Sciences

Science is for everyone!

Parents, families, and home guardians play a critical role in science learning at home. Since no two families are alike, families can support their children in a variety of ways. You do not need to be an expert.

Remember!

• Student, family, and community physical and emotional well-being are most important! Take care of your family’s emotional and health needs during this time. Do not neglect your own needs, and reach out to available community networks and resources.

• Home-based learning is unique and should not try to recreate school. Trying to support school-like learning in a home setting may frustrate teachers, students, and families without leading to real and lasting learning. Instead, work with your child to have meaningful science learning experiences that connect to your home lives, interests, and identities. Some everyday activities that can promote meaningful science learning could include cooking, baking, cleaning, reading together, building, painting and drawing, and taking a walk outside.

• Use technology in smart ways. Meaningful science learning can happen with or without devices or access to the internet. People learn best when they can figure things out together. Have a conversation about what you see, questions you have, and possible answers to those questions. If you do have access to the internet, use it with your student to look up information to support your conversation. You can figure out things together!

What You Can Do to Encourage Science Learning

• Be curious together. As scientists, we observe the world around us and ask questions. Encourage your child to notice things and ask questions. You can share your own observations and questions, for example:

  • I notice _______. What do you notice?

  • I wonder _______. What do you wonder?

  • Why do you think that’s happening?

  • What can you teach me about this?”

Let your student share their ideas and questions. Remember, you don’t need to know the answer. You can help them talk about what they understand, describe their thinking, ask more questions, and figure out how to answer some of the questions. You and your child might learn something new together.

• Encourage explanations. As scientists, we explain our thinking. As you work with your children to investigate science questions, you can help them think more deeply by asking questions such as:

  • Can you say more about that?

  • What do you mean by that?

  • Can you give an example?

  • Why do you think that?

  • What is your evidence?

  • Does it always work that way?

• Focus on science in everyday life. Science is all around us! Many activities you regularly do can support meaningful science learning. For example, washing hands may lead you and your child to ask, “How does soap work?” Or listening to sounds around you may lead to the question, “How do we hear sounds?” Together, talk about your and your child’s ideas. You can use the questions in the above section to encourage deeper thinking and help your child explain their ideas. This often leads to more questions and possible investigations. (For example, talking about how soap works could lead to the questions, “Does one type of soap work better than another? How could we test this?”) If you have access to the internet, you can also search for more information. Additionally, a search for “science of _________” (e.g., construction, cooking, gardening, washing) can give ideas for thinking like a scientist about many everyday activities.

• Connect science to your work or that of your family. As scientists, we communicate with others. Think out loud or describe what you are doing as you do it, whether it is cooking, fixing something, taking care of pets, or other housework. With your child, talk about how you find the answers to your questions in your workplace (or home). How do you communicate your ideas with your coworkers (or other family members)? What problems or challenges might you face? How do you go about solving those problems and challenges?

Adapted from How can families support student science learning at home? Version 1.1., developed by members of the Council of State Science Supervisors. View Creative Commons Attribution at https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/