Jurnal Empowerment Volume 7 Nomor 2, September 2018 e-ISSN : 2580-7692 p-ISSN : 2252-4738 98 SCIENCE LEARNING IN EARLY CHILDHOOD Dwiyani MarsetyaningrumPP-PAUD dan Dikmas, West Javadee_marstya@yahoo.co.id ABSTRACTScience trains children experimenting with carrying out multiple experiments,enriching children's insights to always want to try and try. So that science canlead and encourage children to be a creative and full of initiative and can build aknowledge that later can be used in adulthood. Science familiarizes childrenfollowing the experimental stages and should not hide a failure. That is, sciencecan train positive mental, logical thinking, and order (systematic). In addition, itcan also train children to be careful, because children must observe, makepredictions, and make decisions. The introduction of early science should betailored to the child's developmental level and characteristics, the educator doesnot stuff the child with the concept but facilitates the child to discover facts andconcepts in a simple experiment. Like scientists, children need skills on how touse observing, classifying, measuring, predicting, experimenting andcommunicating skills. Basically, activities in the concept of science can belearned through simple and simple daily experiences. Fun and excitingatmosphere will motivate the child to continuously seek answers to what thechild thinks and prove because in essence the child is born with somethingmiraculous to bring curiosity or find out about what he saw, heard and felt inthe neighborhood. Keywords: Learning, Science, Early Childhood INTRODUCTIONChildren are natural scientists because through the senses of the child can observe thesurrounding natural phenomena. Early childhood learning by involving the child'senvironment, can enrich the child's experience. Children will learn to experiment,explore and investigate the surrounding environment. To encourage this much can bedone by educators, parents and other adults in facilitating children to grow into creativeand innovative scientists. Introduce science to children does not mean introducingformulas. The atmosphere must be fun, so the child in a cheerful state will ask why isthat? What happened next? Etc. Keep in mind, introducing science to children must be inaccordance with the stages of age and development. Most of the time the earlychildhood is spent with parents. So what a parent or teacher needs to do is spend a littletime playing with the child. In that playing situation, we can do science experiments.Irawati (Nuraini 2010: 35)1 argues that "play is the need of all children, especially forchildren stretched ages 3-6 years, a play is an activity that children do with or withoutusing tools that generate understanding and provide information, give pleasure anddevelop the imagination of children spontaneously and without burden ". At the time ofplay, activities take place almost all aspects of child development can be stimulated andwell developed including the development of creativity. Jurnal Empowerment Volume 7 Nomor 2, September 2018 e-ISSN : 2580-7692 p-ISSN : 2252-4738 99 Many benefits can be obtained if the child from an early age has been introduced toscience. Science trains children experimenting with carrying out multiple experiments,enriching children's insights to always want to try and try. So that science can lead andencourage children to be a creative and full of initiative and can build a knowledge thatlater can be used in adulthood. Science familiarizes children following the experimentalstages and should not hide a failure. That is, science can train positive mental, logicalthinking, and order (systematic). In addition, it can also train children to be careful,because children must observe, make predictions, and make decisions.The problem is the level of ability of teachers or parents who are still very limited aboutthe concept of science and the method or approach used. In addition, there is also theassumption that science learning is difficult to apply to children of early age. The impactis that children are not explored the potential of basic science skills that can be utilizedin the future. DISCUSSION A. Understanding of LearningAccording to Dimyati and Mudjiono (1999), Learning is a programmable teacheractivity in instructional design, to make students learn actively, emphasizing theprovision of learning resources.2 While Surya (2002: 11) defines the learning model asfollows: "Learning is a process by individuals to gain a whole new behavioral change, asa result of the individual's own experience in interacting with his environment ". Ateacher's understanding of the meaning of learning will affect the way the teacherteaches. Various definitions put forward by experts, in general learning is defined as aprocess of change that changes in behavior as a result of interaction between himselfand his environment in meeting the needs of his life.3Early childhood learning in recent years, especially those held in PAUD institutions tendto be formalized, with teacher orientation, as well as an emphasis on literacy, writing,arithmetic, formal assignment or formal homework. These learning practices are notonly due to parents' demands for more academic but because of the many new researchthat shows that early childhood is ready for formal academic learning. Many of theeducational practices that provide less freedom of space for children in developing theirpersonality. They do a lot of boring learning activities, with