Science vs. Sciencing:
From: The New Teaching Elementary Science by Selma Wasserman and J.W. George Ivany
To know science is not merely to learn the words, the names of science. It is not to know that Mercury is the planet closest to the sun, or to know that spiders are not insects or that bees make honey.
In real life, sciencing is dependent on the human capacity for making predictions that are wrong and on the even more human gift for bouncing back to try again. To err doesn’t really mean getting things wrong, it means to be in motion. In order to get anything right, we are obliged first to get a great many things wrong.
"According to Einstein, creativity is far more consequential than knowledge in furthering the significant advances of humankind. The creation of new ideas does not come from minds trained to follow what is already known. Creation comes from tinkering and playing around, from which new forms emerge. "
"In "Sciencing", the emphasis is on finding out. We don't look for the answers we already know.
"If I don't play with it, how can I understand it?" Richard Feynman, Nobel Laureate in Physics, remarked of his work on the motion of mass particles that ultimately led to the Nobel Prize.""
Wasserman and Ivany pp.5-19
The goal (for me as a teacher) in the "sciencing" classroom is to create an environment where children are able to investigate:How can I make it move? (Physics)
How can I make it change? (Chemistry)
How does it fit or how do I fit? (Biology and Ecology).
And then further more...influencing the nature and degree of social interaction between the children.
According to the book, Making Learning Visible, Children as Individual and Group learners, each individual in the group has his or her own approach to learning. Reggio educators have observed that young children are sensitive to the approaches of others and seem to be capable of incorporating the most attractive qualities of the styles, strategies, or solutions of other children.
I was very proud of all the parents and tots and their fearlessness about approaching the investigation of worms. The children seemed to have many lines of inquiry, as well as the caregivers!
One of the most important benefits of observing and interacting with live animals is learning how to treat all things and their environments with care and respect.
Brave Mama!
According to the book, Making Learning Visible, Children as Individual and Group learners, each individual in the group has his or her own approach to learning. Reggio educators have observed that young children are sensitive to the approaches of others and seem to be capable of incorporating the most attractive qualities of the styles, strategies, or solutions of other children.
I was very proud of all the parents and tots and their fearlessness about approaching the investigation of worms. The children seemed to have many lines of inquiry, as well as the caregivers!
Playing with worms (as well as other living things) gives children opportunities to discover:
What do they look like, how do they live, how do they change?
What does alive mean and what is not alive?
Understanding the basic needs of living things.
The behaviors and physical characteristics of living things.
And so much more!
One of the most important benefits of observing and interacting with live animals is learning how to treat all things and their environments with care and respect.
Brave Mama!
When children see their caregivers enjoy investigating nature, being open-minded, and having a "playful" attitude in regards to sciencing, the toddlers will feel safe and secure in their own explorations!
The children are learning the basics on how to work some "Sciencing" tools. The magnifying glass, spray bottles, etc...As they are given time to simply "play" around with these materials, they will be able to use them to study their lines of inquiry.
The herbs offer a wonderful sensorial investigation of smell, taste, sight, and touch!
Yah! Dirty feet!
How Can I make it move?
The children are learning the basics on how to work some "Sciencing" tools. The magnifying glass, spray bottles, etc...As they are given time to simply "play" around with these materials, they will be able to use them to study their lines of inquiry.
The herbs offer a wonderful sensorial investigation of smell, taste, sight, and touch!
Yah! Dirty feet!
How Can I make it move?
Ramps, tunnels, and balls provide children with opportunities to observe the effects of his or her own actions on objects.
Making butter is a great example for showing children the idea of transformation. One thing can be transformed into something different. Many of the parents understood naturally to show the children this process. Throughout the process, stopping to show the child what changes were taking place. Perhaps even how it tastes when it is first poured into the container and then how does the taste change as it is turned into butter? Next week, we can experiment with how it changes as we add sugar or cinnamon or even salt?
1. First the child must be able to produce the movement by his or her own actions.
2. The child must be able to vary his or her actions.
3. The reaction of the object must be observable.
4. The reaction of the object must be immediate.
Making butter is a great example for showing children the idea of transformation. One thing can be transformed into something different. Many of the parents understood naturally to show the children this process. Throughout the process, stopping to show the child what changes were taking place. Perhaps even how it tastes when it is first poured into the container and then how does the taste change as it is turned into butter? Next week, we can experiment with how it changes as we add sugar or cinnamon or even salt?
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