Introduction
Children are natural-born scientists. They are naturally inquisitive and begin
doing science from the moment of birth by observing and sorting out their
world—perhaps even earlier. They play with their hands and feet and with their
fingers and toes, with blankets and toys, and with just about anything near them.
They look; they manipulate; they move things this way and that; they throw; and
they chase. Their eyes go wide with excitement when they encounter something
new. They exhibit natural curiosity about almost everything—what things are,
how things work, and how things are related to each other. The teacher of early
childhood science has a wonderfully rich palate with which to work.
Science education capitalizes on this natural curiosity of children. It encourages
children to construct information in ways that are meaningful to them. It focuses
on experiences children do themselves—on doing rather than acquiring. The
competent teacher of early childhood science encourages children to wonder, to
ask questions, to explore possible answers to these questions, and to construct
their own conclusions.
Teachers tend to teach the way they were taught. Many preservice teachers
were taught science in a didactic manner and were required—unsuccessfully—to
learn scientific facts, concepts, and theories through texts and worksheets. They
perceive the job of the science teacher to be the skillful impartation of scientific
facts and concepts to children, perhaps bolstered by an activity or two designed
to demonstrate the truths of the material they are presenting. They believe the
teacher’s manual provides all the needed information. Children are discouraged
from “actively making meaningful connections to their existing knowledge”
(Ulerick, 1989, p. 2). As Penner (2001) writes, “Science education in school