In this article, we present kindergarten children's ideas about thermal phenomena before any educational intervention took place. In order to capture and account for the heterogeneity of the kindergarten group in this study, first teachers observed children's exploration behavior, task orientation, science interest, and language comprehension in…

Early science learning has the potential to enhance children's social interaction development, but a lack of resources in schools requires well-structured activities and a supportive learning environment. In a project aimed at helping children develop an interest in science education from an early age, this describes a Project-Based,…

This study examined the effects of science and engineering (S & E) inquiry on preschool and kindergarten children's academic outcomes using a randomized control-group design. Participants were divided into three groups: a classroom-only group (C-only) receiving NGSS-aligned S & E inquiry; a classroom plus family engagement group (C + F)…

Gender stereotypes about science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) are salient for children and adolescents and contribute to achievement-related disparities and inequalities in STEM participation. However, few studies have used a longitudinal design to examine changes in gender stereotypes across a range of STEM fields. In a large,…

Children's memberships in social groups have profound effects on their motivation. Stereotypes about social groups shape children's beliefs about what is expected for their group members. These beliefs can influence children's developing beliefs about themselves (self-perceptions). In this article, I review research on how gender stereotypes…

Children interact with science from the moment of their birth. By means of the scientific experiences they have as a result of this interaction, children acquire numerous skills related to science at the early ages. These scientific skills and children's orientation towards science such as awareness, attitude, proficiency, inquisitiveness, as well…

The pandemic outbreak of COVID-19 has highlighted an urgent need for infectious disease education for K-12 students. To gather a better understanding of what educational interventions have been conducted and to what effect, we performed a scoping review. We identified and examined 23 empirical researcher- and teacher-designed studies conducted in…

To address the limited time and support for elementary science, science instruction is sometimes distributed among classroom teachers, science specialists, and informal science educators, creating a complex school science culture. We investigate how student agency may be enabled and constrained when school science learning happens simultaneously…

Will spring be early next year? This is a question the authors ponder each fall as they prepare for a yearlong citizen science project with kindergartners. Citizen science projects naturally promote the development of science and engineering practices. These projects can be integrated at any grade level and aligned to meet other content areas as…

Fostering interest in science is critical for broadening engagement with science topics, careers, and hobbies. Research suggests that these interests begin to form as early as preschool and have long-term implications for participation and learning. However, scholars have only speculated on the processes that shape interest development at this…

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of the Primrose® Balanced Learning® Curriculum on young children's science performances. The sample of this study included 158 children attending two private preschools. The study utilized a single group pre-post-test design. The children were tested before and immediately after the…

Turning everyday activities such as baking into scientific activities is more than just fun: it is important for our children's futures. Science investigations provide an opportunity for children to learn about scientific concepts and listen to their peers, family, and community members, and to respond to their questions or ideas. It also provides…

This article reports findings from a study of an integrated science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education program on student interest and awareness in science and engineering. The analysis features grade 3-5 students from a high-poverty, urban school system in the Mid-Atlantic region. Through the quantitative analysis of…

The purpose of this study is to determine how adequate preschool teachers considered themselves in the field of science, to determine their awareness on this subject and to find out how adequate they are in the field of science. This study was planned by using a phenomenological approach among the qualitative research methods and was carried out…

Attitude toward science has been recognized as highly influential in students' engagement with science and future career choices. Science is important in our everyday lives as well, in a society demanding more scientific vocations and higher levels of scientific literacy. There is little research on how attitudes develop and evolve at early ages,…