Promoting Critical Thinking Through Science for young Children

PROMOTING CRITICAL THINKING THROUGH SCIENCE FOR YOUNG CHILDRENMacomb Association for the Education of Young Children

Jennifer GottliebScience ConsultantMacomb Intermediate School Districtjgottlieb@misd.net586.228.3464

Welcome!What conversations might you have with a

child about these musical instruments?

What is science?

What is science?

Science Myths Science teaching is better left to the science

teacher. Science is difficult. I’m not a scientist and don’t know enough about

science to help my kids. I have to know the answers to all of my child’s

questions. Science is all about facts and not very interesting. Science requires equipment. Science skills should wait for reading skills.

What is science?

…memorizing facts.

…memorizing formulas.

…a way of understanding the world.

…a way to make intelligent decisions.

…a process.

…FUN!

Science IS….Science isn’t simply…

K-12 Next Generation Science Standards

Science is best learned the way scientists learn – in the context of classroom practices. Crosscuttin

g Concepts

Science and Engineering Practices

Disciplinary Core Ideas

K- 12 Science and Engineering Practices

Asking questions Developing and using models Planning and carrying out investigations Analyzing and interpreting data Using mathematics and computational thinking Constructing explanations Engaging in argument from evidence Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating

information

What about early childhood?

I am among those who think that science has great beauty. A

scientist in his laboratory is not only a technician: he is also a

child placed before natural phenomena which impress him

like a fairy tale.

Marie Curie (1867 – 1934)

Tony Wagner

Play

Passion

Purpose

“…they had opportunities to explore, experiment, and discover through trial and error – to take risks and fall down.”p 30

Young Children and Science Build on the “sense

of wonder” present in all children

Learn about science through play

Science processes are more important than science facts

Science is everywhere!

Science Processes for Young Children

Asking questions Developing and using

models Planning and carrying out

investigations Analyzing and interpreting

data Using mathematics and

computational thinking Constructing explanations Engaging in argument from

evidence Obtaining, evaluating, and

communicating information

1.Observing2.Communicating

3.Comparing4.Organizing or Classifying

K - 12

Incorporate these science processes into your daily routines…1.Observing: Seeing, hearing,

feeling, tasting, and smelling2.Communicating: oral, written,

and pictorial3.Comparing: Sensory

comparisons and linear, weight, capacity, and quantity comparisons

4.Organizing or Classifying: grouping, sequencing, and data gathering

Questioning in Science

Genuine Questions

Questions that Encourage

Science Process Skills

Genuine Questions Listen to children Follow children’s leads Give children time to

answer

Examples:• How does that smell to

you?• How can we find out?• I wonder what that

(critter) might like to eat?

Questions that Encourage Science Process Skills Less open-ended but still

many correct answers Encourage exploration,

experimentation, and communication – not a quiz to find out if they know the “correct answer”Examples:

• See if you can find other materials in the room that your magnets will attract?

• Are any of these rocks shinier than yours?

What will children wonder about?

Arts and Crafts

…and what genuine questions might arise from these wonderings?

During arts & crafts… I don’t know. What

can we do to find out? Organizing

Wow! Look at that! Observing

Does this remind you of something you’ve seen before? Comparing

During arts & crafts… What does this clay

look like? Feel like? Smell like? Observing

How would you describe the different types of clay? Communicating

Which one do we have more of? Comparing

During arts & crafts… How are these two beads

alike? How are they different? Comparing

What patterns can you make? Organizing

If you had to sort these materials into two categories, what might those categories be? Classifying

During arts & crafts… Can you draw/paint a

picture of this butterfly? Communicating

What happened when you painted red on top of yellow? What will happen if you add more yellow? Communicating/Organizing

Can you draw a picture that shows how the snail eats? Communicating

What will children wonder about?

Manipulatives

…and what genuine questions might arise from these wonderings?

