By Alexis Coleman, CHD 120, Summer 2018

1. Nature & Science Environment
By: Alexis Coleman
CHD 120

2. Nature & Science Centers
Children can experience nature
and science daily through:
1. Plants
2. Animals
3. Outdoors
4. Natural collections

3. Science Centers encourage children to observe and get to experience
living things for themselves! Like having a garden, or a class pet.
Labeling and identifying everything even in
the garden makes a high quality environment!
Having a class pet can encourage children
to take on responsibility and learn to tend
to animals

4. Each science category needs at least 3-5 materials that are organized, intact, and ready for
investigations!
Science categories:
1. Natural Collections
2. Living things (2)
3. Science games
4. Activities
5. Factual books and lots of Pictures!!

5. Natural
Collections
1. Leaves
2. Shells
3. Rocks
4. Bird Nests
5. Plants

6. Living Things!
High quality programs only require two but
there are so many things to choose from! Like
a garden, or a class pet,

7. Science Games
This includes:
1. Plastic animal toys
2. Books like National
Geographic
3. Nature based game
boards
 Weather dress up puzzle

8. Activities
• For every activity in your center
you need at least 3-5 tools to
experiment and observe with like:
1. Looking glass
2. Binoculars
3. Color paddles
4. Bug catchers/nets
• Activities category can include:
1. Magnets and other like- objects to
experiment with attract and repel.
2. Microscope and table for
investigation
3. Sink/float activities
4. Racing cars down slopes to record
and hypothesize who will win.
5. Color paddles to match to object
and or color cards

9. Nothing is more important for investigation and
exploration like research! BOOKS!!
Real pictures help children identify it with
nature and daily life!

10. A high quality science center will have accommodations around
the center for children with disabilities as well as for children
who have a different first language. For example Making sure
each part of the center is in a layout simple and not busy, so a
child with a wheelchair or walker can roam through center with
ease. Each category in the center should be labeled in English
and also with which ever other language a student you might
have uses.

11. The teachers role is
• understanding positive relationships and supportive interactions as the foundation of their work with
young children(4a)
• Knowing and understanding effective strategies and tools for early education(4b)
• Using a broad repertoire of developmentally appropriate teaching approaches(4c)
• Reflecting on own practice to promote positive outcomes for each child(4d)
https://www.naeyc.org/our-
work/higher-ed/standards-
summaries

12. Domain: Cognition and General Knowledge
Strand 2 Sub-Strand A:
Scientific Knowledge
• Explore characteristics, basic needs, and life
cycles of living things. (A6) Pg.28
Strategies:
Reading books and magazines with child
containing photographs of different habitats and
landforms.

13. Domain: Cognition and General Knowledge
Strand 2 Sub-Strand A:
Scientific Knowledge
• Discover and describe naturally occurring
patterns (e.g., weather phenomena, shells, etc.)
(A7) Pg.28 .
Strategies:
• Taking advantage of every day events to talk with
child about nature and science (e.g., the changing
weather).
• Displaying collections (feathers, pine cones,
leaves, shells) for children to explore.

14. Domain: Cognition and General Knowledge
Strand 2 Sub-Strand B:
Scientific Inquiry and Exploration
• Ask questions about scientific phenomena. (B8)
Pg.29.
Strategies:
• Providing opportunities for child to ask questions
about the environment and providing descriptive
answers.
• Helping child to find the answers to “why”
questions through active exploration and reflection.

15. Domain: Cognition and General Knowledge
Strand 2 Sub-Strand B:
Scientific Inquiry and Exploration
• Expect specific results when playing with toys
and other materials. (B9) pg.29.
Strategies:
• Allowing child to play with safe materials without
adult guidance in order to discover causal
relationships.