Knightly News

Any parent of young children is familiar with the daily onslaught of “the 5 W’s”why, what, who, when, and where?  Researchers, led by child psychologist Dr. Sam Wass, surveyed 1,500 parents and concluded that children ask an average of 73 questions each day – almost four questions every waking hour. The analysis also revealed children’s inquisitive nature peaks at the age of four years old for both boys and girls. Additional studies show that most children have formed an opinion (either positive or negative) about science by the time they reach the age of seven. Early childhood educators have a tremendous impact and influence on a child’s potential to seek out a career in science or engineering later in life. It is imperative for teachers to harness children’s innate sense of curiosity in their early years of formal education in order to foster a lifelong love of science. Parents of early childhood learners at Episcopal should be assured that through project-based learning and child exploration, science is present throughout the day.  

Starting in Episcopal’s early childhood program, students are provided rich and meaningful opportunities. These opportunities encourage discovery through play including manipulating, exploring, making predictions, asking questions, and using creativity to solve simple problems. Each year, students build on prior knowledge to expand their learning. For example, our youngest PreK-3 Knights explore their five senses by cooking a Thanksgiving feast. PreK-4 investigates the sense of sight by mixing colors to explore prisms and rainbows while learning about colors and light. Kindergarten students spend several weeks learning about their own five senses in comparison to how insects and other animals use their senses. Many of their questions are answered through explorations and investigations including taste testing, smelling potions, nature walks, observations and predictions. 

Coding provides another avenue for Episcopal’s young learners to train their brains for the future. In the early childhood classrooms, students begin to use Beebot and Indi robots.  The children program simple commands to navigate the robot to its desired location. In previous years, Beebot has navigated neighborhoods during PreK’s study of communities and helped kindergarten learn about the number line in math. Indi robots allow students to code using colors to carry out various paths. 

In addition to these formal science experiences, students are given ample free time to explore and process what they have learned. Whether it is sticking their hands into a slimy pumpkin at Halloween, balancing blocks to build a tall tower through trial and error, or pulling a molted exoskeleton of a cicada from a tree or discovering a butterfly chrysalis in the garden, these organic and natural experiences provide the foundation for children to become critical thinkers and problem solvers.

Julie Mendes '01
Julie is an Episcopal graduate, former Early Childhood Director and current Director of Education & Programming for the Children's Museum of St. Tammany.

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