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Worth, Karen; Grollman, Sharon

Worms, Shadows and Whirlpools: Science in the Early Childhood Classroom.

Education Development Center, Inc., Newton, MA. National Science Foundation, Washington, DC. ISBN-0-325-00573-7 2003-00-00

183p.; Foreword by Gretchen Owocki. ESI-9818737

Heinemann, Orders/Customer Service, P.O. Box 6926,

Portsmouth, NH 03802-6926 ($21) .

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Academic Standards; Biological Sciences; Child Care; Developmentally Appropriate Practices; *Early Childhood Education; Earth Science; Educational Practices;

Kindergarten; National Standards; Physical Sciences; *Preschool Curriculum; Preschool Education; Science Curriculum; *Science Education; Scientific Attitudes; Scientific Concepts; Teacher Role; Teacher Student Relationship; Teaching Methods; *Young Children

Content Learning; Project Head Start

ABSTRACT

Young children develop science knowledge as they observe and act on the world, asking questions, making predictions, testing those predictions, and reflecting on their experiences. This book offers guidance in integrating inquiry-based science into the early childhood curriculum, focusing on content and providing examples of the work of children and

teachers from a variety of early childhood settings, including Head Start, kindergarten, day care, and preschool programs. Part 1 of the book provides

an overview of important characteristics of a high-quality science program for children ages 3 to 5 and some of the important tasks teachers perform to make it a reality. Part 2 concerns the content of science education for young children and begins with a chapter on inquiry, describing the important skills, ways of thinking, and attitudes that are at the heart of scientific

understanding and at the core of an effective early childhood science program. Chapters follow on life, physical, earth, and space sciences. Each of these four chapters begins with an overview of the science concepts and

ideas that should guide the development of science curriculum for young

children, followed by composite stories drawn from early childhood classrooms that illustrate critical aspects of science content and science teaching.

Each story is accompanied by a commentary highlighting particular teaching

strategies and child learning. Part 3 of the book includes questions that

practitioners frequently ask about inquiry-based science in early childhood

classrooms, including the relative importance of science content versus science inquiry skills, the role of child-initiated activity and children's play, and the place of science in a curriculum focused on literacy,

Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document.

mathematics, and social skills. (KB)

Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document.

U S DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Educational Research and Improvement EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION

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Worms, 5h, ,ou,?,

and Whirlpools

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Karen W rth & Sharon Grollman OF EDUCATION DEVELOPMENT CENTER, INC.

HEINEMANN

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BEST COPY AVAILABLE

Heinemann A division of Reed Elsevier Inc. 361 Hanover Street Portsmouth, NH 03801-3912

National Association for the Education of Young Children

1509 16th Street, N.W. Washington, DC 20036-1426

Offices and agents throughout the world

2003 by Education Development Center, Inc.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the publisher, except by a reviewer, who may quote brief passages in a review.

This book was prepared with the support of NSF Grant ESI-9818737. However, any opinions, findings, conclusions, and/or recommendations herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of NSE

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Worth, Karen.

Worms, shadows, and whirlpools : science in the early childhood classroom / Karen

Worth, Sharon Grollman.

p. cm.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN 0-325-00573-7

1. ScienceStudy and teaching (Early childhood)United States. 2. ScienceStudy

and teaching (Early childhood)Activity programsUnited States. I. Title: Science in the

early childhood classroom. II. Grollman, Sharon Hya. III. Title.

LB1139.5.S35W67 2003

372.3'5dc21

2003005885

Editor: Robin Najar Production: Elizabeth Valway Interior and cover design: Catherine Hawkes, Cat and Mouse Composition: Publishers' Design and Production Services, Inc. Manufacturing: Steve Bernier

Printed in the United States of America on acid-free paper

07 06 05 04 03 ML 1 2 3 4 5

5

To the many skilled and dedicated early childhood teachers who have informed our work so deeply.

6

C 0 N

/ /:214-") T ; $/

Foreword ix Acknowledgments xi

Introduction xiii

PART ONE Principles and Practices Essential to Quality

Science Programs

3.

CHAPTER 1

PART TWO

The Science Program in the Early Childhood

Classroom

3

The Science Content 15

CHAPTER 2 CHAPTER 3

CHAPTER 4

CHAPTER 5

Inquiry in the Early Childhood Classroom

Life Science in the Early Childhood

Classroom

24

Physical Science in the Early Childhood

Classroom

66

Earth and Space Science in the Early Childhood

Classroom

143

PART THREE Final Words

153

CHAPTER 6 Questions and Thoughts

155

Works Cited and Other Professional Publications 161

Index

163

vii

BEST COPY AVAOLABLE

7

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