Running head: FINAL REFLECTION Gitchuway 1

Final Reflection

Brianna S. Gitchuway

ECED 304
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A. Project Synopsis - Describe your portfolio section and how it is organized.

The portfolio section shows my creativity side of how I am going to incorporate these

strategies of what I learned on my own. Throughout these weeks, I had to figure out what works,

and what doesn’t work. This helped me to realize that not every science or math experiment will

grab the attention of the child, but how I present it could help. With the experiments I conducted

myself, it helped me to gain the knowledge to better understand certain science experiments and

how I can make them safer or more fun for kids in and outside of the classroom setting. While

also conducting these science and math experiments, it taught me to add things such as sugar to

the water and soap solution to make the bubbles last longer when the children are playing with

them. With the conduction of the experiment, it’s not something I would have added without

doing it first to explore different options. There are sections that outline what I have done

throughout the eight weeks based on hands-on experiences, reflections, and discussion boards.

This has prepared me throughout this course in order to integrate inquiry-based science,

engineering, technology and mathematics into the lives of children.

B. Knowledge Connections - Describe how your portfolio project illustrates the

connections between what you have learned in this course and your work or field work.

I’ve always had a fascination with learning science and math experiments and before taking this

class, I was only mixing colors and calling that science. I knew that I had to expand my learning

and this course made that possible. I love how we conducted the science and math experience on

our own first in order to sort of teach ourselves the many possibilities children will want to

explore. Children have inquiring minds, and it helps when the teacher is able to conduct the

STEM experiment on their own in a safe environment. For example, during the experiment with
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ramps and pathways, one of the children mentioned that if they use the train tracks in the

classroom, it will build a higher ramp. This then created conversation back and forth from the

child to another child. Eventually they grabbed the books and made them as blockers from the

bad guys that were coming into the classroom. The imagination that these children used with just

train tracks, a marble and a book was fascinating! These children built an engineering activity on

their own with basic materials in the classroom. “Young children should experience science in a

form that engages them in the active construction of ideas and explanations and that enhances

their opportunities to develop the skills of doing science” (Charlesworth, 2016 p. 63).

C. Science and Math Learning - Specifically address what you learned about science and

mathematics (NAEYC Key Elements 5a and 5b).

I learned that science and math are used in everything we do! No matter what activity we do, it

either has to do with math, science, or engineering, but it’s how we teach it is how the child

learns. When conducting the experiments, I realized that I was using materials that were either

recycled, or just laying around not being used. I have taught the children to use what they have in

their environment because nothing can always be turned into something. I learned to adapt to the

children’s learning and what they can and can’t handle with some activities. “Even very young

children have developed definite patterns in how they learn. Observe a group of children

engaged in free play: Some prefer to work alone quietly; others do well in groups. Personal

learning style also extends to preference for visual or auditory learning” (Charlesworth, 2016 p.

65). Children are indeed little scientists in what they do on a daily basis and they should be

exploring that every day. I could definitely tell the difference between doing an experiment on

my own first and doing it with the children because when I was doing the experiment by myself,
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I learned a lot of things I could add in order to make it better. It was sort of like I was the test

dummy trying to figure out what I can add or do to make it better for the children to then explore

on their own. The Article Inquiry Is Play: Playful Participatory Research (Voices) states that

educators should engage by “talking with them about data collection, experimenting with fewer

rules, and documenting the process and the results” (NAEYC, 2019).

D. Knowledge Integration - Specifically address how you integrated math and science

concepts to design and implement meaningful curriculum for young children (Key

Element 5c).

Throughout the course, I have implemented strategies to help with the curriculum in order to

teach children about science, math, technology and engineering. I wanted children to be able to

explore on their own and come up with other possible solutions of what they can add, take away,

and absorb from these projects themselves. Integrating in order to expand their mind of the

knowledge that is being learned. Having the understanding that any sort of activity that is being

done, is a STEM lesson. It is important to "ask questions that stimulate children's inquiry and

investigation rather than suggest correct answers" (Hoisington, C., Chalufour, I., Winokur, J., &

Clark-Chiarelli, N. (2014). I was able to add items such as sugar, dinosaurs, magnifying glasses,

trees, branches, and more in order to implement a meaningful curriculum in the classroom. It is a

fun way for children to learn on a regular basis and it also gets their mind to wonder about what

else they can do to make it “better.” I was able to design several different curriculums for

children to explore at home and in school to promote inquiry based curriculum. The children

were also able to learn through open-ended learning and to promote the integration of multiple

subjects into one learning experience.

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References:

Baker, M., & Davila, G. S. (2018) Inquiry is play: Playful participatory research (voices).

NAEYC. Retrieved March 16, 2022, from

https://www.naeyc.org/resources/pubs/yc/nov2018/inquiry-is-play-playful-partici

patory-research

Charlesworth, R. (2016). Math and science for Young Children. Cengage Learning.

Hoisington, C., Chalufour, I., Winokur, J., & Clark-Chiarelli, N. (2014). Preschool:

Promoting Children’s Science Inquiry and Learning Through Water

Investigations. YC Young Children, 69(4), 72–79.

http://www.jstor.org/stable/ycyoungchildren.69.4.72