many sitting on the bench,listening, recording, memorizing and following the wishes of the teacher. Theseconditions will endanger the development of early childhood does not even close thepossibility of many who experience stress or mental stress because what theyexperience is not in accordance with the stage of its development. Therefore, in theprocess of early childhood education and learning it is necessary to be developmentallyAppropriate Practice (DAP) (Mulyasa, 2012, p.146) .4 B. Understanding of ScienceIn terms of language, science or science (in English), derived from the Latin word ofScientia that means knowledge. But scholars regard the precise etymological constraintof science from German, it refers to the word Wissenschaft, which has a systematicallyorganized or organized understanding of knowledge. According to Eshach & Fried (inTrundle, 2005: 1), early childhood science is crucial in developing some aspects of child Jurnal Empowerment Volume 7 Nomor 2, September 2018 e-ISSN : 2580-7692 p-ISSN : 2252-4738 100 development, the researchers suggest that science should begin early in the educationphase. Teaching science in early childhood aims to have children tend to enjoyobservation activities and think about nature. Children are motivated in exploring theworld or the environment around the child. Science learning experiences for childrenwill help children understand their world, gather and organize information, apply andtest ideas and develop positive attitudes toward science.5Broadly speaking, science is the study of natural phenomena which includes livingcreatures (Life Science) which consists of biology, zoology and botany, a living creature(Physical Science) consisting of physics, chemistry, geology and astronomy, and theenvironment ( Environment Science) which consists of atmospheric science, ecology,environmental chemistry, and geoscience. Environmental science also studies naturalphenomena as well as how to instill awareness and concern for nature/environment.Science is acquired and developed by scientists (scientists) through a method called thescientific method. This method is used to conduct a series of researchers in seekinganswers to the "what, why and how" questions of natural phenomena that include lifescience and physical science and realize it in the form of technology and how it isapplied in everyday life. C. Benefits of Early Childhood Science Games1. In general, the benefits of science for early childhood include:a) Facilitating the growth and development of children optimallyb) Giving knowledge about nature and how to behave towards naturec) Inculcating a scientific life attitude such as objective attitude, unhurried in takingconclusions, open, distinguishing between facts and opinions, being cautious andhaving a curiosity to investigated) Instilling a sense of love for the natural surroundings so as to realize thegreatness of God Almightye) Enhance creativity and innovation2. The benefits of science are seen from its basic substance No The dimensions of science Developable Goals Personal Form 1. Science as aProduct - Mastery of facts, concepts,principles, and theories(collection of knowledge) - Mastery of everything foundin the field of science - Ability to explain everythinghe knows adequately - Ability to explain how tomaster the science products - Mastery of science as aproduct in a comprehensiveand intact - Have basic skills forthe needs of life - Have skills inacquiring, developingand applying theconcept of science inhis life 2. Science as a - Mastery of skills required in - Have a scientific Jurnal Empowerment Volume 7 Nomor 2, September 2018 e-ISSN : 2580-7692 p-ISSN : 2252-4738 101 Process digging and discoveringscience - Mastering the workingprocedures of exposingnature/environment byfollowing the scientificprocess - Mastering the ways in solvingproblems related to science - Have skills: observe, classify,measure, describe, explain,ask questions, formulateproblems, predict probability,design experiment, collectdata, analyze data, drawconclusions attitude and use hisapproach to solvingthe problems of lifehe faced - Having an awarenessof the regularity ofnature and all thebeauty around it sothat it arises to loveand nurture it 3. Science asAttitude - Forming a personal scientist- Growing attitudes: honest,critical, creative, positive tofailure, humble, not easilydiscouraged, openness tocriticism and testing,respecting and receivingfeedback, guided by facts anddata, maintaining highcuriosity - Have a moremeaningful level ofcreativity andinnovation - Growing andgrowing interest infurther study in thefield of science inparticular and otherfields in general. Table 1. Schematic dimensions, objectives, and targets of science learning developmentin early childhood D. The Process of Scientific Discovery In Early ChildhoodCollective discovery between educators and children at school or between children andparents at home can be done, among others, by observing something or listening toquestions and opinions of children. Find out about what makes a child interested andmake plans to realize the attraction. Talk about findings that interest children, such aschanges in shape, weather etc. Things to consider in exploring together include:1. We do not need to know all the answers. Sometimes the child wants to knoweverything and a barrage of questions makes us run out of answers. Instead oftrying to answer all the questions, it's better to say "let's find the answerstogether." Guiding the