Table of Contents

Part I. What Initial Information Should I Know to Teach Science?: 1. The place of science in the early years Coral Campbell and Christine Howitt; 2. Science in the national early years learning framework Andrea Nolan; 3. Science in the Australian curriculum Kathryn Paige; 4. Learning theories related to early childhood science education Coral Campbell; Part II. How Can I Enhance Children's Learning of Science: 5. Approaches to enhance science learning Coral Campbell and Kate Chealuck; 6. Using play pedagogy in the early years in science education Jane Johnson; 7. Developing pedagogical practices for science teaching and learning with 3- and 4-year-old children Elaine Blake and Christine Howitt; Part III. How Can I Use the Learning Environment to Enhance Children's Science Understandings?: 8. Supporting science understandings through the learning environment Coral Campbell, Wendy Jobling and Christine Howitt; 9. Learning science in informal contexts: the home and community Jill Robbins; 10. Environmental education in natural play spaces Coral Campbell and Amy Cutter-Mackenzie; Part IV. How Do I Plan and Assess in Science?: 11. Planning for teaching science in the early years Christine Howitt; 12. Observing, assessing and documenting science learning in the early years Coral Campbell.

Promotional Information

Written by experts in the field, Science in Early Childhood is essential reading for pre-service teachers.

About the Author

Coral Campbell is a Senior Lecturer at Deakin University, Geelong. Wendy Jobling is a Lecturer at Deakin University, Burwood. Christine Howitt is an Associate Professor at the University of Western Australia, Perth.