The "Next Generation Science Standards" (NGSS) encourages educators to help kindergarteners formalize a big idea in physics: A push or pull can cause an object to begin moving, speed up, slow down, stop, or change the direction it is going (NGSS Lead States 2013). In this article, the authors share an exciting, classroom-tested…

Background knowledge and oral language have long been linked to reading and writing outcomes. Discussions are one way to build both oral language and background knowledge. Nevertheless, designing discussions to support children's content knowledge and oral language development, as well as build discipline specific speaking practices, can prove…

Through a meta-analysis, this study examines how effective particulate nature of matter (PNM)-based intervention studies are at improving academic performance. Well-known databases (e.g., ERIC, Springer Link, Taylor & Francis, and ScienceDirect) were used to look for the PNM-based intervention studies via specific keyword patterns. Also, a…

In this kindergarten lesson about pushes and pulls, the authors used the SHARE strategy to embed effective questions throughout each phase of the 5E learning cycle (Engage, Explore, Explain, Evaluate, Elaborate). The thoughtfully worded and open-ended questions shared in this article can help students generate ideas and focus their thinking…

There is a severe shortcoming in science programs in kindergartens in Saudi Arabia. Therefore, this paper presents a conceptual framework for teaching physics concepts to kindergartens to contribute to the consolidation of scientific knowledge by stimulating the skills of inquiry, problem-solving and scientific thinking among children. The…

Observing children tossing a ball in a game of catch or pumping their legs to move a swing, it is obvious that they have already experienced and learned to control the basics of pushes and pulls. Through everyday experiences as simple as rolling a ball across the floor, to more complex activities like team sports, children are building a…

Science and engineering practices (SEPs) and crosscutting concepts (CCs) constitute a significant part of "A Framework for K-12 Science Education" (NRC 2012). As teachers, the role of the authors is to highlight the pivotal role that both scientific knowledge and the practices used to generate knowledge play in learning. This article…

In this paper, we investigate the intentions of kindergarten teachers to use the content and to apply the teaching methods that they acquired in a one-day teacher training seminar. According to the theory of planned behavior, the answer to this research question is directly related to a series of social-psychological personal criteria assessments,…

It is generally accepted that education in the field of physics is possible only when one has received sufficient grounds for it. But physics is an attempt to understand the world around us. Everything one needs to study physics is an open mind and willingness to learn. It is also commonly thought that preschool-age children have a natural…

This is a theoretical paper in which we describe the motivation for and the design of a novel primary physics course for student teachers at kindergarten and primary school levels that uses cognitive tools such as metaphor, analogy, and narrative. The course has been taught in the master's program in teacher education at three Universities over…

In this study, we present a conceptual tool for guiding teachers' principled pedagogical actions toward equitable instruction, referred to as the "Transforming Science Learning" (TSL) framework. The TSL framework was developed to address the challenges of enacting an ideological commitment in local contexts--promoting equity and justice…

For early elementary students with vision loss, these seemingly simple questions can pose great difficulty, especially when conceptual development is being established. Because students with vision loss are unable to observe non-verbal cues within environmental settings, supplemental learning techniques must be utilized for learning. In science,…

This research aimed to investigate the extent to which the interactive international curriculum is included in the "Child's Scientific Activities" issued by the Ministry of Education in Jordan, for the kindergarten stage according to the global criterion (NRC). In order to answer the study questions, an instrument was developed to…

Blocks are not just for play! In this article, Nicole Andrews describes observing the interactions of three young boys enthusiastically engaged in the kindergarten block center of their classroom, using blocks in a building project that displayed their ability to use critical thinking skills, physics exploration, and the development of language…

We describe an inquiry-based course in physics and chemistry for preservice K-8 teachers developed at California State University Fullerton. The course is one of three developed primarily to enhance the science content understanding of prospective teachers. The course incorporates a number of innovative instructional strategies and is somewhat…