Learn Early Childhood Science – Basic Concepts of Early Childhood Science Education

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　　Learn *Ba Early Childhood Science – Basic Concepts of Early Childhood Science Education. Source: Qingda University *Ba Early Childhood Science. What is science for children? In their eyes, science isn’t about Newton’s laws or trigonometric functions, nor is it filled with complex scientific formulas. Young children have an innate curiosity and desire to explore. Curiosity is a manifestation of the inherent nature of a young child’s life; it is curiosity that drives them to explore and seek knowledge. Young children’s exploration and learning in the field of science are often driven directly by curiosity and interest; it can be said that curiosity and interest are the fundamental prerequisites for children to engage actively in scientific exploration and learning. 　　(1) What kind of people are young children? First of all, Piaget and other psychological theories tell us that preschool children are individuals who construct knowledge; through interaction with their environment, they can build relevant knowledge. They can also use scientific methods such as observation, inference, and verification, just like scientists, which is why they are referred to as “little scientists”. Unfortunately, however, their thinking is often limited, and they tend to form seemingly plausible but incorrect so-called “mythical concepts” based on intuition (Zhou Shuhui, 2003). For example, regarding the concept that \"the Earth is round,\" when the teacher told him that the Earth has a spherical shape like a ball, our little scientist was puzzled – after all, what he saw every day was a flat surface; how could it be spherical? Through careful consideration, he eventually came up with the idea that we live on a \"cross-section\" of the Earth. In short, young children are little scientists with mythological concepts! (2) What should be taught in science to young children? Science is everywhere, present in nature and in our daily lives; children can experience it every day. For example, when flying a kite, they can feel the wind blowing against their cheeks and its effect on the kite; the shadows of the statues in the outdoor play area change position as the day progresses; the changes in temperature throughout the four seasons, along with the transformation of trees and leaves from yellowing to green, all bring about different physical and psychological sensations; when mom cooks mung bean soup, steam rises, water droplets form when the lid is placed on the pot, and once it cools down, it turns into delicious ice cream when stored in the freezer; when washing the floor, pressing the water hose helps to generate more pressure, allowing the water to disperse the dirt more effectively. It is fair to say that science is present in everyday life, being part of the experiences we have in daily life. If teaching content is designed in a way that draws on these everyday experiences, it not only becomes more interesting but also allows young children to understand things more easily, as they can rely on their prior experiences as a reference. In other words, any experience from a child’s daily life can be used as teaching material for science education in early childhood. 　　(III) How to teach science to young children? Finally, as teachers, you are dealing with our young children – little scientists who can think and construct knowledge. Yet their thinking is influenced by intuition, and there are misconceptions that they simply cannot understand. Additionally, science has multiple aspects: knowledge, skills, and attitudes. The amount of scientific knowledge is vast and impossible to cover entirely; whereas scientific attitudes and skills are the ways in which scientific knowledge can be discovered, and they may be even more important. What do you think is the best way to teach it? The teachers of the Super Creativity Course at Qingda University believe that science education for young children should be a process that stimulates, supports, and guides them to explore actively, go through the processes of investigation and discovery, and gain experience regarding the material world around them and the relationships between things. This approach helps children develop a love for learning and the ability to learn, thereby providing long-term educational benefits that support their lifelong development. 　　1. Early childhood science education is a process of guiding children to learn actively and explore on their own. 　　2. Early childhood science education supports young children in experiencing the process of inquiry firsthand, and in experiencing the essence of science and exploration.