Preschool Classroom Science and Exploration Area


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The science area is a classroom area where you will want to change materials often.

Goals/Skills:

  • Explore and experience the natural world
  • Problem solving
  • Making guesses and estimates
  • Developing observation skills

Supervision and Tips:

  • The science area is 'hands-on' and interactive! Touching and exploring is to be encouraged!
  • Children's thinking skills and cognitive development should be encouraged and promoted through questioning and exploring. Before answering a question let the child think and predict outcomes. Ask open-ended questions!
  • Charting and graphing outcomes should be evident in this area of the classroom.
  • You may want to use 'discovery trays' to organize your experiments and materials.
  • Expand on the children’s interests. Follow up with books on topics they explore.
  • When introducing an experiment or concept use the "What do we know?/What do we want to know?/What did we learn?" dictation format.
  • Rotate items frequently.
  • Encourage nature awareness while outside or on walks.
  • Always remember safety. Make sure all items are non-toxic and are acceptable to your local health department.
  • Ask for science material donations from parents of things they may have at home or obtain through their work.
  • Include weekly science enrichments in your lesson plans, preferably tied into your learning theme if possible

Suggested Materials:

  • Listening Tubes
  • Flashlights
  • Graphing Grids
  • Test tubes
  • Beakers
  • Lab Coats
  • Safety Goggles
  • Gloves
  • Trays
  • Hose/Tubing
  • Pulleys
  • Gears
  • Small Machines to Take Apart
  • Books of Nature and Animals
  • Plants (non-toxic) - Acorns
  • Shells/coral - Seeds
  • Prism/mirrors - Fossils
  • Magnifying glass - Arrowheads
  • Magnets - Tree bark
  • Color wheel or paddle - Bird’s nest
  • Pinecones - Feathers (real)
  • Pulleys/gears - Goldfish/pets
  • Terrarium - Kaleidoscope
  • Telescope - Binoculars
  • Caterpillars - Animal bones/teeth
  • Snake skin (discarded) - Bug catcher/bugs
  • Crystal garden - Gia rocks
  • Pumpkins, gourds - Indian corn
  • Flowers - Nuts
  • Bee hive (discarded) - Moss
  • Magnifying Glasses
  • Mirrors
  • Prisms
  • Magnets
  • Scale
  • Balance
  • Tweezers
  • Ruler
  • Tape Measure
  • Stopwatch
  • Egg Timer
  • Terrarium
  • Jars, Clear Containers
  • Binoculars/Monocular
  • Child Microscopes