The Mysterious Mixture Case Study

I have always been interested in science, but the hands on experiments have helped me understand and grasp concepts much easier. I recall my first experiment in first grade when the class was given the lima bean sprout experiment, which required students to plant a bean in a paper cup. The purpose of this experiment was to teach us about photosynthesis and practice our observation skills. I recall how others were fascinated about why their sprout grew. I, on the other hand, was more captivated by why the other sprouts did not grow and the factors, which contributed to that outcome. This basic experiment taught me to look at things through different lenses and not always to the most obvious path.

The process skills approach to teaching is defined as the educator helping children develop science skills and processes to confidently undertake their own investigations (Campbell, 2012). These skills are developed through: communicating, science language, asking questions, making sense of phenomena, predicting, modelling, conducting investigations, planning, testing, observing, reasoning, and drawing conclusions of science concepts (Campbell, 2012). When the educator assist children’s learning, it is important to put the emphasis on the nature of science and scientific concepts. Guided discovery approach to teaching requires the educator to ask effective questions that encourage children to explore and extend their investigations throughout science learning (Campbell, 2012). This can be developed through play experiences as children explore their world around them. An interactive approach to teaching children is based on questions that lead explorations and the educators to provide essential resources to guide these explorations (Campbell, 2012). It is the educators’ responsibility to support children’s development, ideas, questions, ways of thinking, and develop scientific thinking. Furthermore, an inquiry approach to teaching relates to children investigating the answers to their own

When teaching natural sciences and technology, teachers need to promote an understanding of seeing these subjects as activities to promote curiosity and enjoyment about the world and that what we encounter around us. The history of science and technology should also be integrated with other subjects. Science and technology should be seen as a contribution to social justice and societal development (Motshekga, 2011). A growing need of discovery in science and technology needs to be promoted in order to form interest in ourselves, society and

When faced with a problem a good scientist will use experiments, notes, debates, and more to their advantage to solve the tough questions. A groups of scientists did just that when faced with a problem of their own. A tiny vial with a white powdery substance in it was put in front of them, and they needed to find out what was in it! Faced with nine possible ingredients in the “Mystery mixture,” a well tray, a water dropper, and a toothpick, these scientists were a little overwhelmed, but determined. One of the first things they did was look at the substance and compare it to their own mixtures, using experiments or chemical properties. Chemical properties are a chemical’s reaction to another or more substances, and a change in it’s identity. When they observed the chemicals the students were using physical properties, or observing the chemical’s smell, texture, color, appearance, size, and shape. They believe Baking Soda and Citric acid are in the Mystery Mixture.

Learning science can be exciting if you have the right teacher. Science classes are not challenging, however depending on the teacher's level of understanding it can be the end of your child's love for science. There are a small number of professions that do not require science, consequently the parent should step in if their desire is for the student to have the opportunity for them to pursue any career they desire. Start by

Even children are capable of understanding the scientific method. On a website intended to help children with their science fair projects, the steps of the method are carefully outlined. These steps include asking a question; doing research; creating a hypothesis; testing the hypothesis through an experiment; analyzing the data; drawing a conclusion and also communicating results. The scientific method studies causal relationships versus the engineering design process, which involves creating something new. Each step of the process contains links to pages which provide further, specific details about each step, such as finding high-quality resources and constructing experiments with appropriate controls.

In Te Whariki (Ministry of Education [MOE], 1996), it is reported that science creates opportunities for children to learn strategies for active investigation, thinking and reasoning (p 98). Children are naturally scientists” is one we hear often. There curiosity and need to make the world a more predictable place certainly drives them to explore and draw conclusions and theories from their experiences. Kilmer & Hofman (1995, p 44), cited in Eliason & Jenkins (1999, p 263), stated the benefits of science for young children include the promotion of intellectual growth, greater potential for success in school, and opportunities for development. Science in early childhood education for young children should be encouraged to develop them as they participate in science. Therefore, children need guidance and structure to turn their natural curiosity and activity into something more scienctific. They need to practice science – to engage in rich scientific inquiry. Scientific inquiry provides the opportunity for children to develop a range of skills, for example; explore objects, materials, and events, describe (including shape, size, number), identify patterns, share and discuss ideas and listen to new perspectives.

