Editors Note: Recently held its first annual Science Fair. Organizer Laura Stulbaum shared her experience about teaching science to pre-schoolers.
I strongly believe in the importance of introducing children to science, even at the preschool level.
While working with younger children during the past two years, I have come to realize that kids are more than capable of comprehending on a much higher level than adults sometimes realize. Therefore, this program has been designed to allow younger children a chance to experience the same laboratory experiments that are taught at universities, on a level that they are capable of understanding.
I try to incorporate into each lesson the concept that science is not only about explosions and producing slime, but that science is all encompassing. It is important that kids learn to recognize that science is everywhere. For example, chemicals are everywhere. They are found in the foods that we eat (the chemical Tryptophan in turkey and bananas-that makes us sleepy), the air that we breathe (oxygen and carbon dioxide), and in the medication that we take.
The reason for organizing our first annual preschool level science fair is twofold. The first reason was to provide the children with an opportunity to demonstrate to you all that they have learned this year. They are amazing scientists and they deserve the chance to “shine." The second reason is to encourage other preschools in the area to follow our lead and to promote an even stronger science curriculum in and around Port Washington.
It has been a pleasure working with [the] children. They are bright, inquisitive and insightful. Their questions often surprise and amaze me.
