Science teaching should begin with the natural curiosity that children have in the early years and guide them towards using it throughout their lives, says Nansi Ellis
We know how important it is to be able to read and write in our daily lives. We notice when we use maths, particularly the 'sums' we do when we're shopping. It's not always so obvious how we use science.
But science is significant too. Nearly everything we do, from watching TV to cooking, involves some scientific processes. We often make moral and practical decisions that need an understanding of science. Will switching my lights off make a difference to global warming? Should I buy genetically modified food? To understand the questions, it will help to know a little about the science behind them.
We also need more people with advanced knowledge of science and engineering, who will help us to beat diseases and to live longer, or to travel faster with less pollution. And we need more science teachers who understand and enjoy science, and know how to teach others.
The Department for Education and Skills (DfES) has realised this. This is part of the reason why the year from September 2001 to August 2002 is officially designated Science Year and the DfES, along with a number of other organisations, is supporting science projects and activities.
Science Year is aimed mainly at secondary schools, because many children lose interest in science as they get older. But we can and should capture children's interest and excitement with science in primary and nursery school - and at home too. With young children, we have a wonderful opportunity to teach science in a way that nurtures their enthusiasm and curiosity, and matches the ways in which they learn.
First, we can help children to see how science is relevant to their daily lives. By letting them peg out their dolls' clothes on a cold day, and asking them to check whether they're dry, they begin to see science in context. In the Foundation Stage we can give children opportunities to gain experience of some of the important scientific concepts. When they play with ice, cold water and warm water, children experience some of the properties of liquids. When children look at heating and cooling materials at Key Stage 1, and evaporation and condensation in Key Stage 2, they will already have laid the foundations.
Most importantly, in the early years, we help children learn how to do science and how to talk about it. Asking, 'Why did that sink?' provides appropriate language and models the questions they might use themselves. By discussing their answers in terms of theories, and giving opportunities for focused observations, we give them opportunities to prove or refine those theories. Young children are at the very beginning of a scientific process of enquiry, which they will use over and over again, both within the school curriculum and also in their lives beyond school.
Science Year encourages children to play with science. This has always been part of good early years practice, and is encouraged within the QCA's Curriculum Guidance for the Foundation Stage. By supporting and extending children's play, we provide the best foundations for learning, in science and across the curriculum. NW
Nansi Ellis is primary education adviser at the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (ATL). She will be giving seminars on science and play at the Early Years and Primary Teaching Exhibitions during 2002.
Education consultant Penny Tassoni has written the 'cut out and photocopy' parent's guide to early science shown opposite.
A parent's guide to early science
'Under-fives learning science! Are you serious?' This might be your response to the subject of this month's parent's guide but science actually forms part of the Foundation Stage curriculum that most children aged three to five are following in England. The Foundation Stage encourages children to learn through play, and early science comes under the area of learning called 'Knowledge and Understanding of the World' (see Nursery World, 21 September, 2000 for a Parent's guide to the Foundation Stage).
You'll probably be relieved to hear that early science is not about formal experiments, but more about developing some of the skills that are needed in science. These include observation, exploration, prediction and forming hypotheses - suggesting explanations for why things happen - and they are all gained while your child is enjoying playing and taking part in traditional nursery activities such as sand, water and dough. You would be surprised how much your child can gain as they play in the water tray and observe how some things float and others sink. The staff may ask your child to predict which objects will float and which will not. They may ask them to observe how some objects such as bottles will float when they are empty, but sink when they are filled with water.
Your child may also tell you that on some days the sand tray has wet sand in it while on others it has dry sand. Changing the sand in this way is done to help children learn to notice the differences in materials. Wet sand is good for printing and building castles, while dry sand is better for pouring and funnelling.
Your child can also explore the properties of materials by making and inventing things. That wet, sticky box that they proudly bring home will probably have taught them about surfaces and textures!
Isn't my child too young to learn about science? Can't that wait until later?
The beauty of early science is that it builds upon the natural curiosity and fascination with their world that children aged under five have. It is also worth remembering that early science helps children's language development, as children are encouraged to talk about what they are seeing, doing and concluding. The development of 'language for thought' is slightly different to children's everyday social language and will help them to think logically as they get older.
What should I do when my child wants an explanation and I don't know the answer?
First of all, don't worry. Remember that the focus of early science is to ask questions and be curious. You can tell your child that you don't know, but ask them if they have any theories, any answers to their questions. This will help your child to learn to hypothesise - a valuable skill in itself. It is also likely to prove entertaining as children's early theories are often highly improbable, such as 'there's a little man with a vacuum cleaner under the sink who pulls the water through the plug hole'. However funny children's ideas are, avoid the temptation to laugh at them, as this will discourage and undermine their confidence. Remember that you too, do not have all the answers! Should I be teaching my child science at home?
While there is no need to formally teach a child at home, there are plenty of ways in which you can help your child become a little scientist.
- Encourage your child to be observant - ask them to notice, for example, which way the water goes down the plug hole. Is it the same each time?
- Look for ways of helping them to predict - for example, which ice cube will melt the quickest, the one in the drink or the one left by itself in the glass?
- Encourage children to explore, using 'what if' scenarios - for example, 'let's see what would happen if we plant some seeds in soil and other seeds on tissue paper'.
- Help your child to notice patterns in everyday situations, like the fact that the washing dries more quickly when it is a sunny day.
- Encourage your child to make and invent things, as children learn most by doing - for example, they will soon learn that to build a tall tower, a wide base is required.
