 As
a parent, you are preparing your child for a world vastly different from the one
in which you grew up. Our increasingly technological society will need citizens
who have received far more advanced instruction in science and technology than
most of us received when we were in school. Even children who don't want to
become physicists, chemists, engineers or computer technicians will need some
knowledge of science and technology just to conduct their everyday lives. Every
citizen needs to be scientifically literate in order to make informed decisions
about health, safety and citizenship. Our children need our help and guidance to
prepare for the world that awaits them.
Scientific knowledge is cumulative: To learn new things, you must build on what
you already know. So, it's important that your child start learning early—and at
home. A good way for you to begin the learning process is by sharing your own
interest in science. How you view and talk about science can influence your
child's attitudes toward science—and how she [ 1 ] approaches learning science.
It's easy to undermine a child's interest and attitudes by saying things such
as, "I was lousy in science, and I've done OK," or "I always hated science when
I was in school. It's boring." Although you can't make your child like science,
you can encourage her to do so, and you can help her to appreciate its value
both in her everyday life and in preparing for her future.
In everyday interactions with your child, you can do many things—and do them
without lecturing or applying pressure—to help her learn science. Here are a few
ideas: |
- See how long it takes for a
dandelion or a rose to burst into full bloom.
- Watch the moon as it appears to
change shape over the course of a month and record the
changes.
- Look for constellations in the night
sky.
- Bake a cake.
- Solve the problem of a drooping
plant.
- Figure out how the spin cycle of the
washing machine gets the water out of the clothes.
- Take apart an old clock or
mechanical toy—you don't need to put it back together.
- Watch icicles melt.
- Observe pigeons, squirrels,
butterflies, ants or spider webs.
- Go for a walk and talk about how the
dogs (or birds or cats) that you see are alike and
different.
- Discover what materials the
buildings in your community are made of. Wood? Concrete?
Adobe? Brick? Granite? Sandstone? Steel? Glass? Talk
about the reasons for using these materials.
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Learning to observe carefully is an important step leading
to scientific explanations. Experiencing the world with your
child and exchanging information with him about what you see
are important, too.
Finally, encourage your child to ask questions. If you can't
answer all of her questions, that's all right—no one has all
the answers, not even scientists. For example, point out
that there's no known cure for a cold, but that we do know
how diseases are passed from person to person—through germs.
Some of the best answers you can give are, "What do you
think?" and "Let's find out together." Together, you and
your child can propose possible answers, test them out and
check them by using reference books, the Internet, or by
asking someone who is likely to know the correct answers.
Information source: U.S. Department of Education - Helping Your Child Learn Science |
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