Exploring Science in Early Childhood Education

by Lind, Karen K.

• ISBN13: 9781401862756
• ISBN10: 1401862756
• Edition: 4th
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2004-12-02
• Publisher: Cengage Learning

Summary

Exploring Science in Early Childhood makes teaching a basic understanding of science skills to young people more achievable and successful than ever. In using this book to teach future educators, such top universities as Harvard recognize that the activities and applications presented in developmental sequence strongly support children learning. When put into practice, the approaches espoused in this edition will enable children to construct the concepts and skills imperative for learning a basic understanding of science. The same and skills also play an importance role in understanding mathematics and are closely related to reading and reading comprehension skills. Developed in cooperation with teachers at each developmental level, the concepts, skills, and instructional strategies are aligned with national standards in science, principles and standards for mathematics, and early childhood standards.

Table of Contents

Preface	vii
Acknowledgments	ix
SECTION 1 Concept Development in Science
Unit 1 How Concepts Develop	2	(16)
Unit 2 How Concepts Are Acquired	18	(9)
Unit 3 Promoting Young Children's Concept Development through Problem Solving	27	(17)
Unit 4 Assessing the Child's Developmental Level	44	(12)
Unit 5 The Basics of Science	56	(14)
Unit 6 How Young Scientists Use Concepts	70	(13)
Unit 7 Planning for Science Investigations	83	(13)
SECTION 2 Fundamental Concepts, Skills, and Activities
Unit 8 Fundamental Concepts in Science	96	(34)
Unit 9 Language and Concept Formation	130	(9)
Unit 10 Applications of Fundamental Concepts in Preprimary Science	139	(24)
Unit 11 Integrating the Curriculum through Dramatic Play and Thematic Units and Projects	163	(11)
Unit 12 Higher-Level Concepts Used in Science Units and Activities	174	(22)
SECTION 3 Using Skills, Concepts, and Attitudes for Scientific Investigations in the Primary Grades
Unit 13 Overview of Primary Science	196	(14)
Unit 14 Life Science	210	(17)
Unit 15 Physical Science	227	(13)
Unit 16 Earth and Space Science	240	(14)
Unit 17 Environmental Awareness	254	(9)
Unit 18 Health and Nutrition	263	(15)
SECTION 4 The Science Environment
Unit 19 Materials and Resources for Science	278	(12)
Unit 20 Science in Action	290	(21)
Unit 21 Science in the Home	311	(13)
Appendices
Appendix A Developmental Assessment Tasks	324	(32)
Appendix B Children's Books, Software, and Web Sites with Science Concepts	356	(22)
Appendix C Code of Practice on Use of Animals in Schools	378	(4)
Appendix D The National Science Education Standards	382	(3)
Glossary	385	(8)
Index	393