children to the library or asking neighbors, merchants,doctor nurses and others. Show the children how to get as much information aspossible to know everything.2. Help the child to be a good observer. Observing is not merely seeing because ofthe process of observing using all the senses that we have. This means that weperform activities simultaneously to find out what is happening in our enclosure.Tell the child "see ....., listen .... feel ..... touch and smell the smells around us."Encourage children to be aware of weather, season, pet and self-changesthemselves. Jurnal Empowerment Volume 7 Nomor 2, September 2018 e-ISSN : 2580-7692 p-ISSN : 2252-4738 102 3. Encourage the child to experiment together. Children sometimes ask "whathappens if ...?" We have to answer "that's a good question, let's try to find outtogether." Encourage the child to guess what will happen and let the childexperiment as much as possible. For example in ice melting experiment. Aneducator is playing ice cubes with a 5-year-old child. The child will hold the icecubes in warm water and observe the ice will melt. Children will also see whendirectly under the hot sun, ice cubes will melt faster. From that experience thechild has learned a process of thinking, having reason and experience can beused to solve the problem. When children hold ice cubes in hand, educators canask, "Well, look .... hands, warm water, and the sun can make ice melt. How canthat be? "With such questions, educators are inviting children's explorationsbeyond the facts. That is, educators are inviting children to think and solveproblems. The child needs to combine the facts together and know the cause andeffect answers. Teaching children about facts is different from teaching childrenhow to use facts to think, reason and solve problems.4. Listen to children's ideas and opinions. When a child describes somethinghappening, it shows that he is thinking. Remember that at that age the correctanswer is not important. But the most important is the process when the childcreates ideas, guesses and draws conclusions based on his thoughts.5. Help the child grow by loving science. Share ideas and knowledge, games,knowledge, and learn together. For example, show the various dwellings of livingthings in this world, so that children can see humans and other living things havetheir place in the world. E. Early Childhood Science Learning SignsThe introduction of early science should be tailored to the child's developmental leveland characteristics, the educator does not stuff the child with the concept but facilitatesthe child to discover facts and concepts in a simple experiment. Here are early learningsigns of early childhood science: 1. Be concrete.The objects used to play in learning activities are concrete (real) objects. Educatorsshould provide the various objects and other facilities necessary for the child todiscover the concept itself. 2. The cause and effect relationship is seen directly.Children aged 5-6 years still have difficulty connecting causes that are not directlyvisible because of their transductive thoughts. The child can not connect the causethat is not directly visible. If the child sees the event directly, make the child able toknow the cause and effect relationship that occurred. Science is rich in activities thattrain children to link cause and effect. 3. Allow children to explore.Science activities should allow children to explore the various objects that existaround. Educators can present interesting objects and phenomena into learning. Forexample, doing a simple experiment, let the child try, do the experiment himself, tryother alternatives and think creatively. The child will also be able to use almost all ofhis senses to explore or investigate. 4. Allow children to construct their own knowledge.Science does not train children to remember objects, but train children to constructknowledge based on that object. Therefore, the introduction of science activities is Jurnal Empowerment Volume 7 Nomor 2, September 2018 e-ISSN : 2580-7692 p-ISSN : 2252-4738 103 not enough to tell the definition or the names of the objects but allows the child tointeract directly with the object and gain knowledge with the various senses of theobject. It is therefore not appropriate to introduce children to various objectsthrough pictures or models. The child needs the real object. 5. Allows the child to answer the "what" issue rather than the "why".Children's limitations link causality to make it difficult for the child to answer thequestion "why". The question must be answered with the logic of causal thinking. Ifthe child plays with water in the pipe then the child is asked: "what will happen ifthe tip of the pipe is raised?". The child can reply, "water will flow through the otherlower end." No need to be asked: "why if this tip is raised, water will multiply to thelower end"? It can not be answered by the child. Often the child translates thequestion 'why' with 'for what', so the question of why will be answered "in order" or"lest". 6. More emphasis on the process than the product.Doing exploration activities with objects will be very fun for children. Children donot think what the results. Therefore educators do not need to stuff the child withvarious science concepts or require the child to produce something from the child'sactivities. Let the child naturally find the various notions of his interaction playingwith various objects. In other words, the process is more important than theproduct. 