Monday, October 19, 2009

Welcome!

We are Suzanne and Sharon, two scientific professionals (chemistry/physics educator and biomedical researcher, respectively) turned stay-at-home mothers. We are passionate about instilling our young children with a strong scientific foundation. The best way to do this, we feel, is to merely capitalize on little kids' innate curiosity about the natural world, and provide them with some FUN first forays into scientific thinking and experimentation.

Our goal on this blog is to provide a thoughtful compilation of resources for early science education, including reviews of helpful websites and publications, annotated experiments for you to try at home with your children using everyday items, and our own observations on making science entertaining. Follow along with us as we celebrate the joy of science!

Asking Thoughtful Questions

As a former chemistry and physics teacher, one thing I found to make a huge difference in helping students think about science (or really any) concepts is asking the right questions. I have learned that it's best to stay away from "yes" and "no" questions and focus on questions that require a more detailed response.

"What do you think will happen when I...."
"What happened when we....."
"Why do you think that happened?"

Staying at home with my 2 year old- I'm working on creating little science moments (not major science experiments that require a lot of setup) that will help her to start thinking like a little scientist. Many of my postings, will explain how I created these little moments and give examples of questions I asked her. One thing to note is that my two year almost never answers the questions "correctly"...but that's not point. My goal is not to make sure she has a deep understanding of density, light refraction, etc. (though eventually, I hope she will learn these things as she grows up). My goal for now is to help her to start thinking in a scientific way- which, I hope, will help her in all areas of life.

These science moments can be created most anywhere and anytime with a little creativity; at the park, in the car, in the kitchen, on the stairs, playing with toys, etc.