Science Education For Preschoolers


 

The role of science education in preschool cannot be overemphasized because it lays the foundation for future learning and development, while fostering curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking and reasoning skills in children. The key aspects of science education for preschoolers are as follows: 

1. Science education is basically intended to teach children about exploration, discovery, and invention. Encourage the children to explore and discover their immediate environment and the natural world around them through hands-on activities and sensory experiences.

2. Use play-based learning approach to introduce scientific concepts (sorting, categorizing, and patterning) to the children.

3. Apply nature-based learning approach to teach children sciences. Take the children on nature walks, explore outdoor environments, and bring nature indoors to foster a show of appreciation to the natural world. 

4. Conduct simple experiments such as making slime or creating a volcano, to introduce scientific concepts and encourage curiosity. 

The following activities are suggested for preschool science education: 

1. Sensory play: 

Fill containers with rice, beans, sand, or water and ask the children to identify their differences. 

2. Nature scavenger hunt: 

Teacher should make a list of natural items for children to find and bring to school: flowers, pieces of stone, feathers of birds etc.

3. Homemade playdough: 

Make homemade play-dough using flour, water, and food colouring to encourage curiosity and exploration. 

4. Bubble play: 

Create a bubble solution with dish soap and water in a container, and ask the children to blow and pop the bubbles to learn about surface tension. 

5. Plant seeds in a back-yard or school garden or plastic container containing manure. Tell the children to observe its germination and growth processes and report to you. 

The following tips are useful for teaching children science at schools: 

1. Use very simple language and concepts to introduce scientific ideas or concepts.

2. Make science study to be fun by using games, songs, and hands-on activities to make science learning enjoyable.

3. Create curiosity by asking open-ended questions and encouraging the children themselves to ask you their own questions.

4. You should be a lover of science in order to teach science to children. Show enthusiasm and curiosity for science yourself and the children will emulate you.

Due to the pivotal importance of science to mankind, international agencies and policy have played significant roles in promoting and supporting science studies in the preschools across the world. For example, the UNESCO's Science Education Programme has focused on promoting science education for all, including preschool age children. The UNESCO's Early Childhood Care and Education also emphasized the importance of science education in early childhood. Not only that, the UNICEF's Early Childhood Development (ECD) has incorporated science education as a critical component of early childhood development. The UNICEF's Learning Framework provided guidance on designing learning experiences, including science education, for young children. The World Bank's Early Childhood Development Project supports countries in developing and implementing early childhood development programmes, including science education. The World Bank's Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Education Initiative aims to improve STEM education, including science, in primary and secondary schools, laying the foundation for future learning. The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) has provided guidance on designing high quality early childhood education and care systems, including science education. The OECD's Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) includes science literacy as one of its assessment areas, providing countries with insights into their students' scientific knowledge and skills. The International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement conducts international assessments, including the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study  (TIMSS), which provides insights into science education. The European Union's Horizon 2020 Programme also supports research and innovation in science education, including preschool science education. These international agencies have common goals to enhance science education by providing various forms of supports, including:

1. Funding for science education initiatives

2. Guidance on designing and implementing science education programmes

3. Research and development (R & D) of science education resources

4. Professional development opportunities for teachers and educators

5. Advocacy for the importance of science education in preschools

Here are some scientific experiments suitable for preschoolers, including their presentation tips: 

1. Dancing raisins experiment:

* Materials required: raisins, glass, soda, and water

* What to do: Fill a glass with soda, add raisins, and then slowly pour water into the glass

* What to observe: Raisins will "dance" up and down in the carbonated water.

* Presentation tips: Use simple language to explain the concept of buoyancy and density .

2. Homemade lava lamp experiment: 

* Materials required: vegetable oil, water, food colouring, Alka-Seltzer tablets, and a clear plastic bottle

* What to do: Fill the bottle 1/4 with vegetable oil and add water with food colouring. Break an Alka-Seltzer tablet into small pieces and add them to the bottle. 

* What to observe: A lava-like effect will be created as the coloured water rises and falls.

* Presentation tips: Explain the concept of density and buoyancy in simple terms.

3. Baking soda volcano experiment: 

* Materials required: baking soda, vinegar, container, and clay

* What to do: Mix baking soda and clay to create a volcano shape. Pour vinegar into the container and observe the eruption. 

* What to observe: A chemical reaction will create a mini- eruption.

* Presentation tip: Use simple language to explain the concept of chemical reaction. 

4. Slime making experiment: 

* Materials required: glue, water, borax, and food colouring

* What to do: Mix glue, water and food colouring. In another bowl, mix borax with water. Slowly add the borax mixture to the glue mixture and stir. 

* What to observe: A fun, squishy slime will be created.

* Presentation tip: Explain the concepts of polymers and chemical reactions in simple terms. 

5. Chemical reaction between calcium carbide and water: 

* Materials required: Calcium carbide (CaC2) pellets or powder, water, large container or bucket with a lid (to collect gas), and a smaller container or cup, a spoon or stirrer

* What to do: Put on protective hand gloves and goggles. Place 1-2 teaspoonfuls of calcium carbide pellets or powder into a smaller container. Slowly add water to the calcium carbide while stirring with the spoon. Observe the reaction and collect the gas produced in a large container.

* What to observe: Bubbles will form and rise rapidly from the mixture, producing a hissing sound. The reaction will produce acetylene gas (C2H2), which will be collected in a large container. The mixture will become warm to touch. Please, remember that this experiment should be conducted in a well-ventilated area, and nobody should inhale the acetylene gas produced. This is an example of effervescence reaction due to the release of gas bubbles. This reaction is also an example of a single displacement (or replacement) reaction because only one element displaces another element from a compound:

CaC2 (Calcium carbide) + 2H2O (2 molecules of water) = Ca(OH)2 (calcium hydroxide) + C2H2 (acetylene gas). Acetylene gas is used for providing light for hunting, camping, emergency lighting, and welding and cutting of metals.

6. Chemical and physical changes:

Chemical change involves a change in the chemical composition of the substance because heat is involved. In that case, a new product is formed. The substance can also react with another gas to form a new product without involving heat. Examples are: 

Burning wood = ashes (heat is involved)

Rusting iron = iron oxide ( oxygen gas involved)

Physical change: 

No heat is involved. It involves a change in the physical state or properties of a substance. No new product is formed. Each reactant can still be converted back to its original state. Examples are: 

Melting ice = water (water can be converted back to ice).

Boiling water = steam (steam can be converted back to water). They are inter-convertible!

The introduction of science education to preschoolers is pivotal to their development of fundamental scientific concepts, fostering curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking and reasoning skills. The knowledge of science enables the preschoolers to explore and discover useful things from the natural world to make human living more comfortable and prosperous.

Please, share with your friends and loved ones. Thank you very much.

















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