educators establish an environment that fosters the essential cognitive foundations offer science activities to young children in a developmentally appropriate manner To these ends we offer workshops, curriculum guides, curriculum kits to accompany the guides, single activity Science ZipKits for classroom or home use, and guidelines for putting on a science fair. Workshop Topics Preschool Curriculum for the 21st Century Designing the Early Childhood Classroom to Help Children Develop Essential Cognitive Foundations Teaching Science to Preschoolers Discovery and Exploration Integrating Science and Literature Teaching Color and Optics* Teaching Measurement and Mapping* Teaching Properties of Matter* *These workshops accompany the Curriculum Guides and Kits Curriculum Guides and Kits* Color and Optics Measurement and Mapping Properties of Matter Each kit contains all the materials needed to implement the curriculum in a classroom. Science ZipKit Activites We can provide Science ZipKits on a variety of topics, including Sinking and Floating Make a Sinker Float How to Stay Warm M & M Candy Categorizing Activity Mystery on a Sponge A Magnifying Glass Activity Airplanes & Helicopters Project Jack in the Beanstalk Growing Activity Science Fair Guidelines We have successfully supported parents in putting on science fairs that celebrate their children's learning and help the parents gain confidence in their ability to support and extend that learning. A pamphlet describing our methods and the science activities we used is available. Last updated: December 9, 1997 by Charles S. Yang