| Effective Term: | 2025/05 |
| Institute / School : | Institute of Education, Arts & Community |
| Unit Title: | Science and Environmental Education in Early Childhood |
| Unit ID: | EDECE2018 |
| Credit Points: | 15.00 |
| Prerequisite(s): | Nil |
| Co-requisite(s): | Nil |
| Exclusion(s): | (EDECE2002) |
| ASCED: | 070101 |
| Other Change: | |
| Brief description of the Unit |
This unit is designed to allow PSTs to explore the concepts of science and environmental awareness appropriate for young children in an early childhood environment. Using their knowledge of child development, content and curricula requirements PSTs will plan and implement appropriate science activities for young children in prior-to-school settings. PSTs will examine appropriate contemporary teaching strategies and curricula approaches, including play-based and inclusive strategies and alternative curricula approaches. PSTs will explore the importance and impact of culture, diversity and inclusion in the planning and programing of science and environmental education experiences. PSTs will begin to use advocacy and research to improve the teaching of science and environmental education in educational settings. |
| Grade Scheme: | Graded (HD, D, C, P, MF, F, XF) |
| Work Experience Indicator: |
| No work experience |
| Placement Component: | |
| Supplementary Assessment:No |
| Supplementary assessment is not available to students who gain a fail in this Unit. |
| Course Level: |
| Level of Unit in Course | AQF Level(s) of Course | | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | | Introductory | | | | | | | | Intermediate | | |  | | | | | Advanced | | | | | | |
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| Learning Outcomes: |
| Knowledge: |
| K1. | Articulate the importance of demonstrating a positive attitude towards science and the environment including attitudes, processes and concepts of how science and environmental education can be integrated with other curriculum teaching areas. |
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| K2. | Select teaching methods and strategies appropriate for teaching science in ways that are inclusive of all young children and articulate the role of pedagogies, including play based pedagogies and curricular approaches in engaging young learners in science and environmental education in prior to school settings. |
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| K3. | Demonstrate an understanding of how developmental theory, child health, wellbeing and safety and curricular requirements underpin curricula decision making. |
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| K4. | Demonstrate an understanding of contemporary issues around science and environmental education and their impact on teaching. |
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| K5. | Demonstrate an awareness of the role of community partnerships and culturally diverse perspectives in developing culturally inclusive science and environmental education programs. |
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| Skills: |
| S1. | Explain why science and environmental education should be taught to young children and the ways in which science experiences and environmental education can contribute to development. |
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| S2. | Identify the major areas of science instruction and inquiry stances, intentional and collaborative teaching strategies and develop working relationships with parents/carers and the wider community, to design environmental education projects. |
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| S3. | Be conscious of the role that the adult can play in assisting young children to explore science and their environment while addressing curricula requirements. |
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| S4. | Use critical reflection as an impetus for professional learning. |
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| Application of knowledge and skills: |
| A1. | Reflect on personal beliefs and dispositions towards science and environmental education. |
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| A2. | Critically reflect on a range of learning experiences developed and implemented in an early childhood context. |
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| A3. | Use knowledge of child development,collaborative strategies, science and environment education content and curricular requirements to develop and implement an environmental education project. Propose possible changes that focus on science and environmental education and discuss how these changes could be implemented with active involvement of children, families and communities. |
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| Unit Content: |
Topics to include
• Science, what it is and why it is important to young children
• An understanding of what children can gain developmentally through science and environmental experiences
• Australia`s early childhood environmental education networks
• Initiating a connection with the environment
• Initiatives for developmental challenges in early childhood environments
• Sustainability in early childhood
• Day-to-day activities offer frequent opportunities for science
• Science and environmental learning
• Science processes of observing, comparing, classifying, communicating, predicting, measuring and experimenting
• Appropriate science experiences to implement with young children in the areas of water, air, sound, animals, plants, electricity, magnets, light and environmental awareness
• Relationships between an adult`s positive attitude towards science and the environment on a child`s eagerness to learn
• Concept development from science
• Identifying science and environmental experiences in daily routine tasks, planned and unplanned. |
| Graduate Attributes: |
| | Learning Outcomes Assessed | Assessment Tasks | Assessment Type | Weighting | | 1. | K2, A1 | What does a Scientist look like? PST to explain or creatively represent what they believe a scientist looks like and what forms the basis of their beliefs. | Hurdle | U/S | | 2. | K1, K2, K3, K4, K5, S1, S2, S3, S4, A2, A3; APST: 1.1, 1.2, 1.5, 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5, 3.6, 4.1, 4.2, 4.4, 7.1 | Planning: Using the template, plan a range of science and environmental experiences addressing a range of science concepts, resources and teaching and assessment strategies for young children. PST to implement a selection of the planned experiences and reflect on their teaching practice in terms of preparation, planning, delivery, content knowledge teaching strategies, resources and implementation. | Planning and Reflection | 40-60% | | 3. | K3, K4, S1, S2, S4, APST: 1.1, 1.2, 1.5, 2.1, 3.2, 3.3, 3.4, 3.5, 3.6, 3.7, 4.1, 4.2, 4.4, 7.1, 7.4 | Develop an environmental project based on a sustainability topic for a group of young children. Design and present information about the project and the anticipated outcomes to be shared with parents/carers and the wider community to stimulate their interest in the children’s learning and involvement in this project. | Project | 40% - 60% |
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