Identifying prior knowledge in science

Christine Howitt

Warm crayonsWhat knowledge did Crayon Boy bring to the taskHow did he obtain that knowledge? What does this example tell you about children’s thinking?

Children’s thinking is ...DynamicRich and complexCreativeImaginativeMeanders

ContextualExplanatorySharedDeliberateReflective

The nature of children’s prior knowledge

All children have vast amounts of knowledge based on their experiences with the worldThey are NOT an empty cup or sponge waiting to be filled with your knowledgeChildren’s ideas are usually strongly held

These ideas are sensible and coherent views from the child’s point of viewThere are many commonly held ideasMany of these ideas are at odds with current scientific views

The starting pointChildren’s prior knowledge should be the starting point for all science topicsUse the first lesson to find out what the child already knows (or does not know)From here, adjust planning accordingly

Methods of determining prior knowledge

Each table has a different activity to determine children’s knowledge in relation to scienceFollow the instructions inside the foldersIf you finish early swap with a different table

Different methodsDrawingClassifyingConcept cartoonsWhole-parts relationshipsCompare and contrast

What do all of these methods have in

common?Engaging the childWorking in groupsEncouraging discourse (talk) between childrenListening to other’s ideas Building on social constructivism

Other methods of determining prior

knowledgeGroup discussionBrainstormingConcept maps (class, group of individual)Children’s talk (between children only)

QuestioningTWLHThink, pair, shareWriting answers to questionsTest

Remember!The most important single factor in teaching science is what the learner already knows

Determine this … … and teach accordingly!