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Mary
McDowell Center for Learning
Science |
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Curriculum | Language Arts | Math | Reading | Social Studies | Speech & Language | Enrichment At the Mary McDowell Center for Learning science is defined as the process of investigating the natural and built world in order to understand it. We recognize that all children naturally attempt to make sense of the world around them through observing, questioning, hypothesizing, and experimenting. The purpose of the science program is to support children in this endeavor and help them make sense of what they see and experience. Through our science program, we hope to foster children’s interest in and awareness of the world around them, broaden their knowledge and deepen their understanding of it, and strengthen their ability to investigate it. While developing their science skills, the science program enables children to actively construct their scientific knowledge through guided discovery. The program’s goals, content, and methodology are all aligned with the National Science Education Standards. At the Center children attend science as a whole class two times per week for 45-minute sessions. Science classes are held in a separate classroom where a variety of science-related materials are always on hand. In addition, classes make use of other places in the school, the neighborhood, and the city as necessary to the study of a particular curricular area. Goals
Concepts Concepts are ideas or principles that underlie and connect all areas of scientific study. Concepts provide a framework for thinking about and understanding any topic in science. Essential concepts for students are:
Content Traditionally, science is divided into three discipline areas: physical science, earth and space science, and life science. In addition to these, and to the unifying concepts described above, there are four other important content areas in science. These are: science as inquiry, science and technology, science in personal and social perspectives (including environmental issues), and the history and nature of science (which focuses on science as a human endeavor). At the Center, three science units are usually taught each year, one in each of the three disciplines. The other content areas are then woven into one or more of those units. The chart below shows how this works – one example is given per content area.
Curriculum Topics Curriculum is the vehicle for learning the content. While some topics are developmentally specific, most can be adapted for any age level. Therefore it is possible for seven-year-olds to study the same topic as ten-year-olds, but the content learned could be very different. As a result, students may return to a topic in science class that they studied years before, this time drawing on their prior knowledge but delving much deeper into the subject matter. Conversely, it is possible for children to learn the same content through different topics. For example, the transfer of energy through food webs could be taught through any ecosystem study (such as wetlands) or through an animal study (such as birds of prey). A number of things are taken into consideration when choosing a curriculum. When possible, topics are chosen that overlap with what students are studying Social Studies, as this enhances children’s understanding in both areas. Because first-hand experiences greatly enrich students’ learning, consideration is also given to the environment of New York City and the resources available here. The chart below gives examples of topics that might be taught at different age levels at the Center.
Process Skills It is equally important for children to learn scientific approaches to investigating their world as it is for them to learn science content. This enables children to pursue their own questions independently and prepares them for advanced scientific study. Since many of these skills are things that children do naturally, the goal is to develop children’s abilities in these areas. Most of the skills involve specific areas of language so support children’s overall language development as well. Essential science process skills include:
Methodology A variety of methods are used to facilitate children’s learning in science. These include:
Materials The list of materials used in science is endless. Each curricular area involves materials that are particular to it, and many curriculums also make frequent use of everyday materials such as straws, cans, or food coloring, that are too numerous to mention. The list below, therefore, is designed to give an idea of the range of materials used in science. In addition to the classroom materials, materials are sometimes brought in on a temporary basis. The Brooklyn Children’s Museum, for example, loans out "portable museum kits." Kits borrowed in the past include: fossils, human bones, and African instruments. Students themselves also frequently bring in objects or books related to the field of study.
Assessment Students are evaluated on their understanding of the content covered, their use of science process skills, their approach to learning, and their classroom skills. Students’ progress is assessed through a variety of means, including:
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