Abstract:

The Junior Science Research Project [1-3] is a didactic strategy that aims to slowly introduce children, starting with the 1st grade, into the scientific methodology, taking into account science as a practice that includes a structured body of concepts which can explain and predict observable phenomena, a way of thinking and a body of skills. Recent investigation shows the necessity to develop scientific skills on children in the early stages of development aiming at a gradual involvement with experimental sciences [4-7].

Since early 2013 the Junior Science Project is being implemented in different private schools in Oporto, in mixed classrooms, in a female classroom and since 2014 it is being implemented Ii a males classroom of Colégio Cedros in Oporto. This means that the project has the opportunity to experience the 3 ways of organizing children by gender. The team wants, in this work, to share some of the practice in this gender and science education question [8, 9]. We know by experience that in each case we had to adapt to our different publics the Junior Science particular methodology.

For instance, the program, designed to be implemented in 3 phases which can be accomplished in 4 years, includes introducing children into the issue " Comprehension of Mechanisms" using Junior Science methodology. In a class composed only by boys aged 5-6 years old this issue had to be introduced sooner than expected to correspond to the class necessities while having the project’s clear goal: the development In early stages of the attention and concentration skills.

References:
[1] Costa, F., Pratas, H. & Paramés. A. (2014) Junior Science Project— Developing Attention and Concentration Skills to Nurture a Sustainable Learning of Natural Sciences. US-China Education Review US-China Education Review A, ISSN 2161-623X Feb. 2014, Vol. 4, No. 2, pp.125-128.
[2] Costa, F., Pratas, H. & Paramés, A. (2014) Junior Science - Nurturing Children’s Interest in Scientific Knowledge in New Perspectives in Science Education International Conference Proceedings, Florence.
[3] Costa, F., Pratas, H. & Paramés. A. (2014) Junior Science – Teaching Science in Primary School. INTED2014, 8th International Technology, Education and Development Conference Proceedings IATED ISSN: 2340-1079, ISBN: 978-84-616-8412-0, pp. 4886-4889.
[4] Harlen, W. (2011). Why is learning science important in primary schools? In - W. Harlen (Ed.), ASE Guide to Primary Science Education (pp. 2-9). Hatfield: Assoc. for Science Education.
[5] Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development. (OECD) (2009). PISA 2009. Assessment Framework - Key competencies in reading, mathematics and science. Paris: Author in http://www.oecd.org/dataoecd/11/40/44455820.pdf.
[6] Osborne, J. & Dillon, J. (2008). Science Education in Europe: Critical Reflections. London: The Nuffield Foundation.
[7] Davies D., Jindal-Snape D., Collier C. et al. (2013). Creative learning environments in education: A systematic literature review. Thinking Skills and Creativity, vol. 8, pp 80-91.
[8] Osborne J., (2003) Attitudes towards science: a review of the literature and its implications. Int. J. Sci. Educ., Vol. 25, nº. 9, pp. 1049–1079.
[9] Jensen, E. (2005). Teaching with the Brain in Mind. Alexandria, Va.: Association for supervision and curriculum development, 2nd ed.

Keywords:

Science education in primary classrooms, attention and concentration development, differentiated education.