Teaching children high-quality # can provide them with a strong foundation of knowledge and interest in science while also enhancing their critical language, literacy, and math skills. By utilizing the scientific method to explore science with young children, teachers provide a structured approach that encourages observation, questioning, predicting, experimenting, summarizing, and sharing results. This process helps children to use language, literacy, and mathematical skills in a meaningful and practical way.
Incorporating the #scientific_method into various activities allows children to question, observe, predict, experiment, and discuss the world around them. Teachers who intentionally plan and teach the scientific method throughout the day provide children with a valuable tool for understanding their world. Sharing experiences and discussing how to integrate the scientific method into planned activities can support effective teaching practices.
The Scientific Method in the Classroom!
Even young children are capable of scientific thought. Here is how you can teach the scientific method in your early childhood classroom.
Try this activity to introduce the scientific method in your classroom.
Tell children you will be going through the steps of the scientific method today.
- Step 1: Start with a purpose or question. “Will a pencil float on water?”
- Step 2: Research. Ask a friend if they have seen a pencil float on water.
- Step 3: Create a hypothesis. “I think the pencil will float on water.”
- Step 4: Conduct an experiment. Fill a vase with water and place a pencil on top of the water.
- Step 5: Analysis. Watch to see what happens.
- Step 6: Draw a conclusion: “A pencil will float on water.”
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Interested in learning other ways to include science in your classroom? ChildCareEd’s training course Tomorrow's Einsteins: Infant and Toddler Science, provides strategies for support children’s curiosity and scientific learning.