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Exploring National Science Week in Your Centre
Science is such an important part of children’s education. And while we are not teachers, it is essential we foster each child’s learning and development.
From August 14- 22, National Science Week is due to begin, with events, seminars and educational programs right across the country, celebrating scientific and technological education.
Due to COVID restrictions, it may be difficult to attend many of these planned activities, which were initially scheduled to take place in a variety of locations, such as schools, libraries, community centres, parks, and other community areas.
However, all is not lost, because here are three things you can do to implement science in your centre:
1. Program Science Experiments
A staple of many OOSH/OSHC programs, science experiments are largely beneficial to children wishing to explore more about the way things work.
During National Science Week, try scheduling one of these experiments each day, and during the rest of the year, try scheduling at least one per week.
Science experiments are fun and keep children engaged.
They also assist with problem-solving and resourcefulness skills that children can build upon as they develop.
Building a catalogue of experiments and being able to display these in your centre will hopefully influence others, thus developing their attitude towards scientific learning.
Classic activities such as elephant toothpaste and growing seeds in cotton balls are safe and give children the opportunity to ask questions, to which they are provided with hands-on answers.
2. Start Conversations
On top of performing experiments, it is important children are able to draw conclusions from them.
Small conversations explaining the simple chemical reaction that occurs while making DIY hot air balloons, or the density of a paper boat floating on water, will educate children on the basic scientific principles that dictate our world.
Asking them questions about the world around us and seeing their response will also stimulate intellectual conversations, whereby children share their hypotheses and later put these into action.
Not only does this relate directly to the My Time Our Place framework, it also provides a safe space for children to question their world and their place in it.
For these conversations to work however, it is important we as educators know what we are talking about.
3. Science incursions/excursions
It can be difficult educating children about science, and it is important to remember it is not our role to school them while at OOSH/OSHC.
Therefore, finding someone who knows more about science is an easy way of challenging your children’s perspectives of their world, and takes the pressure off you and your educators.
Incursions during vacation care or even after school care are sure to provide excitement for children, regardless of knowledge, age, and ability.
While difficult at the moment, some businesses may offer zoom calls during COVID, or online tutorials in replacement of physical shows and presentations. These COVID-safe programs are available in the hopes of normality returning this upcoming vacation care.
Alternatively, many science programs offer an in-person session, operated in a strictly COVID-safe manner. These could be extremely beneficial to your children’s scientific understanding of the world, and are a fantastic way to encourage science in your centre.
Make sure your children know about the upcoming national schedule this Science Week. For information regarding the nationwide event, visit the National Science Week website, www.scienceweek.net.au
For easy science experiment ideas, check out pinterest.com.au/laurakwest/oshc-stem/ and
noguiltmom.com/very-simple-science-experiments/
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