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Experiencing Math and Science in Early Childhood Education

Are you a preschool Teacher or Home School Educator who is looking for resources for preschool math and science? The Urbana Free Library recently received a grant* to provide:

• a teacher collection of books in science and math for preschool and kindergarten instruction
• hands-on workshop
• 21 exploration kits
• suggested math and science web sites
  

This Month's Feature Title

More Than Counting
by Sally Moomaw

This Month's Bright Idea

Collection Activities from More Than Counting: Sort assorted sizes, colors, and types of bottle caps and lids into divided trays or plates. Ask where else the caps could go? Sort again by color, shape, and size to show that an item has many attributes.

Exploration Kits with Manipulatives

All kits include books, manipulatives, simple tools, and an activity guide. Just include the kit you need for a particular date on our popular OnlineTeacher Request Form.

This Month's Feature Kit

Numbers and Counting

This Month's Bright Ideas

Using the kit: Have children stand in a circle and toss the dice into the center. Count off students around the circle until you reach the number on the dice. Move that student to the center and keep on playing until all students are in the center.

Using a book from the kit: Read One Woolly Wombat by Rod Trinca and Kerry Argent. Count not only the animals in the book as you read but also the objects on the facing page.

Kit activity idea: Use small paper plates and per-cut petals to make "number flowers." Write a number on each plate and have students glue on the correct number of petals.

Activities on this web site meet Illinois Early Learning Standards for science and math.

Math and Science Websites

A to Z Teacher Stuff
This site is searchable by theme, lessons, subject, and grade. A link for printable activities is included as well as helpful articles and tips.

The Activity Idea Place : An Early Childhood Educator's Resource
Activities are organized into themes including animals, seasonal/holidays,
self-concepts, colors, food, themes by month, and new pages.

Exploratorium
Recognized as one of the best web sites for teachers on the internet today, this features web casts, interactive learning activities, and resource lists for teachers. The Digital Library Learning Resources Collection provides lesson plans organized under the main topics of Earth and Space Sciences, Life Science, Mathematics, Physical Sciences, and The Nature of Science. Although the lessons are assigned a grade level between kindergarten and twelfth grade, this is a great resource for creative ideas, images, and video clips.

Kids Chalkboard
Lots of math and science activities for preschoolers are included along with many other topics, on this website designed by teachers for teachers.

Lesson Plans Page
A straightforward three step search makes it easy to find lesson plans in math and science for the PreK-2 grade level. Many of the activities are labeled as grade 1-2 but they can be adjusted for younger children.

National Geographic Education
The Educator's Homepage provides links to Lesson Plans, Maps & Photos, Professional Development Opportunities, and Current Events. Lesson Plans are searchable by grade level and although the lowest level is designated K-2, they can be easily adapted for preschoolers. Topics include cultural geography, weather, space, animals and ecosystems.

Orpheum Children's Museum
Our local museum features an online exhibit with associated experiment suggestions on the scientific method and the human body. Call the museum for more information 217-352-5895.

PBS Teacher Source
You will find 3,000+ free lesson plans and activities searchable by grade level and subject. Math topics include data analysis/probability, geometry and spatial sense, measurement, numbers and operations, patterns and algebraic thinking. Science activities include atmosphere and space science, classification, design and invention, earth science, life science, physical science, and transportation.

Peep and the Big Wide World
Recognized by the National Science Foundation and based on the Discovery Channel TV show, Peep and the Big Wide World , this child oriented website provides interactive games, "Anywhere Science" activities, weekly educational videos, printable coloring sheets, three ready to use science units, and recommended book lists.

The Perpetual Preschool
This website has a comprehensive list of preschool themes with corresponding books, songs, art and science activities, and games. The "Learning Centers & Teaching Resources" page also has links to science and math learning center ideas. All entries are provided by members with early childhood teaching experience.

Pre School Express
Lesson themes are first organized by seasons and then by shapes, colors, transportation, community, and numbers. The lessons include a variety of activities incorporating math, science, art, dramatic play, and snacks.

Science Learning Network
Funded by Unisys and the National Science Foundation, this website combines the educational efforts of 12 worldwide science museums. Is has a link to each partner museum's home website, a monthly "Ten Cool Sites" link, and a comprehensive list of inquiry resources. The "Educational Hotlists" and "Science Whatzit" are particularly nifty features.

Smithsonian Education
The Smithsonian's lesson plans and websites are searchable by grade level and subject. The resources come from various museum departments so they vary in content, and many that are labeled as PreK-3 are actually meant for 2nd to 3rd graders. However, there are many ideas that could be easily modified to accommodate preschoolers' learning styles.

TeachersNet.Com
By clicking on Lessons and Browse Lessons and then selecting the Preschool/EC category, viewers are provided access to 248 lesson plans in science, math, literature, writing, art, music, geography, and health.

*This website, the workshop and library collection were made possible by a grant from the Illinois State Library, a division of the Office of the Secretary of State, using funds provided by the Institute of Museum and Library Services, under the federal Library Services and Technology