The children I’m observing are in the intuitive period of what Piaget terms the Preoperational Stage. This means they explain things (phenomena) according to appearance and what they think rather than based on an understanding of scientific facts. In other words, a 4 year old pointing at a playmate may say, “He has more play doh than me!” even though the 2 children have the same amount. It’s just that one may have made 4 small pancakes and the other 2 big ones—a classic example of age-related inability to classify objects with more than one attribute or according to the Piaget theory of “conservation.” From first hand experience, no amount of explaining and demonstrating to the child will make them understand that nobody got cheated when the play doh was doled out; their brains aren’t wired for that kind of discussion. Which leads me to the “make a volcano” activity I observed this week—not so much as an example of not understanding the conservation issue but just the children’s general inability to understand complex scientific facts. However, that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t talk about them. Even though children may not appear to understand certain concepts, they are storing away information that they can later use to puzzle together and make sense of as their brains become more developed.
The “volcano” was built outside in the gross motor area near the teeter-totter. Five children were told to build a huge mountain out of dampened sand. They carried water to the volcano location, dumped it on the sand and with hands and scoopers created a “mountain” that would be transformed into a volcano. To make it a “real” volcano a paper cup filled with baking soda was put on top. Vinegar was then poured in to create the foamy “lava” that flowed down to the village below. I’m sorry to say I missed the big event, but I did arrive to see the kids bringing dinosaurs to climb all over their prehistoric creation.
Hello Jim,
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading your blog. It made me feel like i was reading from the text. :)
The activity you observed sounded like the children enjoyed themselves. That was nice that staffing allow them to make a volcano in the sand they use everyday. Your idea on using a book to show images of a volcano and the teacher already having a table set up for the children to physically draw what they've seen are great reinforcers in developing the children's cognitive thinking on everything they've experience while engaged in volcano activities. I'll probably add another activity by asking the children to imitate a volcano, or lava. Targeting physical development in their gross motor skills by balancing, jumping, and bending.
Hello Jim,
ReplyDeleteThis activity sounds like it could've been so fun and to see the children's reactions would've been priceless. I'm sad for you that you didn't get to see it. I don't think that I've very seen a volcano make from sand.
Hi Jim! I really like your idea about the follow up. Children would love to see real pictures of volcanoes. I think they would also love seeing a real volcano erupt. You what would have been cool? If the vinegar was mixed with red or orange food coloring to make it look like lava. That would have been fun too!
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