Throughout this Unit, children will use their senses to make critical observations of varying items. This use of observation is a practical and valuable skill to develop, as children will later be required to make more involved observations when collecting data. A beginning mastery of description and observation will lay the groundwork for higher level observations and subsequent conclusions.
Specific science concepts include: classification, investigation, categorization, body parts, selecting tools, weather, temperature, properties of matter, direction and motion, conclusion and time.
This Unit will also draw on children’s ability to solve problems and to compare measurements, both relative and numerical. Children will be required to make observations about the world around them and in turn draw conclusions from their observations. Such a practice prepares children for later more complex methods of analyzing and concluding.
During this Unit, children will be encouraged to verbalize their observations of the physical world by using words like rough, smooth, fast, slow, around, turn, black, and red. These experiences will help children conceptualize properties such as appearance, movement, and size, adding new terms and concepts to their language base.
Conceptual Themes addressed in this Unit:
- Properties of Matter
- Force and Motion
- Cycles