Childrenstartoutasnaturalscientistseagertolookintotheworldaroundthem.Helpingthemenjoysciencecanbeeasy;thereisnoneedforalotofscientifictermsorexpensivelabequipment.Youonlyhavetoshareyourchildren’scu

　　Childrenstartoutasnaturalscientistseagertolookintotheworldaroundthem.Helpingthemenjoysciencecanbeeasy;thereisnoneedforalotofscientifictermsorexpensivelabequipment.Youonlyhavetoshareyourchildren’scuriosity.Firstlylistentotheirquestions.Ioncevisitedaclassroomofseven–year-oldstotalkaboutscienceasajob.Thechildrenaskedme“textbookquestions”aboutschoolingsalaryandwhetherIlikedmyjob.WhenIfinishedansweringwesatfacingoneanotherinscience.FinallyIsaid”Nowthatwe’vefinishedwithyourlistsdoyouhavequestionsofyourownaboutscience?”

　　Afteralongpauseaboyraisedhishand“haveyoueverseenagrasshoppereat?WhenItryeatingleaveslikethatIgetastomachache.Why?”

　　Thisbeganasetofquestionsthatlastednearlytwohours.

　　Secondlygivethemtimetothink.Studiesoverthepast30yearshaveshownthat.Afteraskingaquestionadultstypicallywaitonlyonesecondorlessforananswernotimeforachildtothink.Whenadultsincreasetheir“waittime”tothreesecondsormorechildrengivemorelogicalcompleteandcreativeanswers.

　　Thirdlywatchyourlanguage.Onceyouhaveachildinvolvedinasciencediscussiondon’tjumpinwith“That’sright”or“verygood”.Thesewordsworkwellwhenitcomestoencouraginggoodbehavior.Butintalkingaboutsciencequickpraisecansignalthatdiscussionisover.Insteadkeepthingsgoingbysaying“That’sinteresting”or“I’dneverthoughtofitthatwaybefore’orcomingupwithmorequestionsorideas.

　　Neverpushachildto“think”.Itdoesn’tmakesense;childrenarealwaysthinkingwithoutyourtellingthemto.What’smorethiscanturnaconversationintoaperformance.Thechildwilltrytofindtheansweryouwantinasfewwordsaspossiblesothathewillbeasmalltargetforyourdisagreement.

　　Lastlyshow;don’ttell.Real-lifeimpressionsofnaturearefarmoreimpressivethananylessonchildrencanlearnfromabookoratelevisionprogram.Letchildrenlookattheirfingertipsthroughamagnifyingglassandthey’llunderstandwhyyouwantthemtowashbeforedinner.Ratherthansayingthatwaterevaporatessetapotofwatertoboilandletthemwatchthewaterleveldrop.

　　【小题1】Accordingtothepassagechildrenarenaturalscientistandt