Τι είδους επιστημονικές δραστηριότητες και τι είδους εργαστήριο φυσικών επιστημών χρειάζονται τα παιδιά του δημοτικού σχολείου

Περίληψη

In reproducing and studying natural phenomena in the Primary school classroom, we should encourage pupil understanding of "how things work in nature", develop pupils' research skills and introduce them in the world of technology. Science activities fulfilling these educational purposes in Primary school, should he conceived as elementary research activities. They should not require specially equipped laboratories and well trained scientific personnel; a rational often transferred from High school and University education. On the contrary, teaching pupils how to design and carry-out simple scientific experiments should be effectively served by the exclusive use of everyday objects which can be easily modified into necessary equipment. Such "do it your self" laboratory equipment, apart from being familiar to the students, allows them to develop their problem solving skills, thus creating their own technology and their own ways of investigating natural phenomena around them. Adopting this view of science activities based on everyday experience, we may also overcome most practical and financial problems often used as an excuse for altogether neglecting science activities in Primary school. Several examples of school activities arc being offered assisting teachers in training their students to raise meaningful scientific questions from their everyday experience and gradually develop skills of scientific inquiry.