Math and Science Investigations

Helping Young Learners Make Big Discoveries

Sally Anderson

• Publisher: Gryphon House Inc.
• Year: 2012
• eBook ISBN: 9780876594278
• Topic: Education
• Subtopic: Early Childhood Education

Young children are naturally interested in the patterns and processes occurring in the world around them. They are beginning to learn about the changes happening each day, month, and season. They are starting to ask questions about the environment and world beyond. They are anxious to explore the creatures in their own backyard. Math and Science Investigations supports young children's natural curiosity and encourages them to explore what happens around them. Hands-on investigations help children learn the skills, concepts, and standards of mathematics, science, language, and literacy—all at the same time—using some of their favorite books. Each chapter includes a general introduction to the theme; ideas to start you thinking about math, science, language, and literacy; vocabulary related to the topic; and children's book suggestions.

CHAPTER 1

Introduction

WELCOME TO MATH AND SCIENCE
INVESTIGATIONS

This book will support and enhance the work you are already doing with young children. In it you will find hundreds of ideas for using high-quality picture books, good conversations, and lively investigations that incorporate the skills, concepts, and standards of mathematics, science, and language and literacy.

In addition, this book will help you work with children in ways that are interesting and fun to them and sensitive to their developmental needs.

Children are naturally compelled to explore the world around them. By providing tools and support for children’s active exploration, you can promote the development of mathematics, science, and language and literacy learning. By observing and documenting this learning, you can share with administrators, peers, and families the learning that is taking place within each child.

Math and Science Investigations will enhance your work with young children by helping you to:

Use the language of math, science, and literacy in your daily practice and programming,

Use picture books and investigations to promote conversations, language skills, and higher-order thinking,

Engage children in hands-on investigations that help them explore math, science, and literacy skills and concepts,

Find diverse ways to use picture books for all kinds of learning,

Learn how to use math, science, and language and literacy standards to inform your work with children,

Observe individual children and groups of children more carefully,

Learn ways to communicate to families the work you are doing with children,

Enjoy your time with children and continue to grow in your profession, and

Understand that you enrich the lives of young children.

Using Math and Science Investigations will help you work with children with more intention, talk about your work with more clarity, and address standards more thoroughly. Math and Science Investigations will help you build on what you already know about mathematics, science, and language and literacy.

HOW THIS BOOK IS ORGANIZED

Each remaining chapter of Math and Science Investigations focuses on a topic that relates to both mathematics and science. The chapters are as follows:

Chapter 2: Measurement, Data Collection, and Graphic Representation

Chapter 3: More Than Counting

Chapter 4: Out and About

Chapter 5: Shapes and Spaces

Chapter 6: Exploring Spaces (and Places!)

Chapter 7: What Comes Next?

Chapter 8: Growing and Changing

Chapter 9: Same and Different

Chapter 10: Making It Work

Each chapter begins with a general introduction to the theme: ideas to start you thinking about math, science, and language and literacy; vocabulary related to the topic; and picture book suggestions. The introduction also answers these important questions:

How does the theme respond to young children’s curiosity and interest?

How does the theme relate to young children’s development?

How does the theme relate to math, science, and literacy?

INVESTIGATIONS

The introduction to the theme is followed by two or more investigations. Investigations are experiences that engage children in math, science, and language and literacy learning. Investigations are meaningful learning experiences that are done over and over again. They are child-centered, they build children’s self-confidence,...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Copyright
• Contents
• Chapter 1: Introduction
• Chapter 2: Measurement, Data Collection, and Graphic Representation
• Chapter 3: More than counting
• Chapter 4: Out and About
• Chapter 5: Shapes and Spaces
• Chapter 6: Exploring Spaces (and Places!)
• Chapter 7: What Comes Next?
• Chapter 8: Growing and Changing
• Chapter 9: Same and Different
• Chapter 10: Making It Work
• Bibliography
• Index