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From the Early Years photo cache (click the pic for more). One misconception about science is that discoveries or new ideas are “discovered” then agreed upon by scientists in a complete form. Talking to children…
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Certain trees in my neighborhood are currently supporting populations of growing Eastern Tent Moth caterpillars. Children were excited to tell me about the “nest” they saw “way high” up in the tree (about 15 feet up).…
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What shape is your bubble wand? Children and making choices
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From the Early Years photo cache (click on the pics for more). The children were happy that I had enough of each color pipe cleaner (known as “fuzzy sticks” nowadays) that everyone could choose their favorite color. We…
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Can you tell that it will rain soon by the way the air smells? Do you like the smell of snow? I like the way the air smells just as a badly needed rain begins—it makes me think of the earth exhaling as the water soaks…
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Handouts about science to share with families—add your favorite resources
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“What kind of science do you teach young children?!” people sometimes ask when they hear that the preschool curriculum includes science. Being able to share how the science activities are age appropriate, lay the…
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Easy clean up tip for fine-grained materials
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Here’s a tip for simplifying the clean up of dry, fine materials. Put a smooth cloth down under the item, such as a Tenebrio beetle container or a tabletop sensory box. Use a cotton cloth that is larger than the…
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Online forums—communities that inform our practice
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I like to visit other classes and learn what other teachers are doing—but not much time is allotted in a preschool budget for such networking. Internet forums can serve the same purpose. Viewing teacher’s…
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“Kazoo” is a cool word and playing one is an easy way to ‘feel’ sound. Kids think so too, judging from the comments I hear from parents the day after their children bring home the kazoos they made in school. Here’s…
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Science activities in early childhood prepare for a lifetime of learning
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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…
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Mixing colors combines art and science in one activity
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Colored acetate sheets make new colors as they overlap. Give children just the primary colors–a dark pink, a blue, and a yellow—and they can create orange, green, purple, and deep grays and browns without any…
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Using tools to move water: observing children's creative problem solving
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I’m looking for ideas on how children can move water in different ways outdoors when the weather warms up. Ideally we’d have a shallow, slow-moving stream of pristine water nearby…. Indoor water exploration, in…
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How can we make time to teach science in preK-2 classrooms?
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Observing the life cycle of an insect can include measuring growth and weight, counting calendar days and reading fiction, non-fiction, and writing poetry and descriptions—all ways to integrate science with other…
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Snack sorting! It’s an interesting way to involve students in classifying and, while sitting together to eat, there is time to talk about why certain groupings were chosen. Children might sort by shape, create an ABAB…
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Seed sprouting, activity and observation
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It’s fun for children to plant seeds in a special container, but it can be hard to remember to water them, leading to disappointment if the plants don’t survive. Planting grass seed in some bare spots on any lawn is…
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March 20, 2009, will be the 40th anniversary of the publication of Eric Carle’s The Very Hungry Caterpillar, a book loved by children for its parade of fanciful food, by parents for the healthy eating message, and by…
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