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Originally appears in the Summer 2020 issue.
By Kimberly Rose Carroll Tigerström
Early exposure to science and inquiry
Inquiry mirrors the scientific process of asking questions, experimenting, and sharing ideas. By exploring, engaging, and reflecting, young children are able to practice the process of inquiry. Early childhood education teachers and students can benefit from a shift to inquiry-based, child-centered learning in their classrooms. Why? This type of learning is usually hands-on, child-led and supports multiple learning styles. By sparking children’s interest and understanding, advocates of science in early childhood education believe that the use of inquiry may lead to increased scientific literacy later in life.1 Education advocates have pinpointed a research gap for this age group, highlighting the value to society in terms of encouraging positive views about science and sustainability.2 The current data indicates that not only should science be taught during the early years, but it is perhaps the best time to introduce scientific concepts, capitalizing on the natural abilities of this developmental stage.3 Children under five are natural learners, already possessing an innate curiosity about the world. Simple introductions to this type of learning — such as the following lesson, which utilizes inquiry strategies — may allow them to form positive attitudes about science and scientific concepts.3,4 It also serves to expose this age group to important science vocabulary that will help them to discuss and master science concepts later on.
Building inquiry skills
Using both classic and child-centered learning, this lesson aims to open up the conversation about the scientific process between teachers and young children. Children need to be encouraged to think about what they are seeing, establishing their own scientific theories through reflection and discussion.5 There is a difference between teaching science facts and teaching it in a way that encourages investigation and use of the scientific process.6 Focusing on the way science is conducted makes practical use of the natural tendencies of young children. Contrary to past opinions and practices, it has been found that very young children are able to grasp how science works and conduct in-classroom experiments.6 There is a trend in K–12 education towards a more inquiry-based type of science instruction that includes the investigative process of asking questions, creating experiments, and discussing findings.7
Child-centered learning is a technique that uses the interests and ideas of the children to guide a lesson.8 This technique is a subtle way to encourage investigation without having instructors present a clear answer. It serves as a springboard for scientific discovery and practice with the scientific process.
Many researchers have introduced strategies for the use of inquiry-style learning for ages 0–5. This lesson takes into account the five science teaching practices for water investigations proposed by the National Association for the Education of Young Children’s (NAEYC) journal Young Children.1 These include 1) creating a physical environment for science inquiry and learning; 2) facilitating direct experiences that promote conceptual learning; 3) promoting the use of scientific inquiry and practices; 4) planning in-depth investigations; and 5) assessing children’s science inquiry and learning. A list of questions is included in the lesson plan as a way to scaffold teachers’ experience and build their confidence using the method of inquiry. Many teachers are unfamiliar or uncomfortable with this type of learning.8 Inquiry is learned through practice, and this lesson plan is meant to serve as a means of practice for both the student and the teacher.
Kimberly Rose Carroll Tigerström received her Master of Arts (MA) in Biology from Miami University through the San Diego Zoo’s Project Dragonfly Advanced Inquiry Program (AIP). The strategic plan for her Master’s degree focused on transforming early childhood education by promoting science, nature exploration, and conservation. She has been a preschool and Kindergarten teacher, as well as a naturalist for the Jean-Michel Cousteau Ambassadors of the Environment Program in the Cayman Islands (Caribbean) and on Catalina Island (California) where she taught marine biology to children of all ages. She holds a Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Zoology from the University of California Santa Barbara, and has worked in education departments for three zoos, most recently the San Diego Zoo from 2008–2017, where she facilitated programs and wrote curriculum.
Endnotes:
- Froschauer, L. (2017). Early childhood engagement in science. Science & Children, 54(6), 5.
- Davis, J. (2009). Revealing the research ‘hole’ of early childhood education for sustainability: A preliminary survey of the literature. Environmental Education Research, 15(2), 227-241.
- Eshach, H., & Fried, M. N. (2005). Should science be taught in early childhood? Journal of Science Education and Technology, 14(3), 315-336.
- Riegle-Crumb, C., Morton, K., Moore, C., Chimonidou, A., Labrake, C., & Kopp, S. (2015). Do Inquiring Minds Have Positive Attitudes? The Science Education of Preservice Elementary Teachers. Science Education, 99(5), 819–836.
- Hoisington C., Chalufour, I., Winokur, J., & Clark-Chiarelli, N. (2014). Preschool: Promoting Children’s Science Inquiry and Learning Through Water Investigations. NAEYC Young Children, (4), 72-73.
- Ashbrook, P. (2014). The early years: The nature of science in early childhood education. Science and Children, 52(1), 24-25.
- Minner, D., Levy, A., & Century, J. (2010). Inquiry-based science instruction-what is it and does it matter? Results from a research synthesis years 1984 to 2002. Journal Of Research In Science Teaching, 47(4), 474-496.
- Pendergast, E., Lieberman-Betz, R., & Vail, C. (2017). Attitudes and Beliefs of Prekindergarten Teachers Toward Teaching Science to Young Children. Early Childhood Education Journal, 45(1), 43-52.
- Youngmi, G., & Jinju, K. (2015). Early childhood pre-service teachers’ self-images of science teaching in constructivism science education courses. Asia-Pacific Forum On Science Learning & Teaching, 16(2), 1-25.
- Coleby, A. (2015) All about Mr. Octopus. Retrieved from https://www.education.com/lesson-plan/all-about-mr-octopus/
- Courage, K.H. (2013). Skin Deep. Natural History, 121(7), 30.
- Worth, K. (2010). Science in early childhood classrooms: Content and process. SEED: Stem in Early Childhood Development Conference. Retrieved from http://ecrp.illinois.edu/beyond/seed/worth.html