Scientific Skills and Methods-Mathematics: Ages 3-5

Widely Held Expectations 

• Child develops scientific skills and methods
• Makes observations, and describes objects and processes in the environment
• Begins to make comparisons between objects that have been observed
• Begins to find answers to questions through active investigation
• Child uses sentences that include two or more ideas with descriptive details
• Child uses senses, materials, events in nature, and the environment to investigate and expand knowledge

Learning in Action: Examples

The Child

• Explores various materials to learn about weight, shape, size,color and temperature
• Uses a variety of tools and objects to explore the world and how things work in the world (uses magnets to pick up metal, observes through a microscope, etc.)
• Makes observations, tries things out to see what will happen, etc.

The Adult

• Encourages children to ask questions and fi nd answers through active exploration and refl ection on what they learn
• Observes nature and discusses the life cycles of animals (butterflies, frogs, etc.)
• Includes science materials to encourage exploration (magnets,magnifying glasses, and mirrors, etc.)

The Environment Includes

• Materials that are accessible throughout the day for observation, exploration and manipulation, including natural objects and events
• Magnets, magnifying glasses, balance scales, gears, pulleys,mirrors, measuring devices, etc.