7. Allows children to use language and mathIntroduction to science should be integrated with other disciplines, such aslanguage, mathematics, art and/or character. Through children's science exploresobjects. The child can tell the result of his exploration to his friend (language). Thechild takes measurements, uses numbers, and reads numbers (math). The child canalso describe the object observed and color the picture (art). Children are alsotaught to love the environment or objects around it (minds). 8. Presenting interesting activities (the wonder of science)Science presents various interesting experiments like magic. Children who still havea magical mind (magical reasoning) will be very interested in the miracle. F. The Role of Adults in Early-Childhood Science LearningImportant roles parents or educators can play in developing science in early childhoodinclude:1. Create a learning strategy that is appropriate to the situation and conditions bypaying attention to what the child likes or desires when the science activitiestake place2. Motivating children to enjoy and explore science, by asking many questionsabout what the child is doing, always encouraging children to explore and asoften as possible performing simple experiments3. Being a resource for children, but it does not mean to know all the answers, butmust give more understanding and always stimulate by asking about what theythink.4. Allow children to always explore, discover and learn something based on whatthe child wants to know. G. Skills in Science LearningLike scientists, children need skills on how to use observing, classifying, measuring, Jurnal Empowerment Volume 7 Nomor 2, September 2018 e-ISSN : 2580-7692 p-ISSN : 2252-4738 104 predicting, experimenting and communicating skills.1. ObservationObservation is the key to all science activities. Focus on observation by getting thechild to identify the specific object, ask what they see, hear, smell, try and feel. Nexthelp the child see various shapes or characteristics of the observed object, such assize, shape, texture, color and so on. One of the hallmarks of a scientist is always tosee and observe.2. ClassificationClassification is a very important ability to understand and understand the contentsof the world both plants and technology. Children classify in an easy way, likesearching for similarities and differences. Most children can match the same shapeof an object or image, even they can learn the same simple but not identical objects.An example is with the same object or color. As children begin to think, they begin tounderstand that each object has more than one category3. MeasureMeasuring skills can be obtained by children while exploring. Give the child a chanceto conduct a measuring activity such as identifying which is larger and smaller,longer and shorter, higher and lower to more difficult levels such as the distancebetween one tree and another.4. EstimatesEstimates are the ability to predict objects based on experiences experienced bychildren, starting from simple activities such as "What happens if I touch a bubble?"Or make guesses like "What happens when a balloon is blown continuously?"Furthermore, at the level of progress higher, the child will be able to sort throughdifferent objects, such as which one is more easily burned between paper or metal.5. ExperimentsExperiments were conducted through various experiments with other teachers oradults. Experiments can be done with tools such as mixing color activities, andwithout special tools, such as the activity of touching the hands to cold objects likeice.6. CommunicationCommunication is the ability to use words to describe, explain or summarize theresults of discussions about science activities that have been done. Introduce avariety of science vocabulary that is appropriate to express their experience. Forthat cause the child to always remember or record about what is observed ordemonstrate in front of his friends and hold exhibitions of children's work. H. Some Simple Trial Material and Examples1. MotionChildren love to play with moving objects, the activity of rolling objects either on flator oblique surfaces can awaken any child that affects the speed of moving objectssuch as the slope of the base, the shape of the object, the coarse-fine, the small size,the light weight. This material also trains the child to make observations.2. Liquid objectsPlaying with water is a very popular thing for children, children are invited to knowthe nature of water as water can adjust the shape of the place, flowing from high tolow. Activities to convert volumes can be done by early childhood such as movingwater from large places too small places or floating, dissolving and insoluble Jurnal Empowerment Volume 7 Nomor 2, September 2018 e-ISSN : 2580-7692 p-ISSN : 2252-4738 105 drowning experiments, and introducing other liquid items other than water such asoil, honey, oil.3. Plants and AnimalsSometimes children assume that the plants of inanimate objects, we can introduce tothe child that plants are living things by introducing its characteristics. Introducehow plants and animals grow, interact with plants and animals. Introducing plantsand animals in early childhood teaches children to appreciate sentient beings,learning that living things require eating, drinking, and shelter, which in turn willfoster a sense of affection for sentient beings.4. AirThe concept of air is abstract for the early childhood but we can recognize