The Pleasure of Discovery: Science in the Early Childhood Classroom

The last time I had an opportunity to attend a session led by Bev Bos was in the early 90s. I was a preschool teacher and our Florida NAEYC chapter sponsored a session. I remember like it was yesterday the excitement I felt being in a room with this amazing woman! The session was on a Saturday and the following day I spent outdoors and at the hardware store gathering items for school the following day. I simply could not wait! Bev is still as inspiring, encouraging, and rejuvenating as I remember!

•The school in which Bev is Director, Roseville Community Preschool, is offering (2) 2.5 day conferences. Registration is just a little more than NAEYC registration. For more information, go to: http://goodstuffforkids.org/
•Together we sang the beautiful song titled, The Swing, as Bev led us on her autoharp.
•The swing Bev states is often missing from playgrounds. Why? A swing can be a great science tool – it’s cause and effect. People in attendance nodded their heads as they recalled playing on a swing (stood up, belly, spider, over the top, etc.).
•Science is wondering about something, questioning, and going on. Children are natural scientists.
•“In play a child always behaves beyond his average age – above his daily behavior for in play it is as though he were a head taller than himself.” -Lev Vygotsky
•All of our hopes and dreams are wrapped up in our children.
•Soda+vinegar+food coloring = fun!
•The Pleasure of Discovery - A sense of wonder, of curiosity, of inquiry and the energy and eagerness to pursue the why and what of everything, are what make young children scientist. With eager and curious parents and teachers exploring along-side young children, science becomes, in the words of physicist Richard Feynman, “the pleasure of finding things out.”
•Bev explained that she prefers the word “science-ing” when talking about children because it is “something you do now.” To walk, to run, to play can be done now or at some other time. But walking, running, playing means we’re doing it right now! That’s how you should think of science-ing; something we are “actively doing.” Science for young children, has to be hands-on. At this age [preschool] it is not to be learned from a book, or DVD, or TV show. Children need to be fiddling around with everything in their environment.
•Science is elemental play. Children must be allowed to constantly explore, play with, dig and wallow in all the elements. Science takes place in every area of the school. Art is basic science. Music, blocks, gardens are all deeply connected to science.
•“Science is about the three C’s and the big D – curiosity, creativity, critical thinking and discovery.”
•Problem is that we just teach what we know. Enough of the sink and float activities! Let them be curious and discover.
•Science vs. Magic
oScience is concerned with the natural world
oMagic is about the super-natural
oFocus on real and authentic

•Encounter magazine – highly recommended https://great-ideas.org/enc.htm
•Kids have the right to be surrounded by beauty. Lots and lots of plants!
•Corn grows anywhere. Buy dry corn and let children explore.
•Light table with real things for kids to explore. Party bulbs have 25 wattage and change colors.
•Red clay vs. playdough
•Connect with someone that develops prosthesis. Let children explore with them (paint, etc.).
•Magnifying glass with tons of things.
•Steven Chew Secretary of Energy @ pendulums
oNerf ball with 6-7 screws for weight and string/rope.
oBuild with blocks and knock over with pendulum.
oPaint with Nerf ball.

•Slugs & snails are great for children. They eat everything, reproduce, leave a trail wherever they go, etc. Children can use spray bottles to water them.
•Egg in vinegar the shell dissolves.
•Different pieces of crown molding (1, 2, 3 ft. lengths), plastic gutter, etc. to make marble runs.
•Children must be allowed to produce through their own actions.
•Results must be immediate in order to connect results with actions.
•The children can observe their work through play.
•String on either side of slinky and click with something.
•Share string and play it together.
•Cups, string with nail on end, and damp cloth to make sounds.
•Straw under arm and blow to make sounds.
•Catapults for children (Turn the Page Press).
•Sheet metal with magnets.
•Jars with holes in it and surgical tubing, clear tubing, etc..

Like many years ago, I cannot wait to explore the items Bev and Michael shared. Only this time, I’m not in the classroom. Instead, I get to do these things with my son and husband. I am looking forward to Thanksgiving weekend so we can transform our backyard!

Bev Bos and Michael Leeman, Roseville Community Preschool