The NSTA Elementary Science List had an interesting query last week:
Steve Geresy asked if anyone has any great books on Early Learning Inquiry that have concrete examples for teachers to guide them through the process of becoming more inquiry based in their teaching.
Here’s a short, and by no means exhaustive, list of my favorites—what are yours?
Worms, Shadows, and Whirlpools by Sharon Grollman and Karen Worth (2003, Heinemann) because it includes “In the Classroom” stories with observations by real teachers who may not have science backgrounds but are implementing inquiry in their classrooms and writing about it.
What Is A Scientist? by Barbara Lehn, with wonderful photos by Carol Krauss (1999, Millbrook Press), a children’s book rather than a teacher resource book, but I use it that way to help teachers learn about what science is and use it for explaining early childhood science to the families. Teachers and children can read it together to learn about the science they may already be doing. It’s a good introduction to early childhood science, and a reminder to us all that children are very capable and we teachers do not have to tell the children what they see, understand, guess, or wonder about, but to give the children time and permission to voice their thoughts.
Creepy Crawlies and the Scientific Method, Over 100 hands-on science experiments for children by Sally Stenhouse Kneidel (1993, Fulcrum Publishing) has an excellent chapter on the scientific method, is especially good for in depth study, and the chapter on equipment is very helpful. It has detailed instructions on finding and maintaining small animals in captivity and good ideas for opportunities to observe. The experiments are directed toward elementary school age children.
Guppies, Bubbles and Vibrating Objects, A creative approach to the teaching of science to very young children by John McGavack Jr. and Donald P. LaSalle (1969, The John Day Company) is an oldie but goodie resource for its valuable discussion on teaching science to young children as well as many activities and experiments. Sections titled “How to begin”, “Why do it this way?” and “How to do it” are good guides, and include valuable modeling of teacher-student dialogs. I find that teachers, who know how to use open-ended questions and how to listen to children in all other aspects of classroom learning, somehow change when they begin a science activity and start telling information. (There are so many interesting facts and ideas about the world that I am sympathetic to (sometimes guilty of!) this failing but we must allow time for children to think for themselves.)
Please add to this list and tell what you like about the resources.
Peggy
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I’ve written a number of books which would be helpful to teachers in this regard. The series is called “Let’s Try it Out” and the titles include Water and Air. The subtitle is Hands-On Early-Learning Activities.
I’ve used your Pets in a Jar: Collecting and Caring for Small Wild Animals (1979) and more recently, Let’s Try It Out in the Air (2003), great books for student and teacher learning. (Read how Seymour Simon got started writing in an interview by Eleise Jones at http://www.seymoursimon.com/interview1.htm )