在本世纪20～30年代,美国幼儿园的自然科学教育主要是让幼儿观察自然现象和学习鉴赏自然。教师(?)用的方法主要是开辟花园,栽培植物,饲养动物,采集树叶、岩石等,让幼儿观察,在此基础上给幼儿讲述关于自然的故事,展示自然的图片等。30年代之后,学习鉴赏自然逐渐被学习自然科学取代,强调理解科学概念和科学方法。他们为幼儿确立了自然科学的一些最基本的概念,如:(1)宇宙是非常大的——空间;(2)地球是非常老的——时间;(3)宇宙是不断变化的——变化;(4)生存必须适应环境——适应;(5)宇宙是五彩缤纷的——多样性;(6)生物是相互依存的——相互关系;(7)物质从一种形式变为另一种形式其总量不变——物质不灭;(8)一种能量从一种形式转化为另一种形式其总能量不变——能量守恒。教学内容都是围绕上述这些概念编排的。例如,为了将“变化”这一抽象概念转化 In the 20s and 30s of this century, natural science education in the United States kindergarten is mainly for young children to observe natural phenomena and learn to appreciate nature. Teachers (?) The main method is to open up the garden, planting plants, raising animals, collecting leaves, rocks, etc., so that children observe, on this basis to tell children about stories of nature, showing pictures of nature. Since the 1930s, learning appreciation has gradually been replaced by the study of natural sciences, emphasizing the understanding of scientific concepts and scientific methods. They establish some of the most basic concepts of natural science for young children, such as: (1) the universe is very large - space; (2) the earth is very old - time; (3) the universe is constantly changing - Change; (4) survival must adapt to the environment - adaptation; (5) the universe is colorful - diversity; (6) organisms are interdependent - interrelationships; (7) material from one form to another The total form of the same amount - the material immortality; (8) a form of energy into another form of its total energy constant - conservation of energy. The teaching content is organized around these concepts. For example, to translate the abstract concept of “change.”