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Early childhood science in preschool—a conversation on Lab Out Loud
Listen in on a conversation between early childhood educator and researcher Karen Worth and the science teachers hosts of Lab Out Loud, Dale Basler and Bria...
By Peggy Ashbrook
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What the new NSTA Early Childhood Science Education position statement means to me
The National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) has adopted a new position statement, the Early Childhood Science Position Statement. This thoughtful document was inspired by the clamor of early childhood educators looking for guidance informed by ...
By Peggy Ashbrook
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Draft Early Childhood Science Education Position Statement—comment please!
When children compare a wet cloth to a dry cloth, is this teaching a science concept? What role do adults have in preschool science learning? Should teachers discuss science facts with preschoolers or only engage them in hands-on experiences?...
By Peggy Ashbrook
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In my volunteer work at a nature center, I get to see young children as they explore the natural world. They seem to have an intense interest in the animals and plants around them. This issue has several ideas to capitalize on this interest with rele...
By Mary Bigelow
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Resources about technology use in early childhood education
The NAEYC Technology and Young Children Interest Forum has put together many resources for early childhood educators looking for guidance on what, when and how to use the broad range of digital and analog devices we have or are considering using in o...
By Peggy Ashbrook
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Reading some standards for early childhood science teaching
The non-profit Minnesota coalition SciMathMN, published A Guide for Parents: “What Should I Look for in the Science Program in My Child’s School?”...
By Peggy Ashbrook
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Science-and-early childhood, at the NAEYC 2012 annual conference
Did I meet you at the NAEYC 2012 conference in Atlanta this month? I met many early childhood educators who are interested in some of the same questions I find most interesting, such as “What science topics are appropriate to teach about in ear...
By Peggy Ashbrook
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Promote and participate in early childhood science inquiry professional development
Share Your Expertise: Be Part of the National Conversation on STEM! Don’t miss a chance to participate in the NSTA 2013 STEM Forum & Expo, in St. Louis, MO, May 15-18. The deadline to submit a proposal to share your STEM expertise is quick...
By Peggy Ashbrook
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Nature experiences and empathy—see the March issues of journals for early childhood educators
Both the NSTA journal Science and Children, and the NAEYC journal Youn...
By Peggy Ashbrook
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When early childhood activities integrate math, science and engineering
Sometimes activities engage children in overlappings mathematics, science, and engineering learning....
By Peggy Ashbrook
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Involving families in early childhood science education
An elementary school PTA veteran observed to me, “If you want families to come to school, serve food or have their child take part in a performance.” This advice goes for preschool too! Serving food makes it easier for families to participate t...
By Peggy Ashbrook
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Early childhood teachers respond to request for resources on Earth and Life Science
Children observe and document seasonal changes as they begin to learn how living organisms respond to their environment....
By Peggy Ashbrook
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NAEYC Early Childhood Science Interest Forum
The National Association for the Education of Young Children 2011 national conference takes place next week in Orlando....
By Peggy Ashbrook
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Graphing in early childhood classrooms
The two comments on an earlier post on Collecting Data were about graphing in early childhood classrooms. My curiosity got the better of me so I investigated what some of the standards have to say about when it is appropriate to teach the concept ...
By Peggy Ashbrook
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In my early childhood experiences in a small creek below our house where neighborhood children waded and built dams, I learned many science and engineering concepts — the pushing force of moving water, its erosion of the sandbank, annual floodi...
By Peggy Ashbrook
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Join NSTA and find an early childhood science community
Dear Early Childhood Teacher (of science and everything else) and teacher educators: We invite you to join NSTA! The National Science Teachers Association has lowered new membership dues to $65 for a limited time only, until February 15th, 2011. So...
By Peggy Ashbrook
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Conference sessions of great interest to early childhood teachers
The March 10-13, 2011 National Science Teachers Association’s national conference in San Francisco promises many good sessions for early childhood (preK-2) teachers as well as for the ol...
By Peggy Ashbrook
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Importance of teaching science in early childhood promoted by NSTA President Alan McCormack
For any who did not get a chance to read the wonderfully supportive statement by the National Science Teachers Associatio...
By Peggy Ashbrook
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Data collection in early childhood
The January 2011 issue of Science and Children focuses on collecting data. In the Early Years column I wrote that “Young children collect data every day. They note who has pink sparkly shoes and find out who will share the ball on the playground....
By Peggy Ashbrook
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Join in forming a Science Interest Forum for early childhood educators
Dear early childhood educators and researchers, We’re writing to invite you to join us in applying to NAEYC to form an Early Childhood Science Interest Forum. The purpose of the forum is to:...
By Peggy Ashbrook
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Free journal columns on early childhood science
In the interest of making it easier for early childhood educators to teach science, I am unabashedly tooting my own horn—read the Early Years column I write in the National Science Teachers Association’s elementary school journ...
By Peggy Ashbrook
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NAEYC–early childhood and science!
Will I see you at the National Association for the Education of Young Children’s national conference in Washington, D.C., this week? Come say “Hi” and tell me what great sessions you’ve attended. I’ll be in the Learning Galleria, Table 12, ...
By Peggy Ashbrook
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What science should we teach in early childhood?
I’m interested in your opinions on what should be included in early childhood science standards. We don’t want to underestimate the abilities of young children to understand relationships in natural systems, nor overestimate their ability to unde...
By Peggy Ashbrook
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Science activities in early childhood prepare for a lifetime of learning
Like learning to count or to read, learning how to do science is a process. Children of all ages benefit from exposure to “science” situations where they are encouraged to fully experience our world, describe what they see, count and record data,...
By Peggy Ashbrook
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Yes, a science teachers' conference IS the place for early childhood teachers
I’m looking forward to the NSTA Regional Conference in Portland, Oregon, in November, a cornucopia of a conference so full of interesting presentations that each of my time slots is double (sometimes triple) booked with workshops and fieldtrips....
By Peggy Ashbrook