SCIENCE IN THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL


will become intensely interested in certain aspects and pursue
those aspects to the point of speculation, all the while obtaining
the satisfaction of discovering truths new to themselves if not
to mankind. Thus, the sixth grade child who makes a simple
electromagnet may see opportunities for further application of
the principle and finally glimpse the variety of work man can
do and may yet do because of the uses of an electromagnet.
 To help children acquire those skills and techniques neces-
 sary to gain further information, such as reading science con-
 tent with understanding, making accurate observations of events,
 and performing various science activities.
 For use in all their learning children need to acquire skill
 in securing information, in organizing and interpreting it, and
 in sharing such information with others. In science the child
 pursuing an interest seeks and uses information in a variety of
 ways. For instance, a pupil trying to find out how fish get air
 may use observing, research reading, interviewing, and experi-
 menting. Once he has acquired the information he has some-
 thing vital to organize, interpret, and share with others.
 To help children develop social attitudes and appreciations
needed in a democracy, such as growth in social behavior and
willingness to assume their place in present and future society.
 At first glance, the relationship of science to democracy
might appear so remote or obscure that a consideration of it at
the elementary school level would seem pointless. But a second
glance will show a close relationship. Democracy has long been
more than a form of government. It is a way of life based upon
the belief that society is not static but still evolving, that the
intelligence of man is a means to social betterment, and that
every individual is potentially capable of contributing to society.
The democratic way of life is characterized by conference and
consultation; by sharing of opinions; by free responsible par-
ticipation; by keeping the channels of communications open,
not permitting one group to impose its opinions by force or
denying any group, however small, the opportunity to convince
the majority of the truth of a point of view; by the seeking for
truth that can be tested; by developing willingness to modify
opinions in the light of new evidence. These characteristics are
almost identical with the elements of scientific method and scien-
tific attitude which were described above.
 The teaching of democratic ways of living, then, is neither
formidable nor foreign to the classroom. Science and democracy
are related. For example, when the boys in the comparatively
small act of studying lizards learned to reject guessing and sus-'
pend judgment until evidence could be assembled, they were in
essence, learning one of the biggest lessons needed for demb-