thataround us there is air, air occupies space, air presses in all directions through simplegames. SCIENCE GAMES FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD PLANT GROWTH 1. Age : 5-6 Years 2. Materials and Tools :a) A number of seeds or nuts that grow rapidly. Eg green beans or peanutsb) One glass for each childc) Cotton or planting medium to tasted) Water sufficiently, to wet the planting mediume) The ruler size is 30 cmf) Recording device 3. Experimental Steps :a) Demonstrate to the child how to do the seeding or planting the beans slowly,so that children can catch the sequence and how wellb) Check all children's readiness to follow the activity. If all children are ready,then give them a chance to experiment and do it. Activities can be doneindividually or in groups. If the group should not be too large group, just 3 to 4people onlyc) If the child has not been able to write, help the child by recording the identityof the seed and related things, for example: the name of the seed of the beans,the date and time of the seedling, seed size: large, round, and so on. And labelor group the name of each pot or medium, by sticking or hanging on the edgeof the potd) Remind that the child/group, should record progress according to theagreement of educator and child. Do it on an ongoing basis.e) After the observation, the child is asked to tell the growth of the plant fromthe seeds! 4. Questions : How do roots and buds grow from a seed? Children recognize how something grows and seeds grow into edible plants. Children learn that seeds need water and light to grow. Jurnal Empowerment Volume 7 Nomor 2, September 2018 e-ISSN : 2580-7692 p-ISSN : 2252-4738 106 FLOATING OR DROWNING ME? 1. Age : 4-6 Years 2. Materials and Tools : Oranges of various sizes, basins or buckets 3. Experimental Steps :a) Provide a basin or bucket filled with water ¾ bucket.b) Ask the child to enter oranges of various sizes one by one that still has skinc) Let stand for 2-3 minutes, observe what happens.d) Then enter the oranges that have been peeled until clean into the water.e) Observe what happens. 4. Questionsa) What happens when oranges of unpowered sizes are put in water? Why doesit happen?b) What happens when oranges of various sizes have been peeled into thewater? Why does it happen?c) What happens besides peeling off how about when given with salt, with whatelse can the oranges float? LIFT UP WITH A BALLOON 1. Age : 3-6 Years 2. Materials and Tools : glass of glass, plastic cup, balloon 3. Experimental steps :a) Put the balloon into the glass and the mouth of the balloon is on topb) Blow the balloon in a glassc) The balloon will enlarge inside the glass and can lift the glassd) Do also for plastic cups 4. Questionsa) What happened? Why did it happen?b) Why can balloons easily lift glasses? Why does it happen? FLOWERS OF DIFFERENT COLORS 1. Age : 4-6 Years 2. Materials and Tools : 3 glass bottles or used mineral water bottles, water, foodcoloring (3 colors), scissors, 3 fresh white flower stalks 3. Experimental steps : The game of orange and the floating law floats the sinking of Archimedes (explaining that his unpeeled orange will float, but when his skin is peeled will drown) because the orange peel contains a lot of air. The balloon when blown has a thrust and presses the inner glass wall so that the glass can be lifted Jurnal Empowerment Volume 7 Nomor 2, September 2018 e-ISSN : 2580-7692 p-ISSN : 2252-4738 107 a) Fill three glass bottles with water approximately ¾ bottles and add a fewdrops of different food coloring to each bottleb) Take three fresh white flower stalksc) Cut the stalks of each flower and place them in the bottled) Leave the flowersin the bottle for 10-12 hoursd) Each interest will change its color according to the color of the water itoccupies. 4. Questionsa) What happens when a flower stalk is put into colored water?b) Why did it happen? CONCLUSIONBasically, activities in the concept of science can be learned through simple and simpledaily experiences. Fun and exciting atmosphere will motivate the child to continuouslyseek answers to what the child thinks and prove it because in essence the child is bornwith something miraculous to bring curiosity or find out about what he saw, heard andfelt in the neighborhood. The various skills children can perform the game of scienceinclude observing skills, classifying, measuring, estimating, experimenting andcommunicating. Stages in every chronological age and development determine the typeand level of difficulty in the game of science. Therefore the game of science must begiven from the simple things to the complex. REFERENCES1. Paud DI, Al IT, City F, Aceh B. No Title. 2016; 1 (1): 1-10.2. Setiawati N, Introduction A, Discussion B. KOLAM BENING AS LEARNING LEARNINGMEDIA BECAUSE OF FLOATING AND SUN. 2014; 6 (1): 48-52.3. Eprilia UH, Prasetyarini A, Paud J, Teacher Training, Situation A. Training of earlychildhood learning models at post paud subdistrict delanggu, klaten district. 1988.4. Learning P, Age A, D-Oriented, School G, Smart D, Bandung M. Learning Process ofEarly-Growth-Oriented Developmental .... (Hernawati). 2013.5. Constructivistic P. DEVELOPMENT OF EMPLOYEE WORKSHEET USING ABILITY OFSAINS CHILDREN EARTH EARTH Hardiyanti Pratiwi *) Mustaji **). 2016; 1: 23-31. Water will seep into the stalk of each flower, then spread to all parts of the flower, including flower petals. The water then goes from plant to air through evaporation. The flower retains that color.