Abstract:

Scientific thinking can be characterized in terms of two principal features: i) contents and ii) processes, including formulation of hypotheses, design of experiments, observation, and evaluation of evidence (Klahr et al., 2011). This of course is the basis of critical thinking.

Swartz (1987) argues that, to be successful, the process of learning has to take into account, not only the development of critical thinking, but also the development of other competencies. More recently it was stated that innovative methods contribute to develop interest and motivation to learn about science and scientific procedures, which is important in the learning process (Millar, 2009; SCORE, 2009).
In this work we would like to write about an educational intervention Junior Science Project (Costa, 2012) we are developing in a 1st grade class of eleven students at Horizonte College (OPorto, Portugal) aiming to work and develop key competencies, such as attention and concentration in order to prepare students for the scientific thinking requirements.

Junior Science starts to work initially mainly with games. Because of the strong co-operation with the primary teacher in a parallel stage small tasks are asked to be done in school context every day. These small tasks are discussed with the teacher.
The first task to be accomplished in a normal classroom routine was to write the date in a different colour she would announce very rapidly every day. On day one, 3 children asked the teacher to repeat the instruction, the same number of questions were posed on day two of the experience, on third day no more questions were posed.

It could be noticed and was surprisingly stressed by the teacher a rapid development of her students.
The teacher shared with the Junior Science Project field researcher her concern about the need her six years old students had for ten minutes every morning at the beginning of each class, to enter the room, put things in order and start to pay attention. - Could this time be reduced? She asked. Yes! It was a challenge. A game was imagined aiming this goal. After two sessions playing it, it was proposed to children on the end of a Junior Science Class to start to incorporate the purpose of the game at the beginning of each class by taking the less time they could entering the room, put things in order and start to pay attention. It was verified that during fifteen days (day one included) the time needed reduced 70%.

References:
[1] Costa F., Pratas, H., Estrada, R. (2012). Junior Science – Nurturing children’s natural interest in scientific knowledge. ARSA, Advanced Research in Scientific Areas, 1st Virtual International Conference, Slovakia.
[2] Klahr D., Zimmerman C., Jirout J. (2011). Educational Interventions to Advance Children’s Scientific Thinking, Science, vol 333, pp. 971-975, 2011.
[3] Millar, R. (2009). Analyzing practical activities to assess and improve effectiveness: The Practical Activity Analysis Inventory (PAAI). York: Centre for Innovation and Research in Science Education, University of York.
[4] Science Community Representing Education. (SCORE) (2009). Getting practical: a framework for practical science in schools. London: DCSF.
[5] Swartz R. J., (1987). Teaching for thinking: A development model for the infusion of thinking skills into mainstream instruction. In J. B. Baron and R. J. Sternberg (eds), Teaching thinking skills: Theory and practice. NY: W. H. Freeman and Company.

Keywords:

Development of critical thinking in Primary School, Teaching Science in Primary School, Science Didactics in Primary School.