Valarie L. AKERSON; Ingrid WEILAND; Khemmawadee PONGSANON; Vanashri NARGUND
Description:
We provide a research-based model and teaching strategies for teaching nature of science (NOS) to young children (ages 5 to 9). The model describes an iterative teaching cycle that builds from the concrete to the abstract. The authors describe how to embed NOS teaching into existing curricula that do not already include NOS. The authors provide example evidence-based strategies for introducing NOS to young children, for connecting NOS to hands-on and inquiry investigations, and for debriefing the investigations to reinforce NOS connections to science content. The authors include an example of a NOS poster, and a sample list of children‟s literature for use in introducing and reinforcing NOS conceptions. Recommendations are made for the development of further NOS teaching strategies for young children, and for research that determines the most appropriate strategies, as well as the influence of teaching NOS throughout school careers on student NOS conceptions over time.