Integrating Math and Science in Early Childhood Classrooms Through Big Ideas

Description

Christine Chaille is Professor and chair of the department of Curriculum and Instruction at Portland State University, focusing on early childhood education, where she has taught since 1991. Her doctorate is from U.C.L.A., and she also studied with Jean Piaget at the University of Geneva. She is the author of Constructivism Across the Early Childhood Curriculum: Big Ideas as Inspiration, and co-author, with Lory Britain, of The Young Child as Scientist: A Constructivist Approach to Early Childhood Science Education, has written many publications primarily on the importance of children’s play. She has also developed a child development curriculum for Hands to Hearts International that is used with caregivers in orphanages in Southern India, as well as in other countries and with other vulnerable populations. She was a panel member responsible for developing the NSTA Position statement on Early Childhood Science Education (2014). She has served as President of the Oregon Association for the education of Young Children, President of the National association of Early Childhood Teacher educators, and Chair of the early education/Child Development Special Interest Group of the American Educational Research Association, and is the recipient of the Outstanding Early Childhood Teacher Educator award for 2013 from the National Association of early Childhood Teacher Education.

Sara McCormick Davis has degrees in Family Relations/Child Development and Early Childhood Education. Her doctorate is in Curriculum and Instruction from Oklahoma State University. She taught preschool through fifth grade for many years before working with teachers, both pre service and in service. As a preschool/elementary classroom teacher, one of her goals was to always have a project going in her classroom that helped children construct new ideas. Her interests and work have revolved around how teachers can integrate curriculum so that children are engaged and learning. She has published about the integration of the arts in teacher education and researched practices of classroom teachers as they work to create environments where everyone can flourish.

For courses in Mathematics in Early Childhood Education and/or Science in Early Childhood Education, ages three to eight.

How to use big ideas like patterns, transformation, movement, balance, and relationships as a way to think about whatever content knowledge is needed.

Integrating Math and Science in Early Childhood Classrooms Through Big Ideas offers a way to think about the future classroom and to meet the needs of children who come to into it with diverse experience, knowledge, and abilities. “Change how we think about math and science for young children,” the authors say in their Preface. “Instead of separating the disciplines, planning lessons and topics and projects aimed at math OR science content, let’s look at the world the way the child does. Children think in terms of big ideas.”

In this unique book, the authors focus on big ideas–like patterns, transformation, movement, balance, and relationships–as a way to think about content, and they integrate science and mathematics through these big ideas, rather than linking them topically. The book looks at why it is important to think about thinking, introduces assessment early to help the teacher plan for assessment before teaching even begins, and sets up an environment that will support the construction of the big ideas that integrate math and science. Real-life scenarios provide invaluable insights into the teacher’s thinking and planning, and each chapter includes two modules to be used for in-depth exploration of different aspects of the big ideas. It’s a unique exploration of thinking and learning.

• Show future teachers why it is important to think about thinking. The first part of the book looks at this new way of teaching–using the underlying framework of big ideas as a way to integrate math and science.
• Help students plan for assessment before teaching begins. Chapter 2 provides the knowledge needed in this critical area of teaching.
• Help students construct meaningful understandings of how math and science can be integrated through the big ideas that form the structure for any curriculum.
  • A full chapter is devoted to each big idea–patterns, transformation, movement, balance and symmetry, and relationships. Within each chapter, two modules look in depth at different aspects of the big idea of the chapter. Use the modules as stand-alone units or models for lesson planning.
• Engage students in classroom experiences through real-life scenarios, illustrations, and photos.
  • Scenarios provide ideas students can discuss and analyze as they plan for teaching. The real-life scenarios presented in each chapter give meaning to the big ideas.
  • Illustrations help pre-service educators understand the important concepts.
  • Authentic photos of children engaged in constructivist activities illustrate how learning should occur.
• Introduce students to the ideas that form the foundation of a well-integrated curriculum. In an engaging style, the book is laid out to support real-life planning in a classroom.

Integrating Math and Science in Early Childhood Classrooms Through Big Ideas offers teachers a way to think about the future classroom and to meet the needs of children who come to into it with diverse experience, knowledge, and abilities. “Change how we think about math and science for young children,” the authors say in their Preface. “Instead of separating the disciplines, planning lessons and topics and projects aimed at math OR science content, let’s look at the world the way the child does. Children think in terms of big ideas.”

In this unique book, the authors focus on big ideas–like patterns, transformation, movement, balance, and relationships–as a way to think about content, and they integrate science and mathematics through these big ideas, rather than linking them topically. The book looks at why it is important to think about thinking, introduces assessment early to help the teacher plan for assessment before teaching even begins, and sets up an environment that will support the construction of the big ideas that integrate math and science. Real-life scenarios provide invaluable insights into the teacher’s thinking and planning, and each chapter includes two modules to be used for in-depth exploration of different aspects of the big ideas. It’s a unique exploration of thinking and learning.

The First Edition of Integrating Math and Science in Early Childhood Classrooms Through Big Ideas includes:

• Show future teachers why it is important to think about thinking. The first part of the book looks at this new way of teaching—the underlying framework of big ideas as a way to integrate math and science.
• Help students plan for assessment before teaching begins. Chapter 2 provides the knowledge needed in this critical area of teaching.
• Help students construct meaningful understandings of how math and science can be integrated through the big ideas that form the structure for any curriculum.
• Engage students in classroom experiences through real-life scenarios, illustrations, and photos.
• Introduce students to the ideas that form the foundation of a well-integrated curriculum. In an engaging style, the book is laid out to support real-life planning in a classroom.

