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Science and Technology

The need to focus on science in the early childhood classroom is based on a number of factors currently affecting the early childhood community. First and foremost is the growing understanding and recognition of the power of children’s early thinking and learning.
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Items to add to your dramatic play area:
  • Measuring Cups
  • Grow your own Garden
  • Real Life Tools
  • Scale
  • Plastic Animals

Name of Activity: Big vs. Small

 

Originating Idea: Classifying

 

Curriculum Area: Science & Technology 

 

Materials:

  • Big objects (balls, chairs, books, etc)

  • Small objects – pencils, rocks, marbles, etc.

 

Appropriate Age group: 4 and up.

 

Beginning of Activity

Opening statement:

Explain to the children that there are big objects and small objects. Show them side to side comparison. Then start to explain how to describe objects to the children, Using classification terms. 

 

Middle of Activity

 

Early:

These children should be holding objects around them. Ask these children if they have something big or small. 

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Middle:

While these children are playing with these toys, ask them are they playing with a big/large object or are you playing with a small object. When they give you an answer ask them why it is what their answer was.

 

Later:

While these children are playing with these toys, ask them are they playing with a big/large object or are you playing with a small object. When they give you an answer ask them why it is what their answer was. After their answer, compare their object with a different object. Is your object bigger or smaller then the one you're pointing out. 

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End of Activity:

Ask many questions during this process:  

  • How would you explain this toy?

  • What size do you think this is?

  • Asking other questions like color

  • Ask children to classify.

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Follow Up: 

Adding these objects that you used to your centers that they associate with. A ball to dramatic play, or your chair to dramatic play. 

Name of Activity: Exploding or Sink

 

Originating Idea: Experimenting / Predicting

 

Curriculum Area: Science and Technology

 

Materials:

  • Baked Soda

  • Vinegar

  • Glass Jar

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Appropriate Age group:

3-6 Years Old

 

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Beginning of Activity

Start this experiment off with a bang. Something that grabs the children's attention. Talk to them about volcano's and how when they get to hot, they bubble over. Maybe a video or book could be shown here. 

 

 

Middle of Activity

Early:

Ask these children what they think is going to happen? 

 

 

 

Middle:

Ask these children what they think is going to happen?  

Will the baking soda added to the mixture make it explode? Bubble over?  

 

 

Later:

Ask these children what they think is going to happen?

Will the baking soda added to the mixture make it explode, bubble over, or will it sink and do nothing? Have these children tell you what they believe is going to happen. After it is tested, ask who was right. 

                                                      

 

End of Activity

After the experiment concludes, ask the children if their predictions were right? Did it bubble over like you predicted it would? 

 

 

Follow-up Ideas:

Add science materials to your dramatic play area: goggles aprons, etc

Relate this with your children on how they made predictions. 

Name of Activity: Handy Kid Workers

 

Originating Idea: Tools and Technology 

 

Curriculum Area: Science & Technology 

 

Materials:

  • Hammers

  • Paper

  • Play center

  • Styrofoam 

  • Nails

 

Appropriate Age group: 3 and up.

 

Beginning of Activity

Read the children the book "Pete the Cat Construction Destruction." 

 

Middle of Activity

Early:

Have these children experiment with real tools. Allowing them to paint with them and put things together using tools. 

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Middle:

Have these children experiment with real tools. Allowing them to paint with them and put things together using tools. Allowing children to hammer nails into Styrofoam boxes allowing them to use the nails and hammers.

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Later:

Allow these children to hammer nails into Styrofoam boxes allowing them to use the nails and hammers. This will allow these children to use real tool and experiment with using them efficiently. 

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End of Activity:

Conclude this activity by looking at all the nails that they children put into the board. 

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Follow Up: 

Put these hammer and nails into the dramatic play area.

You could also add hard hats, and construction vests. 

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