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At 17:53 17/04/2006, Kevin Hollis wrote:

>One way of playing with the world to try and find out how it works.

That's fairly concise, accurate and comprehensive. We're describing 
'science' to a child, remember. Building on this one, I'd say:

"Science is playing with everything to find out how it works. Though most 
grown-ups prefer to call it experimenting. When they do it. When kids do 
it, they call it messing about."

I also find it helpful to tell children what science ISN'T:

* Science doesn't just belong to grown-ups.

* Science isn't only about learning stuff: it's mainly about experimenting.

* Experimenting isn't something that can only happen when a grown-up is in 
charge. In fact children spend more time experimenting than most adults. 
Children are also better at making observations (noticing things) and 
better at being surprised by unusual observations.

* Science does not just advance when experiments turn out as predicted, it 
advances more when experiments do NOT turn out as predicted.

* Science doesn't only happen in laboratories and textbooks: it also 
happens on your kitchen table, in the playground and in the street.


[log in to unmask] * http://www.interactives.co.uk
*
Give people facts and you feed their minds for an hour.
Awaken curiosity and they feed their own minds for a lifetime.
*
Ian Russell 

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