Introduction
As a parent, you are preparing your child for a world vastly different from
Quality education is a cornerstone of America’s
future and my administration, and the knowledge-based
workplace of the 21st century requires that our students
excel at the highest levels in math and science.
—President George W. Bush
1. Please note: In this booklet, we refer to a child as “she” in some places and “he” in others. We do this to make the booklet easier to read.
Please understand, however, that every point that we make is the same for boys and girls.
iv Helping Your Child Learn Science
the one in which you grew up. Our increasingly technological society will
need citizens who have received far more advanced instruction in science
and technology than most of us received when we were in school. Even
children who don’t want to become physicists, chemists, engineers or
computer technicians will need some knowledge of science and technology
just to conduct their everyday lives. Every citizen needs to be scientifically
literate in order to make informed decisions about health, safety and
citizenship. Our children need our help and guidance to prepare for the
world that awaits them.
Scientific knowledge is cumulative: To learn new things, you must build
on what you already know. So, it’s important that your child start learning
early—and at home. A good way for you to begin the learning process is
by sharing your own interest in science. How you view and talk about
science can influence your child’s attitudes toward science—and how she1
approaches learning science. It’s easy to undermine a child’s interest and
attitudes by saying things such as, “I was lousy in science, and I’ve done
OK,” or “I always hated science when I was in school. It’s boring.” Although
you can’t make your child like science, you can encourage her to do so,
and you can help her to appreciate its value both in her everyday life and
in preparing for her future.
In everyday interactions with your child, you can do many things—and do
them without lecturing or applying pressure—to help her learn science.
Here are a few ideas:
★ See how long it takes for a dandelion or a rose to burst into full bloom.
★ Watch the moon as it appears to change shape over the course of a
month and record the changes.
★ Look for constellations in the night sky.
★ Bake a cake.
Helping Your Child Learn Science 1