The importance in teaching mathematics and science is of great concern to all levels of education especially in early education. Because early experiences affect later educational outcomes, providing young children with research-based mathematics and science learning opportunities is more likely to pay off with increased achievement, literacy, and work skills in these critical areas we already know that early math and science experiences matter because they can support language and literacy development, independent of any effect on later math and science achievement.
Science and math interactions support vocabulary development by exposing children to a variety of new words in meaningful contexts.
Very young children demonstrate a natural interest in exploring “everyday” mathematical and scientific concepts. They count steps as they walk up stairs, create patterns with different colored materials, build towers with blocks, and comment that one tower is taller than the other.
Dienes’ focus was on how children learn mathematics. He focused on materials and believed the initial stage of mathematics learning should center on free play. During free play, children enter a second stage where they see regularities that provide rules for mathematics games. In a third stage, they begin to compare the different games. In a fourth stage, they enter a period of abstraction where they use representations such as tables, coordinate systems, drawings, or other vehicles that can aid memory. During the i fth stage, they discover the use of symbols. At the sixth stage, students use formalized mathematical rules. Dienes is best known for the invention of multibase blocks, which are used to teach place value. Dienes taught mathematics in a number of cultures using manipulatives, games, stories, and dance. He supported the use of small groups working together