Creating School Readiness in High-Risk Children Through Involvement in Early Childhood Science Education

Year Awarded: 2003
Project Leaders:
Laurie A. Van Egeren, Department of Psychology, College of Social Science, and ICYF, College of Human Ecology; Mary Farrand, Capital Area Community Services Head Start; Norman Lownds, Department of Horticulture, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources; and Brad Morris, Grand Valley State University.

Project Description:
This pilot study is exploring how early childhood science education programming may promote school readiness for low-income children. Investigators from MSU and Grand Valley State University are collaborating with Capital Area Community Services Head Start to study the processes and outcomes of science education among Lansing-area Head Start teachers and families.

“This is really a holistic intervention -- it targets teachers, by showing them new ways to teach; it targets parents, by showing them new ways to interact with their children; and it targets children, letting them use the curiosity and creativity in a way that makes them feel smart and successful,” said project co-leader Laurie Van Egeren.

This work will aid in the development of appropriate measures to assess teaching strategies, school readiness, and family engagement. Investigators believe low-income children who receive science education will show positive developmental outcomes that will help decrease the current disparity in school readiness between low-income children and children in private preschools.