Sally Anderson - Math and Science Investigations: Helping Young Learners Make Big Discoveries

MATH AND SCIENCE
INVESTIGATIONS

HELPING YOUNG LEARNERS MAKE BIG DISCOVERIES

BY SALLY ANDERSON WITH THE
VERMONT CENTER FOR THE BOOK

ALSO BY SALLY ANDERSON AND
THE VERMONT CENTER FOR THE BOOK:

Social Studies & Me: Using Childrens
Books to Learn about Our World

How Many Ways Can You Make Five? A
Parents Guide to Exploring Math with
Childrens Books

Where Does My Shadow Sleep? A Parents
Guide to Exploring Science with
Childrens Books

2012 Sally Anderson with the Vermont Center for the Book. All rights reserved.

Published by Gryphon House, Inc.
PO Box 10, Lewisville, NC 27023
800.638.0928 (toll-free); 877.638.7576 (fax)

Visit us on the web at www.gryphonhouse.com

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or technical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage or retrieval system, without prior written permission of the publisher. Printed in the United States of America. Every effort has been made to locate copyright and permission information.

Cover Photo Credit: 2010 iStockphoto LP. iStockphoto, iStock, iStockaudio, iStockvideo, iStockalypseTM, Vetta and CopySpace are registered trademarks of iStockphoto LP. All other marks are the property of their respective owners. www.istockphoto.com

Interior illustrations by Mary Rojas and iStock LP.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Anderson, Sally.

Math and science investigations : helping young learners make big discoveries/
By Sally Anderson and the Vermont Center for the Book.

pages cm

Includes bibliographical references and indexes.

ISBN 978-0-87659-427-8

1. Science--Study and teaching (Early childhood)--Activity programs. 2. Mathematics--Study and teaching (Early childhood)--Activity programs. I. Vermont Center for the Book, issuing body. II. Title.

LB1139.5.S3A53 2012

372.35--dc23

2012004492

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Disclaimer

Gryphon House, Inc. and the author cannot be held responsible for damage, mishap, or injury incurred during the use of or because of activities in this book. Appropriate and reasonable caution and adult supervision of children involved in activities and corresponding to the age and capability of each child involved is recommended at all times. Do not leave children unattended at any time. Observe safety and caution at all times.

This book will support and enhance the work you are already doing with young children. In it you will find hundreds of ideas for using high-quality picture books, good conversations, and lively investigations that incorporate the skills, concepts, and standards of mathematics, science, and language and literacy.

In addition, this book will help you work with children in ways that are interesting and fun to them and sensitive to their developmental needs.

Children are naturally compelled to explore the world around them. By providing tools and support for childrens active exploration, you can promote the development of mathematics, science, and language and literacy learning. By observing and documenting this learning, you can share with administrators, peers, and families the learning that is taking place within each child.

Math and Science Investigations will enhance your work with young children by helping you to:

Use the language of math, science, and literacy in your daily practice and programming,

Use picture books and investigations to promote conversations, language skills, and higher-order thinking,

Engage children in hands-on investigations that help them explore math, science, and literacy skills and concepts,

Find diverse ways to use picture books for all kinds of learning,

Learn how to use math, science, and language and literacy standards to inform your work with children,

Observe individual children and groups of children more carefully,

Learn ways to communicate to families the work you are doing with children,

Enjoy your time with children and continue to grow in your profession, and

Understand that you enrich the lives of young children.

Using Math and Science Investigations will help you work with children with more intention, talk about your work with more clarity, and address standards more thoroughly. Math and Science Investigations will help you build on what you already know about mathematics, science, and language and literacy.

Each remaining chapter of Math and Science Investigations focuses on a topic that relates to both mathematics and science. The chapters are as follows:

Each chapter begins with a general introduction to the theme: ideas to start you thinking about math, science, and language and literacy; vocabulary related to the topic; and picture book suggestions. The introduction also answers these important questions:

How does the theme respond to young childrens curiosity and interest?

How does the theme relate to young childrens development?

How does the theme relate to math, science, and literacy?