Investigating Science With Young Children

“Teaching science by a process approach is an exciting adventure for both teachers and children. There is neither a predetermined sequence of events for children nor a specific set of directions for the teacher. Process science is an open-ended approach, and the direction learning will take is determined, for the most part, by the children.”―from the Preface

Teaching science to young children has long been an area of intense interest and concern to educators. Investigating Science with Young Children is specifically designed to address this concern in a practical, timely, and enjoyable way. Originally planned as an extension of the ten-booklet series, Science Experiences for Young Children (Teachers College Press, 1975), this book outlines 85 lively activities the teacher can use in guiding three-, four-, and five-year-olds in a fruitful exploration of science. The first part of the book presents a theoretical explanation of the process approach advocated by the author; the second, the activities themselves: Exploring Water, Mixing Colors, Setting Objects in Motion, to name a few.

Investigating Science with Young Children offers an informed guide to resources necessary to implement an effective and productive science program. The book will help teachers fully understand the process approach and encourage them to develop their own science activities for the classroom. As the author states, “It is not enough to read about process science; you must use it to find out how much children enjoy and learn from this method.”

This book will serve as a supplemental text for early childhood and primary science curriculum courses and as an invaluable resource for teachers.

Rosemary Althouse is professor emeritus of early childhood education at Winthrop University, Rock Hill, South Carolina.