Choice of Activities

Bickart
• Choose topics for long-term study from the list
• Find material outside the classroom window
• Use environmental events as a starting point of inquiry
• Allow time to for child-initiated topics

Kilmer
• Experience activities from a range of science disciplines
• Unfamiliar should begin with a connection to child’s current knowledge
• Activities in which the child is actively involved (not just handling)
• DeVries and Kohlberg definition
• Child able to produce the phenomenon by own actions
• Child able to vary this action and effect change
• Results be immediate and observable
• Activities that are developmentally appropriate (list of examples)

Holt
• Doesn't get into specifics, only that activities involve sciencing
• Activities that involve careful observation
e.g. observation of birds and their nests
• Activities carried out over time
e.g. nesting behavior over time

Chille
• Activities which allow for children to ask their own questions
• Activities chosen according to:
• Children’s interests
• Teacher interests
• Teacher’s judgment as to what will interest children
• Activities which are “good” physical knowledge activities
• Child able to produce the phenomenon by own actions
• Child able to vary this action and effect change
• Results be immediate and observable
• Activities where the focus is transformation and representation
• Variation and complexity of activities
• Consider ages of the children
• Consider the experience children may have with the variables
• Build in complexity
• Consider the complexity of the interactions between children
• With children at different levels, can have more complexity
• Observe children during the activity to decide

Questions

1. The article on constructivist science education puts a lot of emphasis on allowiing the child’s to come up with their own questions and direct their own investigations during an activity. Do you see any value in activites where the teacher comes up with questions to investigate?

2. Can anyone give examples of science activities that were successful in their classroom. What made the activity successful?