Developmentally Appropriate Science
Science for young children is actively participating and handling materials, but is not doing this with lots of facts.
What is memorizing?
This is the first step in inquiry, where children wonder about objects, organisms, and events in their environment.
What is asking questions?
These simple tools help children observe objects more closely.
What are magnifiers?
Children are encouraged to answer their questions through these two actions.
What are observation and investigation?
Teachers motivate children by providing a rich environment full of these.
What are materials children can discover on their own?
Science is investigating individually or in small groups, but is not limited to only these types of experiences.
What are teacher‑planned activities?
According to inquiry-based learning, children learn best when they can do this.
What is investigate?
This tool is used to measure temperature during investigations.
What is a thermometer?
This fundamental science skill involves using the five senses to gather information about objects and events.
What is observing
Children need these two things in order to explore effectively.
What are time and freedom?
Children should observe results of their own actions rather than being restricted by these types of questions.
What are closed, single‑right‑answer questions?
Appropriate investigations for young children include describing objects and events and doing this with them.
What is classifying objects and events?
Rulers, thermometers, magnifiers, and microscopes are used to gather this.
What is data?
After observing, children naturally begin to identify similarities and differences through this process.
What is comparing?
Teachers should ask many of these types of questions and accept divergent answers.
What are open-ended questions?
A teacher showing children an experiment which involves using boiling water and ice to show evaporation and condensation.
What is a teacher-directed science activity?
Children are encouraged to answer their questions through these two actions.
What are observation and investigation?
Simple equipment and tools help children do this by extending their senses.
What is observe and measure more effectively?
Children use these to gather information during observations.
What are the five senses?
Teachers help children understand new scientific ideas by introducing this.
What is vocabulary?
Young children often begin classification by sorting objects according to one of these.
What is one property (such as colour, size, or shape)?
Besides classifying and describing, children should share this with others during investigations.
What is what they know?
Children's communication of their investigations can be spoken, written, or this.
What is drawn/through drawings?
Comparing involves identifying these two characteristics in objects.
What are likenesses and differences?
According to the handout, science is not viewed as being simply this or that.
What are right or wrong?