Science Standards, Curriculum and Assessment: Part 1

1. Science Standards, Curriculum and Assessment: Part 1 Suzanna Dunn City University

2. Why science with young children? • Why do we teach science to young children? • What are your experiences as a child with science?

3. Objectives • Three parts: • Early learning guidelines, EALRS and best instructional practices • Designing science lessons • Science assessments • Objectives for Part 1 • Students will be able to explain the six areas of science used in Washington State early learning benchmarks and standards. • Students will be able to analyze a published science center by stating what standards or benchmarks the center fulfills and how the center is best practice.

4. Assessment of Current Science Knowledge • Write and be ready to share: • What are the science benchmarks and grade level standards for Pk-3? • What is appropriate science curriculum for students PK-3? • What instructional strategies are appropriate in science for students PK-3?

5. NSTA Position Paper • Read the position paper • Mark 3 pieces of information you think are critical • Create 1 question • Be prepared to share with partner and whole class

6. Science Curriculum

7. Science with Infant, Toddler • Observation with senses • Work in natural environment • Investigation of leaves • Observing shapes, sizes, colors • Feeling textures and veins in leaves • Investigation of plants • Observing different types of plants, including fruits and vegetable plants • Investigation of pinecones • Adding fish tank to classroom • Connect observation with language

8. Science with Preschoolers • Play and science are intertwined • Teachers push for deeper thinking connected to science concepts • Start with where the children are at – learn what their current understanding is of science concepts and build from there • Can’t assume you will know what the children will like (observing worms) • Dramatic play – dressing up to be a scientist • Exploratory play – using tubes to explore water flow (can be combined with dramatic play) • Taking big topics and making them child-sized so they apply to their lives (why we wear raincoats when it rains)

9. Science Lessons with Young Children • Setting the stage • Use documents/materials from the previous day • Show new materials and ask questions • Off a challenge to launch a new investigation • Observe engagement • Watch interaction between children and with the materials • Help guide students to deeper understandings • Maximize engagement • Provide encouragement and support for struggling students • Focus attention on science • Use strategic questions to help guide discussions • Use science specific vocabulary

10. Science Lesson with K-3 • Extend learning • Representation – group writing, drawing, labeling • Discussions • Open ended • Focus on science topics being explored • Ask for explanations (Why do you think that? How do you know?) • Use wait time • Use children’s work and teacher documentation to encourage children to reflect on what they did • Avoid explaining the science • Peer/small group talking

11. Young Children and Science: Curriculum • Topics may range, but should meet the following criteria: • Drawn from life, physical, earth/space sciences as experienced in the daily lives of children • Based on important science ideas • Developmentally appropriate • Accessible to direct exploration • About things/events children can explore over time • Engaging, challenging, and fun • Discussion: Do dinosaurs, solar system, and rain forests fit this criteria? • Discuss with a partner and be ready to share with class.

12. Science Curriculum: What fits? • Life science • Physical characteristics of living things • Basic needs of living things • Simple behaviors of living things • Relationship between living things and their environments • Life cycles • Variation and diversity • People • Physical science • Properties of liquids and solids • Position and motion of objects • Properties and characteristics of sound • Properties and characteristics of light • Earth & space science • Properties of earth materials • Weather • Patterns of movement and changes in the sun and moon • Seasons

13. Lesson Planning

14. Life Science: Infant-Kindergarten School Garden • Play and inquiry • Senses: textures, smells, color, sound, taste • Weather and connection to growing things • Connection to cooking and eating • Social interaction • Risk taking/trying new things • Discussions of safety

15. Classroom Garden Cont. • Building relationships with peers and nature • Working together to create plan for garden • Working together to build, plant, and care for garden • Learn care and responsibility • Deeper understanding of diversity in nature and in humans

16. Classroom Garden Cont. • Physical and motor development • Pulling up weeds • Feeling objects • Walking like certain animals or growing like the plants • Cognitive development • Comparing and classifying • Weather, seasons, life cycles • Parts of plants • Observation skills • Problem solving strategies • Literacy connections through read alouds

17. Classroom Garden Cont. • Language development • Ask open ended questions. • Ask intentional questions. • Talk about your own thoughts. (“I wonder why the snow is melting today.) • Let children talk and debate theories. Guide them in the direction of the correct information. • Use children’s initial theories to help guide instruction.

18. Benchmarks & GLE’s met by Class Garden • K-1 • K-1 LS1B All plants and animals have various external parts. • K-1 LS1C The parts of a plant or animal appear different under a magnifier compared with the unaided eye. • K-1 LS1F Most plants have roots to get water and leaves to gather sunlight. • K-1 LS2A There are different kinds of natural areas, or habitats, where many different plants and animals live together. • K-1 LS2B A habitat supports the growth of many different plants and animals by meeting their basic needs of food, water, and shelter. • K-1 LS2C Humans can change natural habitats in ways that can be helpful or harmful for the plants and animals that live there. • K-1 LS3A Some things are alive and others are not. • K-1 LS3B There are many different types of living things on Earth. Many of them are classified as plants or animals. • K-1 LS3C External features of animals and plants are used to classify them into groups. • Group work: Infant/Toddler, Preschool, 2rd-3rd

19. Physical Science • Infant/toddler: Balls & Blocks • Exploring a variety of balls • Rolling, bouncing, laying on, patting • Different textures and sizes • Putting balls through tubes • Kicking and throwing balls of different sizes/types • Building a block tower to then knock it down in a variety of ways, including using a ball to knock it down

20. Physical Science • Preschool: Building Structures • Building with a variety of materials • Experiences with gravity • How characteristics of materials affect stability • K-1: Balls and Ramps • Properties and characteristics of balls • Comparing rolling and bouncing of different ball types • Making own balls and ramps • 2nd-3rd: Force Makes Things Move • Using different types of force to stop, move, change direction of object • Measure and compare distance moved by using different strengths of force

21. Benchmarks & GLE’s for Balls and Blocks • 2nd – 3rd • 2-3 PS1AMotion can be described as a change in position over a period of time. • 2-3 PS1B There is always a force involved when something starts moving or changes its speed or direction of motion. • 2-3 PS1C A greater force can make an object move faster and farther. • 2-3 PS1D The relative strength of two forces can be compared by observing the difference in how they move a common object. • Group work: Infant/Toddler, Preschool, K-1

22. Earth & Space Science • What are the benchmarks/GLE’s for earth/space science? • What are some example activities? • Infant/toddler • Preschool • K-1 • 2-3

23. Science Lessons • Quick overview of the lesson • The field of science • Age/grade level • Connection to benchmark/EALR

24. Science Assessment • What science assessments do you currently use? • Variety of forms • Drawings • Drawing and dictation • Photographs • Record of language/conversation/interview • Ask open-ended questions • Journals • Collected over time • Group evidence