Helping Your Child Learn Science (PDF) - ed

1 HelpingYo u r Department of EducationMargaret SpellingsSecretary First published in September 1992. Revised in 2004 and booklet is in the public to reproduce it in whole or in part for educational purposes is granted. While permission to reprint this publication is not necessary, the citation should be: Department of education , Office ofCommunications and Outreach, Helping Your Child Learn Science ,Washington, , 2005. To order copies of this publication in Englishor Spanish, write to:ED PubsEducation Publications Department of Box 1398 Jessup, MD 20794-1398;or faxyour request to: (301) 470-1244;or e-mailyour request to: callin your request toll-free: 1-877-433-7827(1-877-4-ED-PUBS). If 877 is not yet available inyour area, call 1-800-872-5327 (1-800-USA- Learn ).Those who use a telecommunications device for thedeaf (TDD) or a teletypewriter (TTY), should call order publication is also available on theDepartment s Web site request, this publication is available inalternate formats, such as Braille, large print,audiotape, or computer diskette.

2 For moreinformation, please contact the Department sAlternate Format Center at (202) 260-9895 or(202) s books and magazines are mentioned inthis booklet as examples and are only a few ofmany appropriate children s books and materials mentioned are provided as resourcesand examples for the reader s and resources in this book should notbe construed or interpreted as an endorsement bythe Department of any private organization orbusiness listed u r ChildLearn Sciencewith activities for children in preschool through grade Department of education Office of Communications and OutreachHelping Your Child Learn ScienceHelping Your Child Learn ScienceContentsForewordWhy is the sky blue?Why do things fall to the ground?How do seeds grow?What makes the sound and music?Where do mountains come from?Young children ask their parents hundreds of questions like these.

3 In search of answers, we use scienceto both enlighten and delight. Being scientific involves being curious, observing, asking how thingshappen and learning how to find the answers. Curiosity is natural to children, but they need helpunderstanding how to make sense of what they see and to relate their observations to their existingideas and understandings. This is why parental involvement is so important in children s scienceeducation. When we encourage children to ask questions, make predictions, offer explanations andexplore in a safe environment, we lend them the kind of support that they need to become successfulscience students and scientific a parent, you don t have to be a scientist or have a college degree to help your Child Learn s far more important than being able to give a technical explanation of how a telescope works isyour willingness to nurture your Child s natural curiosity by taking the time to observe and Learn happens all around us every day, and you have endless opportunities to invite your childinto the wonders of Science .

4 Without expensive chemistry sets, equipment or kits, a Child can beintroduced easily to the natural world and encouraged to observe what goes on in that world. Whenyou least expect it, a moment for learning will occur: A bit of ice cream drops on the sidewalk and antsappear; some cups float and some sink when you re washing dishes; static electricity makes your hairstand on end when you put on a sweater. Through the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, President George W. Bush has made clear his commitment tothe goals of raising standards of achievement for all children and of providing all children with highlyqualified teachers and with instruction that is based on scientific research. Helping Your Child Learn Scienceis part of the president s efforts to provide parents with the latest research and practical informationdesigned to support children s learning at home, at school and in the community.

5 It reflects theimportance of inquiry processes and content in Science achievement as described in the National ScienceEducation Standards, released in 1996 by the National Research Council of the National Academy of booklet includes a range of activities for families with children from preschool age through grade activities use materials found in your home and make learning experiences out of everyday activities are designed for you to have fun with your Child while developing and reinforcing scienceskills. We hope you and your Child will enjoy the activities suggested in this booklet and develop manymore of your ..1 The Basics ..4 Developing Your Child s Scientific Understanding ..8 Activities ..11 Science in the Home ..13A Science Walk ..13 Breaking the Tension ..15 Bubbles ..16 Bugs! ..18 Float or Sink? ..19 Slime Time.

