Science in Preschool, Part 1

Figures & data

Figure 1 Young children and physical science core ideas.

Table 1 Young children and the science and engineering practices.

Science and Engineering Practices	What Young Children Might Do
Ask questions (science) and identify problems (engineering)	Science: Children may wonder about and ask questions such as: How far can I get this ball to roll? What will happen if I let two balls go at the same time? and Can a ball go up a ramp by itself? Engineering: Children may notice that a marble bounces off a ramp at the same place every time; a ball won’t enter a tunnel they have carefully placed at the bottom of the ramp.
Develop and use models	Children may describe and compare their ramp systems to existing models (e.g., roller coasters) or use paper and markers, craft sticks, or other materials to create models of their ramp structures and how they work.
Plan and carry out investigations	Science: Children may create different “inclines” to find out how different ones influence the movement of marbles; they try different balls to see which one rolls the farthest or knocks the most cups down. Engineering: Children may use trial and error, trying different ways to address the problem of balls bouncing off a track by, for example, building a wall of blocks on either side of the track or taping two ramp pieces together.
Analyze and interpret data	Children develop ideas about how balls and marbles roll based on observations they make over time (the data); for example, they may indicate that glass marbles roll faster than wooden ones because the glass marble won the race three times.
Use mathematics and computational thinking	Children may estimate the number of ramp pieces needed to make a marble roll from points A to B; compare the numbers of blocks they used to create specific inclines; and/or use words such as over, under, longer, short(er), tall(er), high(er) and low(er).
Construct explanations (science) and design solutions (engineering)	Science: Children may develop and share reasons for their ideas; for example, they may say that balls roll farther or less far because of their weight, size, or texture. Engineering: Children may settle on one solution and apply it in other situations; for example, if walls on either side of their track seemed to work, they may design future ramp systems with walls.
Engage in argument from evidence	Children discuss and compare their ideas about how marbles roll and which designs work best. For example, different children may reason that a certain ball rolls farther than other balls because of its weight, because of its texture, or due to the surface.
Obtain, evaluate, and communicate information	Children may share what their experiences, observations, and ideas about balls and ramps phenomena using drawing, photos, or 3D models; they may pursue information on the topic in books, digital resources, or from topic experts.

Figure 2 Science as a vehicle for cross-domain reciprocal learning.