A child is a researcher by nature. He is just beginning to learn the world, and it is very important to help him. Pre-schools are doing very well with this task. Overcoming important stages of development, the child is on the verge of the most significant and remarkable period in his life - this is school. Therefore, it is very important to pay attention to research activities when working with children in kindergarten. Next, consider its meaning and organization.
Preparatory group
First, a few words about the features of work in the preparatory group. Since the baby begins to go to the garden, the process of preparing for school life starts. It is in the preparatory group that the results of educational work are summed up. Tasks facing the educator in the preparatory group:
- Children should already clearly observe the daily routine. At this point, the child has a habit of performing certain activities at a certain time.
- It is necessary to teach children to timely complete tasks at a given pace, and also to finish them on time.
- The teacher should provide assistance, control in the performance of tasks.
- Children should be able to independently perform individual tasks. For this is supposed to encourage the child. In this case, motivation should be clearly expressed.
- It is necessary to carry out the program of physical education of the child.
- Of great importance are outdoor games, walks in the fresh air. Proper preparation develops in a child self-organization, manifestation of initiative, planning. Conversations with children at this stage have a large role.
- Mental development and upbringing requires a good knowledge of the characteristics of each pupil from the teacher. To eliminate underestimation or overstatement of requirements, it is necessary to gradually complicate tasks.
- Cognitive and research activities in the preparatory group are of great importance. It is necessary to use visual teaching methods and techniques to enhance mental activity. Children develop the skill to listen, analyze, observe, act independently.
- Of great importance is verbal teaching methods. It is necessary to choose the right words and combine them with illustrative examples.
- The teacher should be able to give a correct assessment of the completed task.
- It is important to instill in the child the skills of organizing his work.
- Very significant are the gaming techniques. A special place is occupied by didactic games. Thanks to such teaching methods, the child's attention is increased, cognitive interests develop, he becomes more active.
GEF requirements
Any program for DOW must comply with GEF. It specifies the requirements and standards, tasks that must be observed when raising and educating children. So, we indicate what principles cognitive research activities on the GEF should observe:
- It is necessary to develop curiosity.
- Form cognitive actions.
- Develop imagination and creative activity.
- To form the primary idea of people, the properties of materials, of the world around.
The child in the preparatory group is more actively seeking to know the world, everything is interesting and fascinating to him. How are things arranged, why is it raining or the light is on? All of these why can not be left unanswered, namely, cognitive-research activity in the preparatory group is the most effective method of cognition and development of the child.
Objectives of the cognitive research process
Tasks that carry out cognitive research activities in the preschool educational institution:
- Increase environmental knowledge.
- Teach children to rationally allocate time, draw up an action plan, be able to draw a conclusion.
- To teach children to use instruments for experiments.
- Correctly verbally comment on the process, thereby developing a culture of speech.
- Create the necessary conditions for free experiments and research.
Types of cognitive research
Two types of this kind of activity can be distinguished:
- The child himself is a source of activity, sets a goal and achieves it in various ways. He satisfies his curiosity, the need for knowledge.
- An adult organizes a research process, as a result of which the child learns how to act.
In order to develop a child's interest in knowledge and research, it is necessary to be able to arouse interest in a child.
Sources of organization of research activities
These sources include:
- Current events: social or natural phenomena.
- The caregiver can interest children in any subject by asking suggestive questions.
- Fictional events from a work of art that the teacher read to children.
- The study may relate to objects that children bring to the group and, especially, interested peers.
- You can organize monitoring of living organisms, and experiment with non-living.
Technological aspects of research
The technology of cognitive research consists in the selection of various research studies that may interest children. It is very important to attract the attention of the child, to awaken curiosity in him.
They may be offered such forms of cognitive research:
- Setting up experiments, experiments - children find causal relationships and relationships.
- Classification of objects, for example, collectibles belong to this type of activity - children master generic relations.
- Traveling the world with a map - the guys master the concept of space and the ratio of different worlds, countries.
- Time travel - children imagine themselves as travelers, looking at different historical events. And so from the past to the present.
Any type of activity selected from the above list must be properly organized.
Methodology of organizing cognitive activities with a research focus
In order to maintain the interest of the child throughout the lesson, the following conditions must be met.
- Create a problematic situation. You need to start with simple tasks and move on to more complex ones.
- Carry out an analysis of the situation with the children. The teacher at the same time listens attentively and helps to make the right decision.