Integrating Math and Science in Early Childhood Classrooms Through Big Ideas offers teachers a way to think about the future classroom and to meet the needs of children who come to into it with diverse experience, knowledge, and abilities. “Change how we think about math and science for young children,” the authors say in their Preface. “Instead of separating the disciplines, planning lessons and topics and projects aimed at math OR science content, let’s look at the world the way the child does. Children think in terms of big ideas.”

In this unique book, the authors focus on big ideas—like patterns, transformation, movement, balance, and relationships—as a way to think about content, and they integrate science and mathematics through these big ideas, rather than linking them topically. The book looks at why it is important to think about thinking, introduces assessment early to help the teacher plan for assessment before teaching even begins, and sets up an environment that will support the construction of the big ideas that integrate math and science. Real-life scenarios provide invaluable insights into the teacher’s thinking and planning, and each chapter includes two modules to be used for in-depth exploration of different aspects of the big ideas. It’s a unique exploration of thinking and learning.

Brief Table Of Contents

Chapter 1: Constructivist Curriculum Framework for the Integration of Math and Science in Early Childhood Classrooms

Chapter 2: Assessment

Chapter 3: Creating an Environment for Math and Science Integration

Chapter 4: Patterns

Chapter 5: Transformation

Chapter 6: Movement

Chapter 7: Balance and Symmetry

Chapter 8: Relationships

Chapter 9: Developing Your Own Curriculum: Big Ideas and Planning

References

Glossary

Detailed Table Of Contents

PART I: Introduction

Chapter 1: Constructivist Curriculum Framework for the Integration of Math and Science in Early Childhood Classrooms

Children as Theory-Builders

What Is Constructivism?

Big Ideas as Tools for Integration

What Is a Big Idea?

Characteristics of Big Ideas

Views of Teaching and Learning

The Child at the Center

Celebration of the Diversity of Children

What About Content?

Child-Centered Versus Teacher-Directed Curriculum: A False Dichotomy

Background on the Model of Curriculum Integration Used in This Book

Historical Context

Models of Curriculum Integration

The Project Approach

Big Ideas, Projects, Concepts, Topics, and Facts: What Are the Differences?

The Work of Reggio Emilia

Review Questions

Summary

Websites

Chapter 2: Assessment

Why Begin with Assessment?

Understanding Children’s Development

Principles of Development

Responding to Children’s Needs

Culture and Context 24

Principles of Assessment

Assessment Should Be Valid

Assessment Should Guide Teaching Decisions

Assessment Should Be Part of a System That Is Designed to Support the Whole Child

Vocabulary Development and Assessment

Teacher Language

Documentation of Children’s Learning as Assessment

Documentation Strategies for Integrated Math and Science

Capturing the Documentation

More Formalized Assessment Tools

Science and Math Journals

Interviewing for Assessment

Questions That Help with Assessment

Interviewing Activities

Standards and Assessment

Standardized Testing

EdTPA

Review Questions

Summary

Websites

Chapter 3: Creating an Environment for Math and Science Integration

How Our Beliefs About Children, Teaching, and Learning Shape Our Environments

Academic Environment

Physical Environment

Classroom Organization

Differentiation Built into the Environment

Animals in the Classroom

Communicating with Families and Others Through the Environment

Review Questions

Summary

Websites

PART II: Integration Through Big Ideas

Chapter 4: Patterns

Patterns

What Is Important About Patterns? Why Do We Talk About Patterns with Young Children?

Elements of the Big Idea of Patterns

Repeating Patterns

Spatial Structure Patterns

Growing Patterns

Subitizing

Seriation and Sequencing

Patterns Surround Us

Patterns Help Us Predict

Patterns Help Us Make Connections

Patterns Help Us Organize Information

Review Questions

Summary

Chapter 5: Transformation

What Is Transformation?

Relationship Building as a Part of Transformation

Equivalence as Part of Transformation

Exploration of Transformation

Observation

Estimation

Experimentation

Growth

Review Questions

Summary

Chapter 6: Movement

Introduction to the Big Idea of Movement

Elements of the Big Idea of Movement

Direction of Movement

Representation of Movement

Types of Movement

Movement of the Surface

Sources of Movement

Mysterious Movement

Spinning

The Movement of Time

Review Questions

Summary

Chapter 7: Balance and Symmetry

Elements of the Big Idea of Balance

Comparisons

Patterns

The Establishment of Equality

Exploration of Balance

The Study of Symmetry

Comparisons and Tools of Measurement

The Use of Representations

Games That Incorporate Balance: Physical Knowledge

Review Questions

Summary

Chapter 8: Relationships

Introduction to the Big Idea of Relationships

Elements of the Big Idea of Relationships

Cause and Effect

Part/Whole Relationships

Classification

Perspective-Taking and Interdependence

Review Questions

Summary

Chapter 9: Developing Your Own Curriculum: Big Ideas and Planning

Determining the Big Idea

Coming up with New Big Ideas

Re-thinking an Activity, Project, or Unit

Starting with Children’s Interests

Starting with an Event

Starting with Where You Are

Start with an Interest of Yours

Starting with the Standards

The Planning Process: Strategies for Thinking About Planning

The Planning Process: What Does It Look Like?

Planning for Integration and Inquiry

The Project Approach

Planning with the End in Sight

The Five E Learning Cycle

Using Other Areas of the Curriculum to Strengthen Math and Science

Connecting Language Arts, Math, and Science

Connecting Children’s Literature, Math, and Science

Cognitively Guided Instruction

Starting with a Standard

Connecting the Arts, Math and Science

Connecting Social Studies, Math and Science

Review Questions

Summary

Websites

References

Glossary

Name Index

Subject Index