Applying Gardening Projects to Improve Scientific Knowledge and Collaboration in Early Childhood Education

Abstract

The goal of this study is to investigate children's involvement in gardening project to improve their scientific knowledge and collaboration amongst their peers and adults in the preschool. The method of this research is a case study with inquiry-based approach using 5E (engagement, exploration, explanation, elaboration and evaluation) where gardening as the main activity. Children were observed and documented to collect data during four meetings of the study. Meanwhile, the study site is a childcare in Gorontalo with the total children involved are eighteen. The results show that gardening activities provide children with real-life experience and boost the knowledge of plants. Also, they are capable to lead their own learning which is driven by their curiosities, open-ended questions and the opportunities to experiment and collaborate in this science project. Teacher also has indispensable role not only to achieve the curriculum standards but importantly, facilitating children's learning through exploration in order to provide meaningful and factual experiences during their childhood period.

Development of teaching materials with agricultural insight to introduce of agriculture in primary school students

“…Apart from introducing children to agricultural activities, this learning can also influence children's cognitive and naturalistic abilities. Implementing learning with gardening activities can improve children's science process skills well [24]- [26].…”