- Having come up with several options, you need to choose one that will need to be checked.
- This can be observation, comparison, conducting an experiment, showing a model.
- In conclusion, it is necessary to correctly draw a conclusion, but children should try to formulate it themselves.
The more to organize such classes, encouraging the child to research, the easier it will be for him to create interesting tasks, find their solution, look for patterns, study the origin of various phenomena. The task of the educator is to help in finding answers, studying, researching everything that interested children.
The organization of cognitive research activities of preschoolers plays a large role in the development of mental abilities, interest, perseverance in children, which will take another step towards adulthood.
How to experiment
In the course of experiments with children, it is necessary to adhere to the following plan:
- Set a task or create a problem situation.
- Be sure to familiarize children with safety rules during the experiment.
- Consider a follow-up plan.
- Choose the necessary tools and equipment for the experiment.
- If the team work, it is necessary to separate the children and choose a person responsible.
- Summarize and analyze the results.
What questions were answered?
For children, cognition is very important. Cognitive-research activity, first of all, enables the child to find answers to the following questions:
- How does this happen?
- Why so?
- Why carry out only such actions?
- What will be the result of the action?
- Why so and not otherwise?
Experiment equipment
When cognitive research activities are organized in the preparatory group, equipment will be needed for experiments, it can be as follows:
- A variety of containers.
- Measuring instruments: scales, spoon, tape measures, rulers, hourglass, thermometer.
- Sieve.
- Rubber bulb.
- Ducts made of plastic or rubber.
- Shovels, spatulas, sticks.
- Plastic containers.
- Colored glass.
Research materials
What materials can be investigated when cognitive research activities are carried out in the preparatory group:
- Substances that are routinely used in everyday life, such as salt and sugar, flour and tea.
- Chocolate.
- Hygiene products.
- Natural materials: cones, plant seeds, nutshells, acorns.
- Clay, soil.
- Bark, tree branches.
- Multi-colored paper.
- Foam rubber, fabric, fur.
- Cotton wool, threads.
- Pieces of rubber.
Safety rules for children when experimenting
Children must be warned that safety precautions must be followed so as not to harm themselves or others. These rules look like this:
- Carry out experiments only in the presence of the educator.
- Start the experiment only with permission.
- If you want to do something, first ask.
- Bulk materials to take only with a spoon.
- During the experiment, do not touch the eyes, face with your hands.
- You can’t taste and take the substances and objects with which the experiment is conducted, take it by mouth.
Any research work should always begin with the repetition of safety rules.
Research focus
The organization of the educator's work primarily involves the planning of cognitive research activities. In this case, the directions of this process should be taken into account, and the connection between them should not be lost. The following topics of cognitive research are:
- The study of inanimate objects and living organisms, as well as their properties.
- Consideration of physical phenomena (properties of a magnet, light, electricity, sound).
- You can focus on the study of objects that a person created with his own hands, for example, paper, rubber, fabrics and so on.
- Studying your body (eyes, ears, nose, arms, legs, skin).
When planning, all topics should be covered during the training process.
A few more words about the tasks of the DOW
Cognitive research and constructive activity in a preschool educational institution is a solution, first of all, of the following tasks:
- It is necessary to create all conditions for the development of cognitive activity, intellectual abilities, independent thinking.
- Model situations that will encourage children to apply all their knowledge and skills.
- It is necessary to create obstacles, encouraging the child to struggle, achieve what is desired, find the answer to the question with the help of creative new ideas.
- To replenish the child’s knowledge with skills, the ability to combine them.
- Arouse interest in finding dependencies between things.
- With the help of informative collective games, learn to communicate with other children, look for rational solutions, provide assistance or organize experiences.
How to maintain a child’s interest
There are several recommendations for educators and parents that cognitive-research activities in preschool educational institutions, and not only, be stimulated in the child.
- Curiosity should be encouraged in a child. He needs new knowledge, impressions.
- It is always necessary to approve and help the child conduct experiments with different materials, substances. Do not interfere with learning new, incomprehensible and help in this.
- In case of refusal or prohibition to conduct one or another experiment, it is necessary to explain your refusal, not to leave the question why unanswered.
- Praise the child for his desire, activity. From an early age to teach to bring everything to the end.
- Ask the child about his intentions, what he wants to achieve, how he will do it. This will teach him to express his thoughts and formulate them correctly.
The correct organization of cognitive research activities will help educators and parents to grow an intelligent, educated and inquisitive person.