 What
Is Science?
Science is not just a collection of facts. Of course, facts are an important
part of science: Water freezes at 32 degrees Fahrenheit (or 0 degrees Celsius),
and the earth moves around the sun. But science is much, much more. Science
involves: |
- Observing what's happening;
- Classifying or organizing
information;
- Predicting what will happen;
- Testing predictions under controlled
conditions to see if they are correct; and
- Drawing conclusions.
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Science involves trial and error—trying, failing and trying
again. Science doesn't provide all the answers. It requires
us to be skeptical so that our scientific "conclusions" can
be modified or changed altogether as we make new
discoveries.
Children Have Their Own "Scientific Concepts"
Very young children can come up with many interesting
explanations to make sense of the world around them. When
asked about the shape of the earth, for example, some will
explain that the earth has to be flat because, if it were
round like a ball, people and things would fall off it.
Presented with a globe and told that this is the true shape
of the earth, these children may adapt their explanation by
saying that the earth is hollow and that people live on flat
ground inside it.
Even older children can come up with unique "scientific"
explanations, as in the following examples provided by
middle-school students: |
- "Fossils are bones that animals are
through wearing."
- "Some people can tell what time it
is by looking at the sun, but I've never been able to
make out the numbers."
- "Gravity is stronger on the earth
than on the moon because here on earth we have a bigger
mess."
- "A blizzard is when it snows
sideways."
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Asking Questions
As mentioned earlier, it's important to encourage your child
to ask questions. It's also important to ask your child
questions that will get him talking about his ideas and to
listen carefully to his answers. Keep in mind that
children's experiences help them form their ideas—ideas that
may, or may not, match current scientific interpretations.
Help your child to look at things in new ways. For instance,
in regard to the blizzard, you could ask, "Have you ever
seen it snow sideways?" or "What do you think causes it to
snow sideways sometimes?"
Such conversation can be an important form of inquiry or
learning. Encourage your child by letting him know that it's
OK to make mistakes or admit he doesn't know something.
Rather than saying, "No, that's wrong," when he gives an
incorrect explanation, give him accurate information or help
him to find it. Going back to the blizzard, you could ask
your child, "How could you check your definition?" "How does
the dictionary's definition of "blizzard" fit with what you
said about snow moving sideways?"
Knowing that you are willing to listen will help your child
to gain confidence in his own thinking and encourage his
interest in science. And listening to what he says will help
him to figure out what he knows and how he knows it.
Hands-On Works Well
Investigating and experimenting are great ways for children
to learn science and increase their understanding of
scientific ideas. Hands-on science can also help children
think critically and gain confidence in their own ability to
solve problems. Young children especially are engaged by
things they can touch, manipulate and change; and by
situations that allow them to figure out what happens—in
short, events and puzzles that they can investigate, which
is at the very heart of scientific study. While hands-on
science works well, it can also be messy and timeconsuming.
So, before you get started, see what is involved in an
activity—including how long it will take.
Less Is More
It's tempting to try to teach children just a little about
many different subjects. Although children can't possibly
learn everything about science, they do need and will want
to learn many facts. The best way to help them learn to
think scientifically is to introduce them to just a few
topics in depth.
Finding the Right Activity for Your
Child
Different children have different interests and will respond
differently to science activities. A sand and rock
collection that was a big hit with an 8-year-old daughter
may not be a big hit with a 6-year-old son.
Fortunately, children whose interests vary greatly can find
plenty of science activities that are fun. If your son loves
to cook, let him observe how tea changes color when lemon is
added or how vinegar curdles milk. Knowing your child is the
best way to find suitable activities for him. Here are some
tips: |
- Encourage activities that are
neither too hard nor too easy for your child. If in
doubt, err on the easy side, because something too
difficult may give him the idea that science itself is
too hard. Adults often assume that children need
spectacular demonstrations to learn science, but this
isn't true.
- Consider your child's personality
and social habits. Some projects are best done alone,
others in a group; some require help, others require
little or no adult supervision. Solitary activities may
bore some children, while group projects may not appeal
to others.
- Select activities that are
appropriate for where you live. Clearly, a brightly
lighted city isn't the best place for stargazing.
- Allow your child to help select the
activities. If you don't know whether she would rather
collect shells or plant daffodils, ask her. When she
picks something she wants to do, she'll learn more and
have a better time doing it.
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Information source: U.S. Department of Education - Helping Your Child Learn Science |
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