Helping Your Child Learn ScienceHelping Your Child Learn Mathematics
Helping Your Child Learn Science
Being"scientific" involves being curious, observing, asking how things happen and learning how to find the answers. Curiosity is natural to children, but they need help understanding how to make sense of what they see and to relate their observations to their existing ideas and understandings. This is why parental involvement is so important in children's science education. When we encourage children to ask questions, make predictions, offer explanations and explore in a safe environment, we lend them the kind of support that they need to become successful science students and scientific thinkers.As a parent, you don't have to be a scientist or have a college degree to help your child learn science. What's far more important than being able to give a technical explanation of how a telescope works is
Your willingness to nurture your child's natural curiosity by taking the time to observe and learn together.Science "happens" all around us every day, and you have endless opportunities to invite your child into the wonders of science. Without expensive chemistry sets, equipment or kits, a child can be introduced easily to the natural world and encouraged to observe what goes on in that world. When you least expect it, a moment for learning will occur: A bit of ice cream drops on the sidewalk and ants appear; some cups float and some sink when you're washing dishes; static electricity makes your hair stand on end when you put on a sweater.
From the booklet, Helping Your Child Learn Science, from the U.S. Department of Education. This booklet includes a range of activities for families with children from preschool age through grade 5. The activities use materials found in your home and make learning experiences out of everyday routines. The activities are designed for you to have fun with your child while developing and reinforcing science skills.
For some great science experiments you can do at home, see Home Experiments developed by University of Wisconsin-Madison Chemistry Professor Bassam Shakhashiri.
Helping Your Child Learn Mathematics
Today, helping children to make the effort to learn, appreciate and master mathematics is more important than ever. Our increasingly technological world demands strong skills in mathematics, not only in the workforce but also in everyday life, and these demands will only increase over the lifetimes of our children.
To ensure that our children are ready for high school and on track for success in college and the workforce, parents must become involved early—and stay involved over the school years—to reinforce children's skills in and positive attitudes toward mathematics.
Starting in elementary school, children should be learning beginning concepts in algebra, geometry, measurement, statistics and logic. In addition, they should be learning how to solve problems by applying knowledge of math to new situations. They should be able to reason mathematically and to communicate mathematical ideas by talking and writing.
The U.S. Department of Education booklet, Helping Your Child Learn Mathematics includes a range of activities for families with children from preschool age through grade 5. These activities use materials found inside your home and also make learning experiences out of everyday routines, such as grocery shopping and doing laundry. The activities are designed for you to have fun with your child while developing and reinforcing mathematical skills.
Make at Home Math Games from Parenting Magazine is another resource with many different math activities to do at home with children.