In our mid-Atlantic spring we can have temperatures in the 50s or in the 80s, rain or shine. The activities the children have been involved in center around the weather. We planted peas and radishes, measured their growth, examined the pea flowers, and are waiting for the harvest. The radishes may be too spicy for many [...]
The USA Science and Engineering Festival had something for everyone this weekend—information, experiences, fun and challenges for scientists young and old. I learned about the senses through the “Science of Our Senses” exhibit activities by the American Association for the Advancement of Science. By smelling, people can have different perceptions of the same compound, that [...]
The Early Years blog will broaden its voice by having occasional guest bloggers. Marie Faust Evitt joins us today. She is the head teacher of a preschool class for four- and five-year-olds, and leads an “Adventure Day” class in Mountain View, California. She has written for newspapers and journals* and is the author of Thinking [...]
We didn’t have enough wire so we re-used cardboard tubes, empty boxes, egg cartons, and plastic jar lids to create toys called “Galimotos” in the Malawian children’s tradition as recounted in the children’s book, Galimoto by Karen Lynn Williams and illustrated by Catherine Stock. Galimoto means “car” in Chichewa, the national language of Malawi and [...]
I’ll be having a wonderful time at home with a sister visiting and celebrating a family birthday BUT, I do wish I could also go to the 1st Annual NSTA STEM Forum & Expo in Atlantic City, New Jersey on May 17–19, 2012. Register soon–before April 20 at a lower cost. There are 36 sessions in [...]
With spring break coming right after the conference my reporting has been delayed. There were many interesting sessions presenting and discussing many interesting ideas at the 2012 NSTA national conference in Indianapolis. Here are a few of the ideas from a few of the sessions. This young scientist displays his developmentally appropriate model of the Earth [...]
Thank you Council for Elementary Science and APAST, SEPA, the NSTA Committee on Preschool-Elementary Science Teaching, and Science and Children for the “Elementary Extravaganza”! (Click here, then scroll down to see photos.) Well before 8am science educators were lining up to get into the ballroom where each one (of ~ 100) tables was a different presenter ready to [...]
Yesterday at the NSTA national conference was my treat for myself—the CESI Engineering Is Elementary Day. My father was a metallurgist, and later a ceramist. He was good at figuring out ways to fix things and understanding the properties of materials. I looked forward to learning more about his field in a way that I can [...]
Do you remember the book Play With Me, (Viking Press, 1955), written and illustrated by Marie Hall Ets about a child observing wildlife? Including Play With Me, five of her book are Caldecott Honor books. I also love her book, Gilberto and the Wind. In Play With Me, a young child seeks to play with animals [...]
Both the NSTA journal Science and Children, and the NAEYC journal Young Children, were especially riveting this month, March of 2012. I quickly look through the journals to get a feel for the issue, and then put them in my reading bag or pile, unless I happen to be sitting down to the rare quiet [...]
