Exploring Science with Young Children

Terry Russell is emeritus professor at the University of Liverpool. He is a psychologist by background and training with a special interest in cognitive development as applied to the learning of science at all ages, but especially the younger age range. He taught in primary and secondary special needs schools and worked as an educational psychologist before finding opportunities into move into research. He has worked in Southeast Asia and Africa and at King’s College, London and directed the Centre for Research in Primary Science and Technology at the University of Liverpool for over twenty years. He has directed national and international projects and published extensively. This book reflects his commitment to evidence-based activity that improves teachers’ and pupils’ educational experiences, where theory informs practice through practical and accessible applications.Dr Linda McGuigan has an established record of research into the emergence and development of science understanding in the Early Years. Formerly a primary teacher and Deputy Director of the Centre for Research in Primary Science and Technology at the University of Liverpool, Linda has conducted and managed research into children’s conceptual development in science, assessment and curriculum development. Attracting national and international interest, her work has been funded by national assessment and curriculum agencies. She has co-authored a number of books, reports, articles and digital and hard copy materials to support Early Years practice. Focusing on children’s conceptual progression, she brings a developmental perspective to science learning, teaching and assessment. Linda’s PhD investigated the impact of multimodal approaches on children’s science learning.  Multimodal learning continues to be an important feature of her research and professional development activities.

This is a book for professional teachers. Targeted at teachers and educators concerned with teaching children from 3-7 years old, it takes a research driven reflective approach that integrates the authors’ strong philosophy about teaching and learning with concrete examples from their extensive experience as educators. Russell and McGuigan reward those teachers and practitioners who wish to reflect deeply about their work with young learners with a fulfilling goal of seeing achievement from a wholly professional perspective…It has been very rewarding reading this book. It has provoked some new thinking on my part, and consolidated some existing ideas. I am sure many readers will also gain so much from reading it.

• CHAPTER 1: IntroductionCHAPTER 2: The Nature of Early Years ScienceCHAPTER 3: Finding Out Children′s IdeasCHAPTER 4: Developing Conceptual Understanding in ScienceCHAPTER 5: Working Scientifically and Developing Science Inquiry SkillsCHAPTER 6: Encouraging the Expression of IdeasCHAPTER 7: The Uses of Technology to Support LearningCHAPTER 8: Planning, Assessment and Record Keeping