Ice Cream Science (Lesson Plan 3)

www.reachoutmichigan.org/funexperiments/agesubject/lessons/other/una2.html

This lesson is sure to be a classroom favorite. It helps hone observation skills while taking a look at the chemistry involved in certain cooking reactions, specifically ice cream.

It also has students practicing the science process skills and observing the properties of water and how they change. I think with varying degrees of adult help, this lesson can be modified to fit any grade from 1 to 4.

Exploring Climate Change (Lesson Plan 2)

www.pbs.org/teachers/connect/resources/6800/preview/

This lesson about arctic animals and climate change would work well for children in grades 2 through 4 who are practicing researching and writing because it employs different graphic organizers and methods of collecting information like a KWL chart.

It also has children watching videos online of real wildlife, a great way to bring the real world of nature into the classroom and to incorporate technology.

Bringing Science Outside: Gardening with Children (Good Read 10)

www.naeyc.org/files/tyc/file/Gardening.pdf

There are many benefits to bringing children outdoors; they can observe nature, look for wildlife, and see  life and environmental science in its original form. However, I can imagine that bringing twenty some 7 year olds outside on nice day could be a bit chaotic, or get confused with recess, so this article offers several tips to make sure outdoor activities run smoothly.

One way to give young children a purpose outside for connecting with nature outside is to plant a garden. Student can participate in preparing the area, planting seeds, and harvesting and tending to the garden. As they do, they will observe many aspects of nature and learn what all plants need to grow and thrive. They will be doing something with real, purposeful results, and get to make science connections the entire way. 

Thrifty Science (Good Read 9)

www.naeyc.org/tyc/files/tyc/file/V4N5/Thrift%20Shop%20Finds%201011.pdf

This article doesn't relate exclusively to science, but since I have a natural love of thrift store shopping, it caught my eye. The author says that for just a few bucks at thrift stores, she was able to purchase measuring spoons and cups, cylinders and tubbing, magnets, seashells, rubber snakes and reptiles, garden tools, and binoculars, all which could be used by the children at school to enhance their experience with the sciences. The items were new and exciting when she brought them in, they were able to be applied to the science lessons she was teaching about wildlife and the outdoors, and they only cost a couple of bucks at thrift stores.

Getting Science in the Air in Early Childhood Classrooms! (Good Read 8)

www.naeyc.org/tyc/files/tyc/file/V4N5/Science%20in%20the%20Air.pdf

This article from NAEYC is all about creating the right kind of classroom environment, routine, and practices that encourage children to think about science. Since science is really a part of our everyday lives, there are plenty of opportunities to bring it into the classroom, but teachers need to be active facilitators, asking open-ended questions, using science vocabulary, and building on children's natural curiosity.

Using Movement to Foster Critical Thinking and Problem Solving (Good Read 7)

www.naeyc.org/files/yc/file/201109/Moving%20Bodies_Russo_Marigliano_Online_0911.pdf

I recently started working in a preschool classroom and it is amazing how much those kids like to move! They seem to have energy in leaps and bounds and love exploring and learning through movement. I think preschool teachers should take advantage of that energy in every way possible and this article talks about how skills important to science like critical thinking and problems solving can actually be fostered through the use of creative movement.

Teaching Science Process Skills (Good Read 6)

www.scienceinschool.org/2006/issue1/play

This article discusses the importance of play in teaching science process skills. They explain how inquiry can be the most appealing aspect of science for young children and that being able to use their imagination can allow them to carry out the abstract processes needed for success with science. They also suggest several activities to do with children to engage the process of inquiry in science, like creating triangular arrays with bottle caps and looking for patterns.