Apr28

Connecting to the weather

Can you tell that it will rain soon by the way the air smells? Do you like the smell of snow? I like the way the air smells just as a badly needed rain begins—it makes me think of the earth exhaling as the water soaks in (but this could be a misconception on my part).

(Click on the photo to see the details of the raindrops and the fallen redbud tree flowers.)

From NSTA The Early Years Blog

Rainfall is a significant event in children’s lives, in some places a daily one, while in others a rare pleasure. Rainy days usually mean that children play indoors so they may not know how much it rained or how long. What can we do to connect children to the patterns in nature determined by precipitation?

Taking brief note of the weather as part of a daily circle or calendar is more common in early childhood classrooms than recording those weather observations through drawings, photography, or writing. When temperature, precipitation, and cloud cover are recorded on a year-long chart, seasonal changes can be easily seen.

From NSTA The Early Years Blog

Notable events, such as, “the storm that blew down the big tree” or snow days that closed school, can be highlighted and reflected upon. If you record weather phenomena, compare your class’ results with that of the National Weather Service, Climate Prediction Center.  Recording the weather can help children make sense of the natural phenomena that are not in our control but affect our lives profoundly. I knew a three-year-old who cried when she noticed any clouds moving overhead. I wonder if drawing the clouds daily in a notebook might have reassured her that they were a familiar occurrence, and not threatening. Teachers who live in areas with occasional severe weather—how do you talk about it with young children? Please add your comments by clicking on the word "Comment" below.

Peggy

Published: Apr-28-09 | 2 Comments | 18 Links to this post

Apr16

Handouts about science to share with families—add your favorite resources

“What kind of science do you teach young children?!” people sometimes ask when they hear that the preschool curriculum includes science. Being able to share how the science activities are age appropriate, lay the groundwork for deeper understanding in later years, and support literacy and math learning, helps families understand that science is a natural part of an early childhood program. Including science activities does not mean that the program is only for children whose thinking is advanced beyond their years, nor does the program exclude imaginative play and artistic work.

Communicating what early childhood science is all about encourages families to support science learning at home. Here is a book and a few downloadable resources that can help.

  • What is a Scientist? by Barbara Lehn with photographs by Carol Krauss (1999, Millbrook Press)

Beginning with “A scientist is a person who asks questions and tries different ways to answer them,” and ending with “A scientist has fun,” this book’s simple statements and clear photographs describe science as children (and scientists) practice it.

 
  • From Australian government, the National Science and Technology Centre’s Questacon

A 36 page pamphlet with wonderful photos and general instructions for activities which are easy to implement at home.

http://scienceplay.questacon.edu.au/assets/scienceplay_booklet.pdf

 

 

  • TryScience: the Parent Page

Download a generic or city-specific brochure providing useful information and hints on science activities for parents and families everywhere, and listing local science resources.

http://www.tryscience.org/parents/se_2.html

 

 Will you list your favorite books or pamphlets in a comment (click on the word “comments” below)?

Peggy

Published: Apr-16-09 | 3 Comments | 0 Links to this post

Apr15

Easy clean up tip for fine-grained materials

Here’s a tip for simplifying the clean up of dry, fine materials. Put a smooth cloth down under the item, such as a Tenebrio beetle container or a tabletop sensory box. Use a cotton cloth that is larger than the container, perhaps a tablecloth—large enough so it covers the table or children can sit on it around the box on the floor. Any bran or sand or rice that spills can be contained by the cloth and transported to a trash can (or back into the container if still clean).

From NSTA The Early Years Blog

A cotton cloth will not become as charged with static electricity as a synthetic or silk cloth, so particles such as bran or feathers will more easily fall off when gently shaken over the trash can.

From NSTA The Early Years Blog
One year I used a white cloth with a realistic black insect print and some children were reluctant to sit on it! When a beetle was dropped on it, it became a lesson in camouflage.

Peggy
Published: Apr-15-09 | 0 Comments | 0 Links to this post

Apr13

Online forums—communities that inform our practice

I like to visit other classes and learn what other teachers are doing—but not much time is allotted in a preschool budget for such networking.

From NSTA The Early Years Blog
Internet forums can serve the same purpose. Viewing teacher’s pages and communicating through online forums broadens my community and improves my teaching. What are your favorite online forums for early childhood teachers—especially those with science content, methods, and concerns—and what do you like about them? What are the characteristics of the forums you like best and those you visit most frequently? Let me know if you think they should be added to the list of links on this site.

Peggy

Published: Apr-13-09 | 1 Comment | 0 Links to this post

Apr05

Feeling Vibrations

“Kazoo” is a cool word and playing one is an easy way to ‘feel’ sound. Kids think so too, judging from the comments I hear from parents the day after their children bring home the kazoos they made in school.

 

Here’s one:

“My daughter took out the special "thing" she made when we got home from school. She put it to her mouth and hummed and showed me how to feel the 'titation' with her finger. Then she played with making different sounds—high, low, loud, soft—feeling the different 'titations'. She was so excited to feel sound. Of course I had to feel it too, about 50 times!”

 

It’s so gratifying when children share what they’ve learned with their families. Read how to make vibrations with kazoos in April 2009 Science and Children The Early Years column.

From NSTA The Early Years Blog

Peggy

Published: Apr-05-09 | 2 Comments | 0 Links to this post