Teaching Emerging Scientists

Book excerpt: Written for teachers of grade levels K-2, Teaching Emerging Scientists: Fostering Scientific Inquiry with Diverse Learners in Grades K-2 assists in developing, implementing and evaluating inquiry-based science teaching and improving young children's science learning. Research on science education and professional development--conducted by the author for over two decades--provides the foundation for this research-based, yet practical and friendly professional development book. Research shows that by the end of the third grade, a deep interest in science sometimes fades from lack of nurturing on the part of teachers, parents and the community. The Teaching Emerging Scientists title implies a call to action to teachers as they guide their young students on a journey to scientific literacy, while fostering their interest and participation in science. This book provides both knowledge about science content and process, curriculum, instruction and pedagogy as well as a venue for personal examination so that teachers may leave this professional development experience as a confident science teacher. The author shares practical strategies and points teachers in the direction of potential activities and resources for use in the classroom and to help expose students to the informal world of science and to the surrounding community, which contains numerous, often free, resources for teaching science.