THE PRIMARY GRADES SCIENCE – KINDERGARTEN THROUGH THIRD GRADE Good science teachers do everything in their power to encourage curiosity and foster wonder, especially in the primary grades. They know that, in many cases, if children aren’t enjoying science by third grade, they’re “lost” to this subject; after that, their attitudes may be fixed. A top goal at this age is to fascinate children with neat topics like whales and rockets and rainbows. Good science education really starts with the lesson that the world is an amazing place. When you visit a primary school science class, pay attention to how often the students ask questions. This is a pretty good gauge of whether the teacher is encouraging youngsters’ interests. Is this a room full of children eager with inquiries like “Why do bunnies hop?” and “How does the balloon get bigger?” Or is it mostly’ silence as the teacher drones through the day’s lesson? Remember that, at this young age, most children are bursting with “how” and “why” questions. You should be able to hear them. You should witness the teacher respond with straightforward answers and, when appropriate, simple demonstrations. Obviously, the instruction must suit the age and intellectual development of students....
KINDERGARTEN
Kindergarten gives youngsters a playful, active introduction to science. Learning comes from listening to the teacher read aloud, but also through direct discovery and simple experiments. Children begin learning how to gather information as they explore...
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FIRST GRADE
First grade students conduct simple experiments in which they predict what will happen, test their hypotheses, and record what they find. They draw conclusions about their experiments and practice explaining them. They get used to the idea of working in...
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SECOND GRADE
Second grade investigations remain simple but involve slightly more detailed observations and procedures. (For example, children may be asked to classify objects by two or more characteristics.) Students take length, volume, mass, and temperature measurem...
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THIRD GRADE
Third grade children continue learning how to conduct investigations. Students practice posing questions, making hypotheses, ·and testing predictions. They use the information they collect to make inferences and draw conclusions. They get experience ...
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IS YOUR SCHOOL TEACHING SCIENCE ...
Here are examples of science lessons that many good schools teach in the primary school years. By the end of third grade, your child should understand many of these terms, facts, and concepts. When two magnets are brought close together, two like poles al...
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QUESTIONS TO ASK THE TEACHER
In the primary grades, you may want to ask the teacher questions such as: What science lessons will .my child be studying in the coming weeks? About how much time per day do you spend on science? What books and stories related to science will the c...
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