Three to five-year olds have been exploring water all their lives, whether in the bath, as a sink, in the rain, or on a beach. Ideally they have had regular opportunities to explore at the water table area in the classroom too. The open exploration of water builds on children’s prior experiences by giving them plenty of time to explore water with materials selected to highlight water’s movement and its ability to take the shape of its container. In addition, open exploration introduces children to science talks with the whole class, which continue throughout open and focused explorations. Science talks give children opportunities to reflect on their observations, experiences, questions and theories, and they create a group sense

Children by nature, are curious and inquisitive. Engaging children in science, along with identifying their understanding and inquiry skills is a vital skill required by educators. Educators who provide children with rich and engaging science exploration, play and investigation during their early years of development are bestowing children with the knowledge and understanding of science and improving their cognitive development (Campbell, Jobling & Howitt, 2015). To engage children in science is best done by finding a child’s interest and expanding on it. The child in the following case study (parent permission, appendix 1) has displayed interest in the outdoors and with experimenting with change. During the science inquiry activity, we investigated Chemical science, identifying how materials can be combined to create a chemical reaction and a different substance using sand and kitchen items. The experiment consists of changing the composition of sand to make a new substance that has different physical and chemical properties (Aitken, Hunt, Roy & Sajfar, 2012)

In accordance with the requirements set out by the Equality Act 2010, SEN code of practice and the teaching standards, the strategies discussed provide evidence of reasonable adjustments made, to create an inclusive science lesson for George. This lesson plan has exemplified how George has been motivated and progressed in his learning by being able to carry out an investigation and drawn simple conclusions from his results. George learnt how a scientific investigation is conducted and the process skills of controlling variables, predicting, recording and interpretation of results involved in a scientific

A small scale investigation into the factors influencing the conceptual change in children’s scientific thinking

This assignment is a case study of a child’s engagement, inquiry skills and understanding of physical or chemical understandings. There are two parts to the assignment that build to the final case study report. Part A is to design a science inquiry activity suitable for engaging a child at junior primary with physical or chemical science understandings that uses materials like water, sand, ball or tubes. At the next, it is needed to figure out how the planned inquiry activity links to the Australian Curriculum and the early Years Learning Framework. This report also needs to explain and justify the learning theory that underpins the activity and the proposed teaching and learning approach. At the last

The National Curriculum for Science (2013), anticipates to advance all pupils’ scientific knowledge and conceptualise understanding through the segmented scientific approaches; biology, chemistry and physics. In addition, pupils should have an awareness of the nature, processes and approaches used within science, through the various scientific enquires that enable pupils to answer questions related to the world and life. Finally, the aims of the science curriculum also consider that children must have the resources to fund the knowledge that is necessary to use science in the, present and future tense states the Department of Education (2013).

Students are considered to be scientists in the inquiry process. Children will view themselves as scientists as they learn. They look forward to science, demonstrate a desire to learn more, seek collaboration with their classmates, they are confident in doing science, and willing to take risks. Students are readily engaged in exploring science. They have curiosity, ponder observations, move around to get the materials they need, and have the opportunity to try out their ideas. Students are able to communicate using various amounts of methods. They express their ideas in journals, reporting, or drawing. They listen, speak, and write about science. They communicate their level of understanding of concepts and ideas. The students propose explanations and solutions based off their data. They use investigations to satisfy their own questions. They sort out information that is needed and important. They become willing to revise explanations and gain new knowledge. They raise questions, use questions to lead them to investigations, and students begin to enjoy using questions to ponder ideas. Students begin to observe rather than look. They see details, detect sequences, and notice change, similarities, and differences. The students begin to make

Science is, by its nature, inquiry based and science knowledge is built through processes in which discoveries of the natural world are made (Abruscato, 2000). It utilizes discovery and scientific thinking process to explore and learn knowledge and skills. Learning by doing is the new efficient method in teaching science. For kindergarten, this method leads to better understanding of science concepts and builds skills that children will use in future life .What a child can do with assistance now, they can later do on their own (Vygotsky, 1978). John Dewey (1916) stated that children must be engaged in an active quest for learning and new ideas. Inquiry is important in educating kindergarteners because it not only keeps them interested in lessons but also helps them retain more information when performing exploration and investigation. Children are naturally motivated to learn and actively seek out information to help their understanding (Piaget, 1950).The success of students who participate in hands- on inquiry activities suggests that if students have first hands experience with science, concepts are easier to understand and apply and students are generally more favorable to science and have better understanding of the nature of science .Within a conceptual framework, inquiry learning and active learner involvement can lead to important outcomes in the classroom. In kindergarten, students who are actively making observations, collecting results and drawing