While playing with manipulatives… Which of these things

belong together? Organizing

Let’s put all the things that go together in one group! Organizing

What can we call that group? Organizing

While playing with manipulatives… How many “blocks” high

is that teddy bear? Comparing

What would you need to do to find out how many small blocks can be balanced on this large block? Organizing

What color patterns do you notice in this tower? What color block will come next? Organizing

While playing with manipulatives… Can you use shapes to

make other shapes? Organizing

What patterns can you make with these shapes? Organizing

If you had to sort these into 2 categories, what might those categories be? Classifying

While playing with manipulatives… What could you do

to make that marble roll farther? Comparing

What would happen if…? Comparing

What will children wonder about?

Large Motor Play

…and what genuine questions might arise from these wonderings?

During large motor play… Does that (odor/sound

/texture) remind you of anything else? Comparing

What do you think those (things) might be? Organizing

What can you find out with the hand lens? Observing

What makes you think so? Organizing

During large motor play… How many different

sounds can you hear while we are on the playground? Observing

How is running on the grass the same as running on the pavement? How is it different? Comparing

During large motor play… Which one of these

objects do you think will fall faster? How could we find out? Comparing

What kind of chart might we use to keep track of the way things fall? Communicating

During large motor play… Listen carefully to

the music. How might you clap your hands to match the rhythm? Organizing

How might you use your body to match the rhythm? Organizing

During large motor play… What would we

need to do to find out if running faster makes your pulse rate faster? Organizing

What will children wonder about?

Sensory Table

…and what genuine questions might arise from these wonderings?

At the sensory table… Does this remind you

of something you’ve seen before? Comparing

Tell me more… Communicating

Well, what do you think it is? Organizing

At the sensory table… Can you build a house?

A river? Communicating

Do you need dry sand or wet sand to make a pie? Comparing

What is the same about water and sand? What is different? Comparing

At the sensory table… What do we need

to do to find out what things float and what things sink? Organizing

See if you can find other things in the room that float or sink. Organizing

At the sensory table… How many scoops of

water/sand does it take to fill this container? Observing

Will this container take more scoops or fewer scoops? Comparing

What kind of picture could we make to show how many scoops of water it takes to fill this container? Communicating

Let’s do some science!

As you consider the rocks on your table….

What will children wonder about?

What are some genuine questions you might ask a child that will lead to a conversation?

What are some questions that will encourage a child to engage in science processes?

Make a ramp from a cardboard tube…

What will children wonder about?

What are some genuine questions you might ask a child that will lead to a conversation?

What are some questions that will encourage a child to engage in science processes?

What might you do?

At your tables… Choose an activity that

children do in your classroom. What will children wonder

about? What are some genuine

questions you might ask a child that will lead to a conversation?

What are some questions that will encourage a child to engage in science processes?

Share with your group.

Remember…..

…memorizing facts. …memorizing

formulas. …performing intense

science experiments and preparing science fair displays.

…having the “right” answers.

…asking the right questions to encourage genuine conversations and science processes.

…engaging in daily play to find out about the world.

…demonstrating that SCIENCE is connected to everything!

It’s NOT simply… It IS about…

Science is a way of thinking much more than it is a body of

knowledge.

Carl Sagan

ObservingWhat do you hear? See?

CommunicatingHow might you write out a song that you like so that a friend could play it?

Observing/ComparingHow would you describe the different sounds?

CommunicatingHow might you keep track of what happens?

ComparingWhich key is the longest? The shortest?

OrganizingWhich sounds are higher? Which sounds are lower?

What is a scientist after all? It is a curious man looking

through a keyhole, the keyhole of nature, trying to know

what’s going on.

Jacques Yves Cousteau

If a child is to keep alive his inborn sense of wonder…he needs the companionship of at least one

adult who can share it, rediscovering with him the joy, excitement, and mystery of the

world we live in.

Rachel Carson

Resources: NSTA Press

References

Ritz, William. A Head Start on Science: Encouraging a Sense of Wonder. NSTA Press. 2007.

Wagner, Tony. Creating Innovators: The Making of Young People Who Will Change the World. Scribner. 2012.

Next Generation Science Standards http://www.nextgenscience.org/next-generation-science-standards