Science Experiences for the Early Childhood Years

Description

• Approaches science experiences in an integrated way, incorporating mathematics, children’s literature, music, and other content areas.
• Chapter 3 supports pre-service educators with limited science backgrounds, encouraging them to view themselves as co-learners as they teach by simultaneously developing foundational knowledge and teaching confidence.
• Math Skills notations, embedded in science experiences throughout Part II of the text, are clearly identified. Mathematics, therefore, is given a more prominent role in the text and learning of its readers. Additionally, an emphasis on technology is featured, including new websites and digital record-keeping suggestions for teachers, further promoting curriculum planning and management.
• Chapter openers, in Part II, help students recall moments of inspiration and satisfaction related to chapter activities, amplifying student focus on sparking children’s interest and enthusiasm in science.

Part I THE RATIONALE

Chapter 1 An Integrated Affective Approach to Science Learning

Chapter 2 Science Participants: Children, Teachers, Families, and Communities

Chapter 3 Guiding Science Learning and Assessments in the Early Years

Part II CONCEPTS, EXPERIENCES, AND INTEGRATING ACTIVITIES

Chapter 4 Plants

Chapter 5 Animals

Chapter 6 The Human Body

Chapter 7 Air

Chapter 8 Water

Chapter 9 Weather

Chapter 10 Rocks and Minerals

Chapter 11 Magnetism

Chapter 12 The Effects of Gravity

Chapter 13 Simple Machines

Chapter 14 Sound

Chapter 15 Light

Chapter 16 Our Environment

Appendix A – Resources for Music, Recordings, Poetry and Equipment Ordering

Appendix B — Exploring At-Home Activities

A core text for Science in Early Childhood courses at the 2-year or 4-year level for those who will teach young children in preschool or in the primary grades.

A classic in the field, this text takes an integrated approach to science without watering it down, and emphasizes understanding and addressing children’s affective nature. It remains a forward-thinking, innovative resource for teaching science to young learners, and a best-selling resource for the field.

Clearly organized, the text provides a research-based rationale for early science education in Part I chapters. Emphasizing that meaningful science for young children builds on the emotional underpinnings of their curiosity and concerns about the everyday world, and their pleasure in exploring it, this resource encourages new teachers to help children live appreciatively and thoughtfully on Earth.

The topical chapters in Part II offer solid, accessible, concept-based activities and are concurrent with the vision of the new Framework for K-12 Science Education, being developed by the Board on Science Education of the National Academy of Science.  For each unit presented, students are provided with all the comprehensive integrating and connecting elements to strengthen children’s learning of science.  Early educators’ own content and pedagogical knowledge will be expanded as they practice using the units in class and in field placements. 

• NEW! Includes Math Skills notations, embedded in science experiences throughout Part II of the text, that are clearly identified. Mathematics, therefore, is given a more prominent role in the text.
• NEW!  A broadened view of appropriate formative assessments is offered, concurring with the National Science Teachers Association assessment focus. It responds to the current emphasis on STEM education and accountability, and is found in Chapter 3. Additionally, an emphasis on technology is featured, including new websites and digital record-keeping suggestions for teachers, further promoting curriculum planning and management.
• NEW! The reshaped Environment chapter (Chapter 16) has a stronger focus on interdependence. The new content emphasizes learning in nature, including year-long gardening and schoolyard observations; promotes bonding with nature, pride of place, and a stewardship role for children; and makes connections to prior conceptual content more evident.
• NEW! Updated neuroscience research on the development of infant cognition, in Chapter 1, confirms the biological link between emotion, thinking, and learning. This establishes the neural basis of curiosity as the innate learning disposition to sustain with meaningful science investigations.
• NEW! Three prominent cognitive development theories are reviewed in Chapter 2, and are linked to consequent teaching implications that undergird representative early childhood science approaches.
• NEW! The holistic approach to learning science integral to the textbook is supported with new findings featured in Chapter 1. Cross-curricular, multi-modal teaching reaches children with varying learning abilities and styles, and forwards for all the ultimate goal of promoting a sustainable planet.
• NEW! Recommended learning sources beyond the classroom, found throughout the Activities sections in Part II of the text, foster the aim of nurturing an intimate, caring connection between children and the natural world. The sources include the family, the community, the outdoors, and supporting the Leave No Child Inside movement.
• NEW! Activities enhance the application of the text. A new Air Inquiry connects air and plant life for students. A redesigned Seeds We Eat activity has been changed to accommodate gluten-intolerant children.  Found in Chapters 7 and 4, respectively.
• NEW! Annotated bibliographies of new children’s literature are added to Part II, and extensive updated references are added throughout.

For over 20 years, Harlan’s and Rivkin’s text has remained a classic in the field of early childhood science education. Its innovative, forward-thinking approach has instructed countless pre-service and new teachers on how to reveal the wonder of science to young children. Written in a clear and accessible manner, with a research-based rationale for early science education, this best-selling resource encourages new teachers to help children live appreciatively and thoughtfully on this amazing planet.

New features of the Tenth Edition:

• Exciting new research and theories and their links to early childhood science approaches are presented in chapters 1 and 2.
• A broadened view of appropriate formative assessments concurrent with the National Science Teachers Association assessment focus and on STEM education.
• The Environment chapter (Chapter 16) has a stronger focus on interdependence, with emphasis on learning in nature, bonding with nature, and clearer connections to prior conceptual content.
• Recommended learning sources beyond the classroom include the family, the community, the outdoors, and supporting the Leave No Child Inside movement.
• New activities include: Air Inquiry which connects air and plant life, and a redesigned Seeds We Eat that now accommodates gluten-intolerant children. 
• Annotated bibliographies of new children’s literature are added to Part II, and extensive updated references have been added throughout.

A classic in the field, this text takes an integrated approach to science without watering it down, and emphasizes understanding and addressing children’s affective nature. It remains a forward-thinking, innovative resource for teaching science to young learners, and a best-selling resource for the field.

Clearly organized, the text provides a research-based rationale for early science education in Part I chapters. Emphasizing that meaningful science for young children builds on the emotional underpinnings of their curiosity and concerns about the everyday world, and their pleasure in exploring it, this resource encourages new teachers to help children live appreciatively and thoughtfully on Earth.

The topical chapters in Part II offer solid, accessible, concept-based activities and are concurrent with the vision of the new Framework for K-12 Science Education, being developed by the Board on Science Education of the National Academy of Science.  For each unit presented, students are provided with all the comprehensive integrating and connecting elements to strengthen children’s learning of science.  Early educators’ own content and pedagogical knowledge will be expanded as they practice using the units in class and in field placements. 

Additional information