Preschool Science Essential Learning Goals
Preschool Science Essential Learning Goals Physical Science Concepts: 1. Begins to understand the basic of cause and effect. 2. Displays awareness of natural forces that affect objects and materials, e.g., wind and gravity. 3. Examines, describes, and measures the observable features of objects. 4. Demonstrates understanding that objects are made from one or more materials, e.g., metal, wood, plastic or paper. 5. Communicates that the physical properties of objects and materials can change, e.g., when solid ice becomes a liquid. 6. Explores and describes ways that objects can be moved in space, (e.g., pushing, pulling, rising, or sinking).
Life Science Concepts: 1. Shows a growing ability to classify living and nonliving things. 2. Communicates about the characteristics of living things. 3. Demonstrates understanding that living things grow, change, and reproduce. 4. Shows awareness of life in different habitats or environments. 5. Groups or categorizes living things, e.g., appearance, behavior, plant, or animal. 6. Demonstrates awareness that living things go through a growth cycle.
Earth and Space Science Concepts: 1. Demonstrates understanding that there are different kinds of weather and that weather changes. 2. Describes and measures weather. 3. Communicates awareness that the environment changes, e.g., season to season, sometimes slowly and sometimes suddenly. 4. Shows awareness that different objects can be seen in the sky. 5. Demonstrates understanding that people can affect the environment in positive and negative ways.
Engineering Design Concepts: 1. Discovers how things are constructed and work. 2. Design, build, and test solutions through their play (e.g., as they construct sand castles and build cities out of blocks). 3. Demonstrate an understanding that tools help people do things better or more easily, or do some things that could otherwise not be done at all.
Science and Engineering Practices 1. Observes and explores things in the environment. 2. Manipulates objects to understand their properties. 3. Connects new observations to what he or she already knows.
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Life Science Concepts: 1. Shows a growing ability to classify living and nonliving things. 2. Communicates about the characteristics of living things. 3. Demonstrates understanding that living things grow, change, and reproduce. 4. Shows awareness of life in different habitats or environments. 5. Groups or categorizes living things, e.g., appearance, behavior, plant, or animal. 6. Demonstrates awareness that living things go through a growth cycle.
Earth and Space Science Concepts: 1. Demonstrates understanding that there are different kinds of weather and that weather changes. 2. Describes and measures weather. 3. Communicates awareness that the environment changes, e.g., season to season, sometimes slowly and sometimes suddenly. 4. Shows awareness that different objects can be seen in the sky. 5. Demonstrates understanding that people can affect the environment in positive and negative ways.
Engineering Design Concepts: 1. Discovers how things are constructed and work. 2. Design, build, and test solutions through their play (e.g., as they construct sand castles and build cities out of blocks). 3. Demonstrate an understanding that tools help people do things better or more easily, or do some things that could otherwise not be done at all.
Science and Engineering Practices 1. Observes and explores things in the environment. 2. Manipulates objects to understand their properties. 3. Connects new observations to what he or she already knows.
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