Until that happened, they were unlikely to engage the children in science, mathematics, and technology. These models have also been an influence on AAAS's Black Churches project. We have found that early childhood education and childcare programs are among those programs most frequently offered by the churches. We have found once again that it is a matter of enabling individuals to take hold of the science themselves. We engage them with the kinds of strategies that actually work with young children and then show them the science, mathematics, and technology that is present in the early childhood environments they have created.
Chances are, there is already a corner for blocks or perhaps a water table in the space.
By using these to construct towers, build a big block from several smaller blocks, pour water into containers of different sizes and shapes, or predict how far a ball or toy car will roll on different surfaces, children are able to interact with and learn about the natural world. Several years ago, I served as co-chair of the Carnegie Task Force on Learning in the Primary Grades. But in just a few years time, many would begin to lose ground. Unless we name those experiences, some children will simply not get them. One goal of the Forum on Early Childhood Science, Mathematics, and Technology Education was to name those experiences.