ABSTRACT

Using collaborative action research, this study aimed to explore the practice of implementing a scienceintegrated curriculum in a kindergarten classroom in Taiwan. The author served as a curriculumconsultant, and two kindergarten teachers served as co-teachers. The participants were 30 young children.Data sources included classroom observations, interviews, and other documentation. The findings wereas follows. (1) The science thematic curriculum was developed from the young children’s interest in bats.The kindergarten teachers applied the science thematic approach to integrate science and other contentareas in the thematic curriculum focused on the science theme “Bats.” (2) The young children learnedabout the science concepts of bats’ characteristics, habits, and habitats, as well as the cultural meaning ofbats in the local culture. (3) The kindergarten teachers had to solve problems in science teaching, such asproblems related to the children’s observation of bats and teachers’ content knowledge in scienceteaching. This study provides us a lens to examine how early childhood teachers implemented a sciencethematic curriculum in a kindergarten classroom. Recommendations for science teaching in earlychildhood education are also discussed in the paper.

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