6 21 Celery Stalks at Midnight ..23 Icky Sticky Stuff ..25 Splish Splash ..27 Hair-Raising Results ..28 Plants ..30 Crystals ..32 Let Em Make Cake! ..33 Science in the Community ..36 Zoos ..37 Museums ..39 Planetariums ..40 Aquariums ..40 Farms ..40 Science at Work ..4 1 Community Science Groups and Organizations ..42 Other Community Resources ..42 Working With Teachers and Schools ..44 Resources ..47 Federal Sources of Information ..47 Publications for Parents ..47 Books for Children ..49 Magazines for Children ..60 Science Toys ..62 Science on TV ..62 Science on the Internet ..63 Web Sites ..64 Science Camps ..65 Bibliography ..66 Acknowledgments ..68 Helping Your Child Learn ScienceAs a parent, you are preparing your Child for a world vastly different fromthe one in which you grew up. Our increasingly technological society willneed citizens who have received far more advanced instruction in scienceand technology than most of us received when we were in school.

7 Evenchildren who don t want to become physicists, chemists, engineers orcomputer technicians will need some knowledge of Science and technologyjust to conduct their everyday lives. Every citizen needs to be scientificallyliterate in order to make informed decisions about health, safety andcitizenship. Our children need our help and guidance to prepare for theworld that awaits them. Scientific knowledge is cumulative: To Learn new things, you must buildon what you already know. So, it s important that your Child start learningearly and at home. A good way for you to begin the learning process isby sharing your own interest in Science . How you view and talk aboutscience can influence your Child s attitudes toward Science and how she1approaches learning Science . It s easy to undermine a Child s interest andattitudes by saying things such as, I was lousy in Science , and I ve doneOK, or I always hated Science when I was in school.

8 It s boring. Althoughyou can t makeyour Child like Science , you can encourage her to do so,and you can help her to appreciate its value both in her everyday life andin preparing for her future. In everyday interactions with your Child , you can do many things and dothem without lecturing or applying pressure to help her Learn are a few ideas: See how long it takes for a dandelion or a rose to burst into full bloom. Watch the moon as it appears to change shape over the course of amonth and record the changes. Look for constellations in the night sky. Bake a Your Child Learn ScienceivQuality education is a cornerstone of America s future and my administration, and the knowledge-basedworkplace of the 21st century requires that our studentsexcel at the highest levels in math and Science . President George W. Bush1. Please note:In this booklet, we refer to a Child as she in some places and he in others.

9 We do this to make the booklet easier to understand, however, that every point that we make is the same for boys and girls. Solve the problem of a drooping plant. Figure out how the spin cycle of the washingmachine gets the water out of the clothes. Take apart an old clock or mechanical toy youdon t need to put it back together! Watch icicles melt. Observe pigeons, squirrels, butterflies, ants orspider webs. Go for a walk and talk about how the dogs (or birds or cats) that yousee are alike and different. Discover what materials the buildings in your community are madeof. Wood? Concrete? Adobe? Brick? Granite? Sandstone? Steel?Glass? Talk about the reasons for using these to observe carefully is an important step leading to scientificexplanations. Experiencing the world with your Child and exchanginginformation with him about what you see are important, too.

10 Finally, encourage your Child to ask questions. If you can t answer all of herquestions, that s all right no one has all the answers, not even example, point out that there s no known cure for a cold, but that wedo know how diseases are passed from person to person through of the best answers you can give are, What do youthink? and Let sfind out together. Together, you and your Child can propose possibleanswers, test them out and check them by using reference books, theInternet, or by asking someone who is likely to know the correct Your Child Learn Science2 Helping Your Child Learn ScienceHow to Use This BookletThis booklet makes available to you information that you can use to helpyour Child to Learn Science . It includes: Some basic information about Science ; Activities for you and your Child to do, both in the home and thecommunity; Practical suggestions for how to work with teachers and schools tohelp your Child succeed in Science ; and A list of Science -related resources, including federal sources ofinformation, publications for parents, Science -related children smagazines and books, and information about Science BasicsHelping Your Child Learn ScienceEven older children can come up with unique scientific explanations, asin the following examples provided by middle-school students: Fossils are bones that animals are through wearing.