Abstract
The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of the Primrose® Balanced Learning® Curriculum on young children’s science performances. The sample of this study included 158 children attending two private preschools. The study utilized a single group pre-post-test design. The children were tested before and immediately after the implementation of the Primrose® Balanced Learning® Curriculum to assess their science performances. Children’s interest in learning science was assessed before the implementation of the curriculum. The results demonstrated that the observed change in children’s science scores from pre to post assessment was substantial, corresponding to about a medium effect size. Although both sexes made progress in their science performance, the girls made greater gains. Boys and girls did not differ in their interest in learning science, but prekindergartners regardless of their sex were more likely to demonstrate higher interest in learning science than their younger peers. The preliminary findings of this curriculum development effort suggest that the systematic instructional framework based on a balanced learning view has potential to promote young children’s learning of science.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bodrova, E. (2008). Make-believe play versus academic skills: a Vygostkian approach to today’s dilemma of early childhood education. European Early Childhood Education Research Journal,16(2), 357–369.
Bredekamp, S. (1987). Developmentally appropriate practice in early childhood programs serving children from birth through age 8. Washington, DC: NAEYC.
Bredekamp, S. (2006). Staying true to our principles. Journal Educating Young Children,12(2), 21–24.
Bustamante, A. S., & Greenfield, D. B. (2019). Measuring motivation orientation and school readiness in children served by Head Start. Measurement and Evaluation in Counseling and Development,52(2), 128–144. https://doi.org/10.1080/07481756.2018.1547617.
Early, D. M., Iruka, I. U., Ritchie, S., Barbarin, O. A., Winn, D. C., Crawford, G. M., et al. (2010). How do pre-kindergarteners spend their time? Gender, ethnicity and income as predictors of experiences in pre-kindergarten classrooms. Early Childhood Education Quarterly,25, 177–193.
Elkind, D. (1987). Miseducation: preschoolers at risk. Random House: New York.
French, L. (2004). Science as the center of a coherent, integrated early childhood curriculum. Early Childhood Research Quarterly,19(1), 138.
Gelman, R., & Brenneman, K. (2004). Science learning pathways for young children. Early Childhood Research Quarterly,19(1), 150–158.
Ginsburg, H. P., & Golbeck, S. L. (2004). Thoughts on the future of research on mathematics and science learning and education. Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 19(1), 190–200.
Greenes, C. Ginsburg, H. P., & Balfanz, R. (2004). Big math for little kids. Early Childhood Research Quarterly,19(1), 159–166.
Greenfield, D. B. (2015). Assessment in early childhood science education. In K. C. Trundle & M. Saçkes (Eds.), Research in early childhood science education (pp. 353–380). Netherlands: Springer.
Greenfield, D. B., Jirout, J., Dominguez, X., Greenberg, A., Maier, M., & Fuccilo, J. (2009). Science in the preschool classroom: A programmatic research agenda to improve science readiness. Early Education and Development,20(2), 238–264.
Hadzigeorgiou, Y. (2002). A study of the development of the concept of mechanical stability in preschool children. Research in Science Education,32(3), 373–391.
Hatch, J. A. (2002). Accountability shovedown: resisting the standards movement in early childhood education. Phi Delta Kappan,83(6), 457–462.
Hobson, S. M., Trundle, K. C., & Saçkes, M. (2010). Using a planetarium software program to promote conceptual change with young children. Journal of Science Education and Technology,19(2), 165–176.
Hyson, M. (2003). Putting early academics in their place. Educational Leadership,60(7), 20–23.
Kallery, M. (2011). Astronomical concepts and events awareness for young children. International Journal of Science Education,33(2), 341–369.
Kinzie, M. B., Whittaker, J. V., Williford, A. P., DeCoster, J., McGuire, P., Lee, Y., et al. (2014). MyTeachingPartner-Math/Science pre-kindergarten curricula and teacher supports: Associations with children’s mathematics and science learning. Early Childhood Research Quarterly,29(4), 586–599.
Mantzicopoulos, P., Patrick, H., & Samarapungavan, A. (2013). Science literacy in school and home contexts: Kindergarteners’ science achievement and motivation. Cognition and Instruction,31, 62–119.
Miller, H. L., Trundle, K. C., Smith, M. M., Saçkes, M., & Mollohan, K. N. (2013). Preschoolers’ ideas about day and night and objects in the sky before and after play-based science instruction. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the Association for Science Teacher Education International Conference, Charleston, 9–12 Jan 2013.
National Association for the Education of Young Children (2003). Early childhood curriculum, assessment and program evaluation. Washington, DC: NAEYC.
Nayfeld, I., Brenneman, K., & Gelman, R. (2011). Science in the classroom: Finding a balance between autonomous exploration and teacher-led instruction in preschool settings. Early Education and Development,22(6), 970–988.
NGSS Lead States. (2013). Next generation science standards: For states, by States. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press.
Opfer, J. E., & Siegler, R. S. (2004). Revisiting preschoolers’ living things concept: A microgenetic analysis of conceptual change in basic biology. Cognitive Psychology,49, 301–332.
Patrick, H., & Mantzicopoulos, P. (2015). Young children’s motivation for learning science. In K. C. Trundle & M. Saçkes (Eds.), Research in early childhood science education (pp. 7–34). Netherlands: Springer.
Patrick, H., Mantzicopoulos, P., & Samarapungavan, A. (2009). Motivation for learning science in kindergarten: Is there a gender gap and does integrated inquiry and literacy instruction make a difference. Journal of Research in Science Teaching,46(2), 166–191.
Patrick, H., Mantzicopoulos, P., Samarapungavan, A., & French, B. F. (2008). Patterns of young children’s motivation for science and teacher-child relationship. The Journal of Experimental Education,76(2), 121–144.
R Development Core Team (2012). R: a language and environment for statistical computing. Vienna, Austria: Author
Saçkes, M. (2014). Parents who want their PreK children to have science learning experiences are outliers. Early Childhood Research Quarterly,29(2), 132–143.
Saçkes, M., Trundle, K. C., Bell, R. L., & O’Connell, A. A. (2011). The influence of early science experience in kindergarten on children’s immediate and later science achievement: Evidence from the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study. Journal of Research in Science Teaching,48(2), 217–235.
Samarapungavan, A., Patrick, H., & Mantzicopoulos, P. (2011). What kindergarten students learn in inquiry-based science classrooms. Cognition and Instruction,29, 416–470.
Spodek, B., & Saracho, O. N. (2003). “On the shoulders of giants”: exploring the traditions of early childhood education. Early Childhood Education Journal,31(1), 3–10.
Trundle, K. C., & Saçkes, M. (2012). Science and early education. In R. C. Pianta (Ed.), Early childhood education (pp. 240–258). New York: Guilford Press.
Trundle, K. C., & Smith, M. M. (2017). A hearts-on, hands-on, minds-on model for preschool science learning. Young Children,72(1), 80–86.
Tu, T. (2006). Preschool science environment: What is available in a preschool classroom? Early Childhood Education Journal,33(4), 245–251.
Valanides, N., Gritsi, F., Kampeza, M., & Ravanis, K. (2000). Changing pre-school children’s conceptions of the day/night cycle. International Journal of Early Years Education,8(1), 27–39.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Publisher's Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Saçkes, M., Trundle, K.C. & Shaheen, M. The Effect of Balanced Learning® Curriculum on Young Children’s Learning of Science. Early Childhood Educ J 48, 305–312 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-019-00985-x
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-019-00985-x