CREATIVE SCIENCE

SCIENCE AND THE YOUNG CHILD

Science consist of two phases or parts that cannot
be separated investigation and knowledge.
IMPORTANCE OF SCIENCE
It is found that investigating is much more important than
knowledge that comes from investigation. Process over
product?
To provide the experiences children need to develop scientific
creativity.
Teachers must understand the importance of science and must
help children investigate in order to find answers to questions
about the world.

 There are 3 types of science experiences for

young children
1. Formal science
2. Informal science
3. Incidental science

Science is important to young children in a

number of ways.
1. While investigating they are learning by doing--the most
effective way for young children to learn.
2. Help young children develop skills in using their senses.
Educator use the term transfer of learning to describe
knowledge and skills that are gained in one area and used in
many other areas.
3. Science allows children yet another chance to exercise their
creative abilities.

TYPES OF SCIENCE ACTIVITIES

1.

FORMAL SCIENCE

2.

Formal science experiences are planned by the teacher to develop particular skills.

INFROMAL SCIENCE

Calls for little or no teacher involvement.

Children spend as much or as little time working at a given activity as they desire.

It is when this sort of openness is available to children that creative potential beings
to develop.

This kind of activities occur in discovery (science) center.

3.

INCIDENTAL SCIENCE

Cannot be planned.

Teacher can however, take advantage of such an opportunity by letting children

explore and seek answers to questions and to be more inquisitive and creative.

ART AND SCIENCE

AESTHETIC AND SCIENCE
Aesthetic means being sensitive to beauty in nature and art.
Such sensitivity is fostered by experiencing it in a variety of forms.
For young child, nature is an especially appropriate avenue for a sense of
aesthetic.

SCIENCE AND ART MATERIALS/ACTIVITIES

Children working with art materials make scientific observations.
Experimentation with art materials may lead to many other discoveries about
cause and effect.
The potential for developing science concepts is in the art materials and in the
processes-ready to be discovered and applied.

Animals link science and art.

Childrens natural love of animals is a good place to
begin when planning art activities that encourage
science experiences.
Teachers create opportunities for guided learning about
animals by
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Providing art media and materials for children to use.

Engaging children in discussion about animals.
Reading stories.
Showing pictures
Singing songs about animals.

Learning about animals and pet can also take place as a

result of spontaneous discovery and subsequent
engagement in teacher-guided art activity.

Some activities that expand further on the concept of

animals/pets and art activities.
1.

Encourage older children to draw, paint or model representations of

their pets doing something characteristics.

1.

Offer a variety of boxes, trays, and found objects that children can use
to make zoo cages or farm environments

1.

Provide opportunities for children to make their drawings, paintings or

cutout, pasted animals onto booklets, murals, jigsaw puzzles or
puppets.

THE DISCOVERY/SCIECE CENTER

The discover center should have things for the children to do.

Most teacher use a sand and water table in the discovery center, even cooking
activities can be done.

The discovery center can hose plants and animal for the children to observe.

In formal science activities, younger children need clearly defined steps to gain
from science activities.

To keep the objective of an experience evident to the children, avoid using

materials with irrelevant, distracting details.

Please note that the non-food materials must be small enough to swallow.

Thoughtful questioning, careful listening to childrens replies, and comments form

the teacher guide forms of science activities in the discovery center.

The discovery center is the place where children learn the creative thinking and
problem-solving skills that are foundation of the National Standards.

ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION
Children need to learn about their environment because
their lives depend on that environment.
Activities that help children understand their environment
can also help them become more creative thinker.

TYPES OF ENVIRONMENT
Consist of man-made (home, school, neighborhood) and
natural (natural things and natural happening)
environment.
Nature influences people; people influence nature.
Children must be taught how to manipulate and influence
both.

 ECOLOGY. The study of all elements of an

environment both living and non-living, and the
interrelation of these elements.
To truly grasp the concept of ecology, young children
need an opportunities to observe the total process rather
than just a potion of it or only the finished product.
Children should develop an understanding of types of
resources and changes in environment.
These early experiences in ecology will provide students
an eventual understanding and appreciation for their part
in protecting the environment.

ENVIRONMENTAL ACTIVITIES IN SCHOOL

In the early childhood years, the teacher can use everyday experience to point
out to children the importance of caring for the environment.

GETTING STARTED
Getting young children outdoors to touch and experience nature is the starting
point for learning about ecology and the environment.
Small reading groups, project work, other academic work, along with music,
dance, art activities can be effectively carried out in the outdoors.

