Building Structures with Young Children / Edition 1

by Ingrid Chalufour

Overview

From playground equipment to skyscrapers, structures are everywhere. The second unit in the Young Scientist series, Building Structures with Young Children guides children’s explorations to help deepen their understanding of the physical science present in building block structures—including concepts such as gravity, stability, and balance. Looking at science in a new way, this nationally field-tested curriculum supports the early development of important science inquiry skills such as questioning, investigating, discussing, and formulating ideas and theories.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	2901929610500
Publisher:	Redleaf Press
Publication date:	10/01/2004
Series:	The Young Scientist Series
Edition description:	1ST
Pages:	168
Product dimensions:	8.50(w) x 10.90(h) x 0.40(d)

About the Author

Ingrid Chalufour has designed and conducted training programs for staff in child care, Head Start, public schools, and social service agencies for more than 35 years. Karen Worth is a graduate-level instructor in the early childhood education department at Wheelock College.

Editorial Reviews

Building Structures with Young Children guides teachers with concrete and practical tips in the transition from open exploration of blocks—size, shape, and balance—to purposeful and focused explorations that produce an authentic understanding of how structures work. Most valuable, especially for teachers unfamiliar with the opportunities that block play offers, is a chapter devoted to getting ready—putting on a scientist mindset, building a teaching plan, and preparing the environment. . . This book has earned its place in your program’s library and regular attention in teacher development workshops.” —Texas Child Care Quarterly

Building Structures with Young Children is a timely book because of the blending of science with applications like building and construction in the classroom. Building Structures is teacher-friendly, with hypothetical teacher questions answered in helpful ways. The answers focus on what to do and why things are done. The book is full of examples. It emphasizes teacher observation as one of the most effective ways to assess skill development in children." —Sharon MacDonald

"Building Structures with Young Children is much more than a book about building with blocks. The authors include numerous examples of extension activities, science experiences, and social interaction scenarios that make this a must-have book for anyone who takes unit block construction seriously—as we all should." —Nancy Alexander, author of Twelve Essential Topics in Early Childhood Education

"Chalufour and Worth present material in a way that helps students understand the foundational philosophy. They help students become 'double specialists' as Piaget recommended. Students learn about child development and learn about science content. They can then prepare lessons that are meaningful to children and facilitate the understanding of concepts." —Jane Harvey

From the Publisher