Advanced Study in the Natural Sciences with Application to Elementary and Early Childhood Settings

The focus of this team-taught course is integration of the scientific process and fact and then transfer of this knowledge to young children. Students complete independent science laboratory projects, review elementary school science curricula and other resources, and visit research institutions and science learning centers. Science is integrated with technology, mathematics, reading, and writing. Teaching strategies that students engage in include hands-on science, thematic planning, cooperative learning techniques, and portfolio assessment. Students demonstrate their understanding of these strategies by incorporating them into units they prepare for use with elementary school children.