TEACHERS ROLE
The teachers most important role is sharing enthusiasm, curiosity, and wonder
When ideas, feelings are shared with children, it encourages exploration and
child-adult conversation.
In middle and upper elementary grades, as children become more familiar with
their world, the teacher can guide them to observe changes

ART AND ECOLOGY

Art, music, dance, movement, and storytelling all provide opportunities for children to express
their interests and discoveries developed through environmental education.

Some specific activities on environmental education and ecology for children of all ages.
1.

When someone in the classroom breaks a toy or piece of equipment, use the opportunity
to talk with them about the consequences.

1.

Help children use materials conservatively by saving and reusing.

1.

Encourage them to help care for and clean classroom furniture.

2.

Discuss with the children the importance of caring for books.

1.

Snack times offer an opportunity for children to learn to conserve.

1.

Before going on a picnic, remind them to pick up the trash

1.

Encourage appreciation for the jobs of the school janitor and garbage collectors.

Avoid frightening children with threats about results of things they cannot control. Instead
concentrate on things they can do.

PETS IN THE CLASSROOM

Through observing and caring for pets in the classroom, children
can:
1.
2.
3.
4.

Grow in understanding the needs of animals for food, water as well as safe,
clean housing and attention.
Grow in appreciation for the beauty, variety, and functional physical
characteristic of animals.
Grow in the compassion for and humane treatment of animal.
Obtain inspiration for many language experiences and creative activities.

Besides caring for pets, some other activities that might be inspires
by the presence of pets in the classroom are the following
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

Discuss the way pet feel, how they look, etc.

Write experience chart about their care and characteristics.
Tell original stories based on pets.
Draw, paint, or model the pet out of clay
Take a trip to a pet shop or zoo.
Show pictures of animal.
Older children can keep journal on their daily observations of class pet

OUTDOOR SCIENCE

BEGINNING ACTIVITIES
Children can learn about different things about nature
by being outdoors.
Young children also need to realize that nature is all
around then and that wildlife can be found anywhere.
Ideas on how to begin with simple experiences include:
1.
2.
3.
4.

Watch a bean seed sprout

Playing with snow in the texture table.
Watching birds and squirrels
Walking barefoot in the grass and sand before wading in a
shallow stream.

INTRODUCING NATURE-RELATED MATERIALS INTO THE DIFFERENT

LEARNING CENTERS
To add nature-related materials to the manipulative center, you might choose
simple puzzles with nature themes and shells and pebbles of different colors
and sizes.
Materials form the outdoors also make wonderful addition to the art center.
Audiotapes of sounds from the nature can be added to music or listening
center. The dramatic play area too, can be enriched with outdoor materials.
GARDENING
For children to be creative gardeners , they should be given some choices.
Older children can measure and record the growth of their seeds, they can compare
and contrast the differences in growth.

BIRD FEEDER
Children can try to design bird feeders and build them in some way, or they can design
the feeder and their parents can help them build the structures.
Children can experiment with the kind of food attract various birds. Older children enjoy
learning the names of the birds they see at the feeder.

 CLOUD AND SKY WATCHING

Children can lie on the ground and look for different shapes of the
cloud.
Teacher can support their learning by answering their questions and
asking them to make up a story about clouds.

THE SOUND OF NATURE

Walking in the woods or along a busy street can be made exciting by
listening to the sounds.

WHAT HAPPENS TO RAIN WATER.

ANIMAL HIDING PLACES

 PLANTS IN THE ENVIRONMENT

Teachers need to provide children with
necessary items and activities to experience
plants in the environment.
1. Make seed catalogs available in the book center.
2. Seeds can be planted in pots by the children.
3. Press sticks down into the soil by the seed to measure
the height of sprout.
4. If seeds dont grow, dig them up to see what happened.
5. Help children to build a greenhouse model.
6. Seeds of various kinds can be broken or cut open and
studies to observe the small plant inside.
7. To see roots, stems, and leaves forms, make a plastic
bag greenhouse.

 WATER PLAY EXPERIENCES

Objects that lead the child to science experiences
might include the following:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Sponges, corks, and light pieces of wood.

Funnels strainers, colander, plastic tubing, and siphons.
Spray containers, sprinklers, squeeze bottle, water gun.
Paintbrushes, paint rollers and washcloth
Spoon, dipper, plastic syringe

Safety tips

Always have an adult with the children in any water

play.
Never use breakable materials.
Develop water play rules with the children