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Understanding and using symbols
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It was Monday morning and a sharp corner on a large immovable object (left by another group sharing the space used by the preschool…sound familiar?) unexpectedly turned into a chance to assess the understanding of…
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As a preschool teacher I try to be aware of how my work might introduce or reinforce misconceptions in my students’ understanding of concepts. In the Perspectives column in the September issue of Science and Children,…
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The big fish died. The constant silent presence of the plecostomus—now hiding in the cave, now sucking algae off the aquarium wall—is gone. Donated by a parent who has moved on to high school PTSA duties, the odd fish…
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Walking fieldtrips to draw nature
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A walking fieldtrip can bring much needed outdoor time and opportunity for scientific observation to a class schedule. The objective can be to view the sky, look for birds, find seeds, or to inventory the surrounding…
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Planting flower bulbs in the fall
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Planting spring-flowering bulbs connects the seasons of Fall and Spring in the minds of young children as they wait all winter for the bulbs to sprout and to see the flowers blooming in the spring. Following the growth…
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Displaying children's science learning
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One way I like to show the science learning that goes on in school is by posting my photos or children’s work under headings borrowed from, or inspired by, Barbara Lehn in her book What is a Scientist? (1999. Millbrook…
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Scientific literacy comes in handy
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The importance of being scientifically literate, that is, being able to sift through the information and decide what seems likely to be true, was brought home (literally) to me this month when I discovered a “colony” of…
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Finding materials for science activities
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So many times I wish I had everything I need to do an activity with my five classes of two to five-year-olds—all in a kit. Managing materials in a way that doesn’t distract from the concept being explored, but…
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Predator finds caterpillars indoors
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Last August I had four monarch butterfly larvae chewing up milkweed leaves on my kitchen windowsill as fast as I could provide them. The caterpillars were borrowed from the elementary school habitat as eggs to show to…
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Who needs a slug? was the question this week at a program I gave at the public library. The children, ages 6-10, carefully picked through habitat-like containers I had compiled the day before from my yard. For some…
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Following children's interests; following a caterpillar over winter
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It’s always interesting to hear how other early childhood educators make the most of children’s curiosity to teach science concepts. Guest blogger Maggie Posey is a mom to a curious two year old and preschool…
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