Many years ago, Biologist Rachel Carson offered this advice in her book Silent Spring: "If a child is to keep alive his or her inborn sense of wonder...," he or she needs the companionship of at least one adult who can share it, "rediscovering with that child the joy, excitement, and mystery of the world we live in." The "A Head Start on Science" project at California State University, Long Beach, has adopted Carson's "sense of wonder" for children, while simultaneously rekindling that same spirit in the adults who are their parents and teachers.

"A Head Start on Science" hopes to increase Head Start staff members' ability to create settings that encourage children to discover and explore the world around them. The overall goal is to link colleges and universities with Head Start programs to facilitate and encourage a lifelong interest in science. "A Head Start on Science" training and materials are appropriate for Head Start teachers, assistants, home visitors, children and their families.

Children gain a "sense of wonder" by examining and exploring the world around them. "A Head Start on Science" does not spoon-feed scientific information to children. Rather, children are encouraged to expand their perceptions of the world by learning ways to observe day-to-day phenomena, such as how to compare the smells of various foods, how to classify leaves collected on a walk, and how to communicate what they have observed and learned.

"A Head Start on Science" takes the view that children learn science by going through the same type of processes as a scientist. No longer will a child observing a snail see only a slow-moving object in the grass. Instead, the child will notice the sticky trail the snail leaves, compare the snail to other slow-moving objects, observe what the snail eats, and begin to ask questions and comment on the snail's environment. Observing, communicating, comparing, and organizing or classifying are all developmentally appropriate processes for children at a very young age.

An adult training and science curriculum is being developed for "A Head Start on Science," including a teaching guide and a manual for those planning to carry out similar science training activities. Overall guidance for the program is provided by an advisory board comprised of experts from Head Start, science education, and early childhood education. There has also been an intensive follow-up program involving on-site visitations and continual interaction to assess the effectiveness of "A Head Start on Science" in encouraging that vital sense of wonder in the staff, children, and families involved.

Jean Simpson is an Education Specialist in The Head Start Bureau's Education Branch, T: 202-205-8421, E: jsimpson@acf.dhhs.gov.

For more information, contact Dr. William C. Ritz, Chair, Department of Science Education at California State University, Long Beach T: 562-985-4801; F 562-985-7164; E: sci4kids@csulb.edu; or visit the department's web site at http://www.csulb.edu/~sci4kids/.

Grants Available from Honda

The American Honda Foundation invites Head Start programs to submit applications for grant awards ranging from $10,000 to $50,000. Honda is especially interested in the following areas: science, math, environment, and technology. Applications are accepted quarterly, on the first of February, May, August, and November. To receive an application, send a self-addressed label to The American Honda Foundation, P.O. Box 2205, Torrance, CA 90509-2205.

See also:
     Head Start Bulletin #67