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 –Formal science experiences are planned by the teacher to develop particular skills. 2.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.  Children’s 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.Providing art media and materials for children to use. 2.Engaging children in discussion about animals. 3.Reading stories. 4.Showing pictures 5.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 children’s 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. TEACHER’S ROLE  The teacher’s 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. 1.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.Grow in understanding the needs of animals for food, water as well as safe, clean housing and attention. 2.Grow in appreciation for the beauty, variety, and functional physical characteristic of animals. 3.Grow in the compassion for and humane treatment of animal. 4.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.Discuss the way pet feel, how they look, etc. 2.Write experience chart about their care and characteristics. 3.Tell original stories based on pets. 4.Draw, paint, or model the pet out of clay 5.Take a trip to a pet shop or zoo. 6.Show pictures of animal. 7.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.Watch a bean seed sprout 2.Playing with snow in the texture table. 3.Watching birds and squirrels 4.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  Teacher’s 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 don’t 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.Sponges, corks, and light pieces of wood. 2.Funnels strainers, colander, plastic tubing, and siphons. 3.Spray containers, sprinklers, squeeze bottle, water gun. 4.Paintbrushes, paint rollers and washcloth 5.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