ECE 3213: TEACHING SCIENCE IN EARLY

CHILDHOOD

W2 – S1- Science Concepts & Activities in ECE

CLO 1: Explain key scientific concepts required in Early
Childhood contexts.

Teaching Activities of Life & Physical Science Concepts

Dr. Marwa Eltanahy

Faculty of Education
Pedagogical Considerations to Implement Science Activities
• Pedagogical Strategies: Methods and approaches used by educators to facilitate effective
teaching and learning experiences to understand science concepts. These strategies can vary
depending on the educational context, subject matter, and the needs and abilities of the
learners..
• Importance: designed to promote student engagement, understanding, and
skill development. They encompass a wide range of techniques, instructional
practices, and educational theories that aim to enhance the learning process.

Examples: Which of the following strategies is appropriate for

teaching Science in ECE contexts?
 Lectures
 Cooperative Learning
 Flipped Classroom
 Technology Integration
 Differentiated Instruction
 Gamification
Developmentary Appropriate Practices
(DAP)
- Inquiry-based Learning Activities & investigations should be
- Design-based Learning  interaction, experience age
- Project-based Learning
- Problem-based Learning
appropriate
- Theme-based Learning  Individually appropriate
- Scaffolding  Socially appropriate
 Special Pedagogical Strategies for Science
Inquiry-based science education (IBSE)
• IBSE: One of the most effective approaches to teaching and
learning science as it focuses on developing students’ process skills.

Main Principles of IBSE Read the below pages in

the textbook and discuss
 Posing a question to guide learning your understanding
 Using students’ prior knowledge and experiences
 Focusing on developing skills NOT memorizing knowledge
 Create cooperative and collaborative groups
 Organizing classroom and resources
 Scaffolding: Providing temporary support until they can work Course

independently.
 Guiding students for effective investigation
 Teaching them to analyze the results (Pollen 2009, p. 20-23,
Summary p. 24)
 The Domain of Life Science

Life science is the domain of understanding the complexities,

diversity, and interconnectedness of living organisms, their
structures, functions, behaviors, and the dynamic processes that
sustain life.

Related Concepts in ECE

• Living and non-living things: Differentiating between living organisms and inanimate objects.
• Plants and animals: Identifying and classifying various types of plants and animals.
• Life cycles: Understanding the life cycles of plants and animals, such as seeds, caterpillars, frogs, etc.
• Habitats: Exploring different habitats and understanding how organisms adapt to their environments.
• Human body: Learning about the parts of the body, senses, basic health and hygiene practices.
• Food and nutrition: Understanding different types of food, healthy eating habits, and the importance
of nutrition.
• Animal adaptations: Exploring how animals are suited to their habitats through adaptations.
Life Science Activities Resources Needed:
Concept: Seed Germination Seeds (e.g., bean seeds)

Main Inquiry Question: "What are the conditions necessary for a seed to Plastic cups or pots
germinate?" Potting soil
Water
Procedures: Each step should have an objective(s).
Think about, and Discuss the importance of each step Sunlight

1. Ask students to plant seeds in cups or pots filled with potting soil. “Organize resources”
2. Discuss the importance of water, sunlight, and soil for seed germination. “Brainstorming”
3. Set up an experiment by providing different conditions for each group of seeds, such as giving one group sufficient
water, another group no water, and a third group no sunlight. “Differentiation”
4. Have students make predictions about which seeds will germinate and why. “Develop skills”
5. Observe and record changes in the seeds over time, noting the growth, if any, in each group. “Develop skills”
6. Discuss the results and draw conclusions about the conditions necessary for seed germination. “Develop skills”
All safety Procedures should be considered in the science lab
Life Science Activities Resources Needed:
Concept: Human Body Parts Paper or cardboard cutouts
of body parts (e.g., head,
Main Inquiry Question: "What are the different parts of the human body and arms, legs, hands, feet)
their functions?"
Large poster or bulletin
board
Procedures: Each step should have an objective(s). Markers or labels
Think about, and Discuss the importance of each step

1. Introduce the different parts of the human body and their functions through discussion and visuals.
2. Provide paper or cardboard cutouts of body parts and invite students to place them on the poster or bulletin board,
creating a life-sized representation of a person.
3. Have students work collaboratively to label each body part with its name.
4. Facilitate discussions about the functions of each body part and their importance in everyday activities.
5. Encourage students to reflect on how they use different body parts in various actions and movements.
All safety Procedures should be considered in the science lab
 The Domain of Physical Science

Physical science is the domain of understanding the fundamental

principles that manage the natural world, including the properties of
matter, the forces and energy that drive interactions, and the laws of
motion, electricity, magnetism, and the behavior of atoms and
molecules.
Related Concepts in ECE

• Properties of matter: Investigating the characteristics of different materials, such as solids, liquids,
and gases.
• Force and motion: Introducing concepts of pushing, pulling, rolling, and the effects of force on
objects.
• Light and shadow: Exploring the properties of light, shadows, and understanding how light travels.
• Sound and vibration: Exploring the production and properties of sound, as well as how vibrations
create sound.
• Magnets and magnetism: Introducing magnets and their properties, including attraction and repulsion.
• Simple machines: Introducing basic machines such as levers, pulleys, and inclined planes.
Physical Science Activities Resources Needed:
Bar magnets or magnet
Concept: Magnet Exploration
wands
Main Inquiry Question: "What objects are attracted to magnets?" A variety of objects (e.g.,
paper clips, coins, plastic
toys, wooden blocks,
Procedures: Each step should have an objective(s). aluminum foil, etc.)
Think about, and Discuss the importance of each step

1. Introduce magnets and their properties to the students.

2. Provide a collection of objects and invite students to explore and test which objects are
attracted to magnets.
3. Encourage students to make predictions and observations as they experiment with different
objects and magnets.
4. Facilitate discussions about the results, categorizing objects into those attracted to magnets
and those not attracted.
5. Reflect on the patterns observed and discuss the concept of magnetism.

All safety Procedures should be considered in the science lab

Physical Science Activities Resources Needed:
Ice cubes
Concept: States of Matter Exploration
Water
Main Inquiry Question: "What are the different states of matter, and how do they Heat source (e.g., stove, hot
behave?" plate)
Empty containers (e.g., cups,
Procedures: Each step should have an objective(s). bowls)
Think about, and Discuss the importance of each step
Magnifying glasses (optional)
1. Introduce the three states of matter: solid, liquid, and gas.
2. Provide ice cubes and ask students to observe and describe their properties using their senses.
3. Place the ice cubes in a container and apply heat using the heat source to melt them into liquid
water.
4. Observe and discuss the changes that occur as the ice melts.
5. Pour the liquid water into another container and heat it to a boiling point to observe its
transformation into a gas (water vapor).
6. Discuss the observations made during each stage, highlighting the changes in properties and
behavior of the matter.
All safety Procedures should be considered in the science lab
 Class Activity
 Work in Groups
 Each groups should choose two different concepts, one for each
domain of science (Life and Physical).
 Create an engaging (developmentary-appropriate) activity for each
science concept to be implemented in ECE class.
 Identify all the required resources for each activity.
 Identify the grade level for each activity.
 Assess your selected activities using the criteria (main principles
of IBSE). Are they developmentary-appropriate practices?.
 Create slides for your activities.
 Present/ Discuss your activities with other groups for further
improvement.
 The end. Thank You

Continue Learning from Educators

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