At the Strelitz Early Childhood Center, four-year-old preschool students are learning about the scientific method of study, a process for theorizing how or why things work. Some of this winter’s below freezing temperatures set the perfect stage for an informative lesson about solids, liquids and gases.
Early one morning, students filled a vase with ice, learning that this is the solid form of water. When melted, students understood that it would be liquid. They hypothesized how long it would take to melt and how high the water would be in the vase. Four-yearold Henry Scolnick predicted that by the end of the day the ice would only melt half way; others predicted it would be completely melted.
Music was incorporated into the study as a fun way to help students better understand and retain the lesson. They learned a song by Tom Chapin called Wheel on the Water, which tells a story about the water cycle: rain comes down, flows into the rivers and seas and then evaporates into water vapor to form clouds. While singing, everyone took turns flipping over a rain stick to hear the soothing sounds of the rain.
Ultimately, Henry was right about how much ice would melt by the end of the day. After enjoying a few snow days, the students returned to find only water in the vase which led to the final steps of the science experiment – monitoring how long the water takes to evaporate and then recording the findings in journals. (At the time of publication, the water has not yet fully evaporated.)
At the Strelitz Early Childhood Center preschool, whether the lesson involves science experiments; learning to read through the Lindamood Phoneme Sequencing® (LiPS®) Program for reading, spelling, and speech; singing music, or learning a second language, children learn in a fun, warm, nurturing, and caring environment. To learn more or to schedule a private tour, contact Carin Simon, admissions director, at 757-424-4327 or email csimon@hebrewacademy.net.
The Strelitz Early Childhood Center is an educational partnership of the Hebrew Academy of Tidewater Konikoff Center of Learning and the Simon Family Jewish Community Center. The preschool is open to students of all faiths. It is a constituent agency of United Jewish Federation of Tidewater.
by Lorna Orleans, Strelitz Early Childhood Center preschool teacher