Taking science to school: Learning and teaching science in grades K-8. Committee on Science Learning, Kindergarten through 8th grade: National Research Council, Board on Science Education, Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences and Education (original) (raw)

Taking science to school: learning and teaching science in grades K-8

Choice Reviews Online, 2008

This free executive summary is provided by the National Academies as part of our mission to educate the world on issues of science, engineering, and health. If you are interested in reading the full book, please visit us online at http://www.nap.edu/catalog/11625.html. You may browse and search the full, authoritative version for free; you may also purchase a print or electronic version of the book. If you have questions or just want more information about the books published by the National Academies Press, please contact our customer service department toll-free at 888-624-8373. What is science for a child? How do children learn about science and how to do science? Drawing on a vast array of work from neuroscience to classroom observation, Taking Science to School provides a comprehensive picture of what we know about teaching and learning science from kindergarten through eighth grade. By looking at a broad range of questions, this book provides a basic foundation for guiding science teaching and supporting students in their learning. Taking Science to School answers such questions as: &#8226 When do children begin to learn about science? Are there critical stages in a child's development of such scientific concepts as mass or animate objects? &#8226 What role does nonschool learning play in children's knowledge of science? &#8226 How can science education capitalize on children's natural curiosity? &#8226 What are the best tasks for books, lectures, and hands-on learning? &#8226 How can teachers be taught to teach science? The book also provides a detailed examination of how we know what we know about children's learning of science-about the role of research and evidence. This book will be an essential resource for everyone involved in K-8 science education-teachers, principals, boards of education, teacher education providers and accreditors, education researchers, federal education agencies, and state and federal policy makers. It will also be a useful guide for parents and others interested in how children learn.

Science education in elementary school: Some observations

Journal of Research in Science Teaching, 1987

As one whose classroom teaching experience consists of ninth grade physical science through upper division college physics, whose only experience with elementary students is in Summer enrichment programs and as one whose science education research efforts have been mainly from the front of classrooms, I would like to humbly make the following assertion and then justify it: The task of teaching science in the elementary schools is more demanding than teaching science in high school or college.

Science education during the early childhood years: Research themes and future directions

Handbook of Research on Science Education, Volume III, 2023

The early childhood years include a special time of growth and discovery, and science education provides a wealth of opportunities for building on young children’s experiences, ideas, and wonderings. In this chapter, we examine research literature from the most recent decade (2010-2020) that focuses on science education during the early childhood years, with a goal of elucidating recent developments and new directions in the field. We look across a wide range of studies to find patterns and themes in the literature, guided by the goal of drawing implications with relevance for future research, teacher education, and teaching practice.

K-7 science teaching: an introduction

2016

PDF document, 5 pages. Work document proyect "Scientific literacy at the school: improving strategies and building new practices of science teaching in early years education" financied by Erasmus Plus Program. European Union.

The Development of Science Knowledge in Kindergarten through Second Grade

Trends for kindergarten though second-grade children were identified from data collected in a longitudinal study of how children develop science concepts. The study involved approximately 325 children from three school districts. A heuristic model of science learning was developed representing children's entering ability, home background, home support, teaching processes, instructional material characteristics, and end-of-year performance. Data were collected in each area, pooled, then submitted. to LISREL analyses to produce a structural model for science learning at each grade level. Results showed that children's entering ability in science was the best predictor of their end-of-year science learning overall. The number of hours fathers worked was related to entering ability for kindergarten children, with fathers of higher ability children working more hours. Mothers' education level had by far the highest loadings at all grade levels; mothers' occupation, the lowest. Children's participation in science-related home activities made the greatest contribution to end-of-year performance for all grades, whereas experiences with adults and the number of books and magazines in the home affected only kindergartners' performances. No teaching variable had a significant relationship to end-of-year performance of kindergartners, but teachers' use of sustained feedback after children's incorrect responses was a significant factor in first graders' performance. Time spent in science activities and teachers' uses of science application questions contributed significantly to the performance of second graders. Teachers' coverage of content contributed negatively to end-of-year performance for both first and second graders.

Enhancing science instruction in the elementary schools

American Journal of Physics, 2002

Enhancing science instruction in the elementary schools Walk into an elementary school classroom and watch the excitement of children learning science. Contrast this experience with that of a physics professor standing in front of a sea of first-year students in an introductory college physics course. The first group of students is often enthusiastic about the subject matter and cares about what the teacher is saying. In contrast, the second group consists mostly of students trying to expend the minimum effort needed to achieve the maximum possible grade. The college students are often frustrated by the work required and resentful of teachers who do not recognize that a high grade is their principal goal. What causes the enthusiasm of the first group to dwindle? Is this change an inevitable consequence of adolescence? Is it a result of bad teaching? Has this loss of interest been present at all times and places, or is it a recent phenomenon that mainly occurs at big state colleges and universities? Is it exacerbated by grade inflation and/or over-emphasis on grades? Is the problem an ironic consequence of society's concern about quality teaching, leading to student evaluations and "performance standards," which have had counterproductive effects (pandering, grade inflation, teaching-to-the-test)? Is it worse for physics, or science in general, than other disciplines? These are difficult questions that lack simple answers. Problems with student interest and achievement in American science education have been recognized for a long time. One of us (Cole) was in high school when Sputnik was launched, precipitating hand-wringing concern about U.S. science education, which resulted in some changes in the science curriculum and support. Subsequently, these problems have not gone away. For example, recent U.S. student performance in international mathematics and science competitions has been disappointing. The most recent (1999) TIMSS-R comparative study of eighth grade students' understanding of math and science found that the average performance of students in the U.S. is below the average of students in the 23 countries participating in this assessment. 1 The overall performance of U.S. students was below that of students from two similar immigrant countries, Australia and Canada, but about the same as students in Great Britain. Most importantly, our students' average performance on these science and mathematics exams declines (relative to students elsewhere) with grade level. To deal with this problem is a serious concern. A National Academy of Sciences report 2 affirms that "The challenge [to improve science education] extends to everyone within the system. Efforts will be time-consuming, expensive, and sometimes uncomfortable. They will also be exhilarating and deeply rewarding. There is no more important task before us as a nation." In particular, this report encourages "… scientists and engineers to work with school personnel to initiate and sustain the improvement of school science programs." 3 What can we, as individuals, do? In the following, we discuss some recent collaborative activities undertaken by the two of us, a physicist and a science teacher educator, aimed at enhancing elementary school science teaching and learning. These activities exemplify the kinds of projects that might be useful when synergistic working relationships are established. 4 Our work is an extension of an ongoing partnership between Penn State University and the State College Area School District. 5 Our collaboration, which we nicknamed the "flight team," consists of two elementary teachers, a curriculum support teacher, a volunteer pilot from US Airways, and the two of us. Our goal is to enhance the Air and Aviation unit, which is part of the 3rd and 4th grade curriculum in our local schools. We met regularly during the spring of 2001 and engaged in extensive discussions, aimed at clarifying concepts involved in flight and crafting opportunities for children to participate in elements of scientific inquiry. The emphasis on meaningful science learning and scientific inquiry is fundamental to contemporary reform efforts in science education. 6 Our discussions were a learning experience for all of us. The emphasis on flight concepts fit well with our focus on teaching science as inquiry. Given that the physical principles governing our world are often counterintuitive, thinking about them raises interesting, testable