Susan Burns, a professor at George Mason University's College of Education in Fairfax, Va., describes ScienceStart! as "a significant contribution to curricula in early childhood education. When I first heard Lucia French and her teachers present the curriculum," Burns says, "I was excited that children would learn important ways of thinking, but more so that children would be supported in using rich language, and that they had something very interesting to talk about."

In particular, French's approach has been effective for children at risk for school failure. By offering girls and minority students an early and highly positive introduction to science (and also by involving their parents in science activities), the curriculum enhances their future interest in science.

Warner doctoral students Kathleen Conezio, education coordinator for Third Church Early ChildhoodPrograms, and Shira May also will work on the project. The new pilot sites will be located at the Universal PreK program at Greece's Parkland Elementary School and the Universal PreK program at School 5 in the city. In 2001-2002, one or more rural daycare sites will be added.

The Demonstration Project teaches about 36 children who are three or four years old. They attend preschool four days a week, four hours each day. While it is not formally associated with the Warner School, the project serves as a significant site for research.

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