Kids Science Projects – The Creator of Knowledge
Psychologists say children are born to learn through observation and exploration of everyday world. They do this naturally as they are playing. And with every experienced they learn, their brain changes and develop new connections based on the learning. That’s why science activities could constitute a natural extension of child’s curiosity, where they can observe, feel and somehow manipulate reality.
One of the first ways to incentive the interest of children for nature and science is through children’s books where animals and plants are protagonists, or travel stories and discoveries are reported. Spending some time in a park can be a captivating experience for little people. They can play with pebbles, observe different types of flowers and plants, watch closely animals like lizards and frogs, and observe natural phenomena like dew on the flowers, the fall of the tree leaves in autumn, the wind dragging objects, the rain or a sunset. Each of these small discoveries can be used by parents and teachers to encourage curiosity, questions and search for answers.
Schools play an important role in developing children’s curiosity and desire for seeking explanations through science. This is what lies behind Kids Science Project and other activities that involve experiments or construction of models in science disciplines aimed at developing creative thinkers. Usually those science projects are presented in science fairs.
Science fairs had their inspiration in the US zoologist Willam Emerson Ritter and Edward W. Scripps idea, when in 1921 they created a news service (Science Service) aimed at informing about latest developments in science. Some years later, in 1942, they established The Science Talent Search for high school students, where young people were encouraged to follow a career in science or engineering. In the early 1950, it became popular the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair, better known as National Science Fair. Nowadays, it’s the largest pre-scientific research event in the world that attracts thousands of students from many countries, competing for scholarships, tuition grants and prizes.
At present, in many elementary schools around the world, Kids Science Projects and science fair have become a very popular way to incentive creativeness and scientific thinking. Some of them not only include experiments of hard science (like chemistry, physics or mathematic), but also visual arts. The most important goal would be to incentive discovery, to ask questions, to use creativity to solve problems, to develop critical thinkers and show how science is related to the real world. Furthermore, these activities are also good in order to develop reading and speaking skills.
Of course, this kind of activities needs a great support to be successful. Schools require good planning, while teachers need to be motivated and well prepared. Moreover, parents’ guide and support are vital.
Nevertheless, schools need to put Kid Science Project in their right level. Sometimes is worrisome when science activities become stressing for children and their parents, instead of a fun and creative way to fuel curiosity and interest for sciences. In some schools, for instance, children are required to use the scientific method for executing projects, without being ready for this.
In other cases, the emphasis is not on the research process and their stages, but in the final result, what not always helps the learning process. In addition, sometimes Kid Science projects are a kind of mandatory competition where recognition for their participation only comes at the end. Furthermore, at times resources and materials for experiments are not so affordable for kids that come from different socioeconomic realities. Finally, other critics are a result of the excessive involvement of parents in projects (is it a kid or a parent’s project?).
However, there is no doubt that parents play an important role by supporting activities developed in science projects. On first place it is important for them to be aware children’s activities in classrooms. Thus, whenever possible, parents should visit their classrooms and attend these activities to demonstrate interest in what they are doing. Being aware of the curriculum requirements is also important and will allow them to anticipate and to predict possible difficulties.
Parents could also help children to find ideas for science projects, look for materials, and cooperate in the understanding of experiments or phenomena that are being observed or reproduced. And last, but not less important, the emotional support plays a vital role. Often, the project will not be easily succeeded and parents should transmit children the necessary perseverance, while inspiring them confidence by using positive and encouraging comments.
Parents and teachers should be aware that there are many fun activities that can be part of science projects, including games and experiments, many of which are available in hundreds of websites on the Internet. For instance, Science Kids (http://www.sciencekids.co.nz), based in New Zeeland, is a comprehensive resource aimed at stimulating the desire for learning about science and technology.
Experiments, games, quizzes, ideas for science projects among others resources are available in this website. Education.com’ slogan is “Inspire kids to love learning with expert resources” (http://www.education.com/), another interesting place to find ideas for Kids Science Projects, which is categorized by grades. All Fair Project (http://www.all-science-fair-projects.com/) is also a vast collection of ideas, resources, guides and tips for developing these kind of activities.
Besides, it brings information about the involvement in some of the largest pre-college science fairs in the Unites State, such as the Westinghouse Science Talent Search, the California State Science Fair, the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair and the Internet Science and Technology Fair. Links to these and other science fairs are available in The WWW Virtual Library: Science Fairs (http://physics.usc.edu/~gould/ScienceFairs/).
A final fun and useful website for Kids Science Projects is Try Science (http://www.tryscience.org/) that was developed in partnership with IBM Corporations and other science centers around the world. Here it is possible to find interactive adventures, experiments with online components, live webcams from science centers around the world, among others interesting resources.
Finally, it’s important keep in mind that Kids Science projects should be an adventure and a challenge full of fun and joy in the way to knowledge and critical thinking. Help children to keep playful nature during the research process to enjoy this journey!
Kids Science Projects are all about a new way of understanding the world. With the new view of what schools should do, it can help develop the future thinkers to solve our global problems and create better societies. Developing into creative thinkers and problem solvers with new learning ways is all about Kids Science Projects.
To make the students learn about Kids Science Projects, the teachers are trained to capitalize on children’s curiosity with creative thinking and ways. They are trained to do all the projects with patterns that are basic to all subjects with everyday experiences. It is the best way of promoting creativity in children.
Kids Science Projects- The Creator of Knowledge
With Kids Science Projects, the children are prepared to do innovative projects with intelligence. The projects will impact teachers along with children from cultural backgrounds across the country. It gives the results of how children can produce creative and deeply interconnected ideas to change the basic concept and the way of dealing with projects.
Kids are known to be the basic inspiration with creative, critical and insightful. When they follow their curiosity and passion, a complete new inspiring world of result and possibilities comes as a result. With the motto of giving Kids Science Projects, the school tries to get the creative side with intelligent thinking out of their kids in their projects. It incorporates everything from the visual , arts, mathematics and any other sector to show their potential and creativity.Kids Science Projects are all about making the kids to brainstorm to find the unique and creative way of doing any subjects project which is not only innovative but intelligent too. It helps the kids in dealing with life experiences to tackle it with brainstorming and trying to find the right way from the clutter. It is one of the good ways school follows to groom the child mentally for the best results possible.
