Launching Learners in Science, PreK-5

How to Design Standards-Based Experiences and Engage Students in Classroom Conversations

Teaching science is as much about learning what it means to do science as it is about the pedagogy of teaching. Launching Learners in Science provides both theoretical and practical ideas surrounding the teaching and learning of science. Providing opportunities for teachers to observe, share, experiment, organize, and hypothesize about science content, this resource also focuses on the students and the kind of science instruction they receive.

Kerry C. Williams and George E. Veomett describe the principles of and requirements for the active learning of science and identify key ingredients for students and their development as young scientists. Educators will find examples, questions, and stories inviting them to construct meaning from the text. Based largely on the High/Scope preschool project as adapted for primary students, the book connects to research on cognitive and neural development and motivational theory from the work of Piaget and Vygotsky, and from the teaching experiences of the authors.

Based on the perspective that the teaching of science is about three things: knowing content, knowing children, and teachers knowing themselves as teachers and learners, this handbook invites educators to think about what it means to teach science in a way that will make a lasting difference in children's lives.