Vol.:(0123456789) 1 3 Early Childhood Education Journal https://doi.org/10.1007/s10643-019-00985-x The Effect of Balanced Learning® Curriculum on Young Children’s Learning of Science Mesut Saçkes 1  · Kathy Cabe Trundle 2  · Maria Shaheen 3 © Springer Nature B.V. 2019 Abstract The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of the Primrose ® Balanced Learning ® Curriculum on young children’s science performances. The sample of this study included 158 children attending two private preschools. The study utilized a single group pre-post-test design. The children were tested before and immediately after the implementation of the Primrose ® Balanced Learning ® Curriculum to assess their science performances. Children’s interest in learning science was assessed before the implementation of the curriculum. The results demonstrated that the observed change in children’s science scores from pre to post assessment was substantial, corresponding to about a medium effect size. Although both sexes made progress in their science performance, the girls made greater gains. Boys and girls did not differ in their interest in learning science, but prekindergartners regardless of their sex were more likely to demonstrate higher interest in learning science than their younger peers. The preliminary findings of this curriculum development effort suggest that the systematic instructional framework based on a balanced learning view has potential to promote young children’s learning of science. Keywords Preschoolers · Science education · Motivation Early science learning opportunities have been largely neglected in preschool curricula, which has led to fewer sci- ence learning opportunities for young children compared to other content areas (Early et al. 2010; Greenfield et al. 2009; Nayfeld et al. 2011; Saçkes et al. 2011). More specifically, teachers of preschoolers and kindergartners teach science concepts and skills once or twice per week with about 1% to 11% of classroom time devoted to science activities, and these science learning events typically do not effectively uti- lize available science resources while targeting mostly life science concepts at the exclusion of other science domains (Early et al. 2010; Saçkes 2014; Saçkes et al. 2011; Tu 2006). Efforts to provide young children quality early sci- ence learning opportunities have been hindered for various reasons including a lack of curricula in Pre-K science that are linked to standards and based on developmentally appro- priate practices (NAEYC 2003; NGSS Lead States 2013; Saçkes et al. 2011). A limited number of studies have examined instructional interventions designed for young children’s learning of sci- ence (e.g., Hadzigeorgiou 2002; Hobson et al. 2010; Kallery 2011; Valanides et al. 2000; Opfer and Siegler 2004). The overall findings of these studies suggest that early science instruction can enhance young children’s learning of sci- ence concepts. Nevertheless, these studies, in general, have focused on the teaching of specific science concepts and skills over a short duration of time. The availability of com- plete curricular programs that target science concepts and develop young children’s science skills are even more scarce (French 2004). To date, few curricula have been developed which focus on preschool and kindergarten science: Pre- school Pathways to Science (Gelman and Brenneman 2004), ScienceStart! (French 2004), Scientific Literacy Project (Pat- rick et al. 2009), and MyTeachingPartner–Math/Science (Kinzie et al. 2014). These curricula are limited in that they introduce science concepts in isolation from and not inte- grated with other content, except mathematics or literacy, and these limited curricula predate recent science reform efforts such as the Next Generation Science Standards * Mesut Saçkes msackes@gmail.com 1 Necatibey School of Education, Balıkesir University, Balıkesir, Turkey 2 School of Teacher Education & Leadership, Utah State University, Logan, UT, USA 3 Primrose Schools, Atlanta, GA, USA