COGNITION AND INSTRUCTION, 31(1), 62–119, 2013 Copyright C  Taylor & Francis Group, LLC ISSN: 0737-0008 print / 1532-690X online DOI: 10.1080/07370008.2012.742087 Science Literacy in School and Home Contexts: Kindergarteners’ Science Achievement and Motivation Panayota Mantzicopoulos, Helen Patrick, and Ala Samarapungavan Purdue University We examined science learning and motivation outcomes as a function of children’s participation in the classroom and classroom-plus-home components of the Scientific Literacy Project (SLP). The sample was comprised of kindergarten children in 4 low income, neighboring schools. Children in Schools 1 and 2 (n = 120) participated in the SLP science activities. Of these children, 79 participated in the classroom component of the SLP whereas 41 participated in both the classroom and home components. A comparison group of children in schools 3 and 4 (n = 74) participated in regular science activities. We identified science learning, achievement, and motivational benefits for the SLP groups. Additional benefits for children who participated in both the classroom and home components of the SLP were greater gains in general science knowledge, higher levels of positive self-competence beliefs for science, perceived family support for learning science, and independence for learning science. It is well documented that, in the early grades of school, language arts are dominant in the curriculum and this leaves little room for other subjects, including science (Fulp, 2002). Early science instruction is fragmented, “lean” in its demands for conceptual understanding, and seldom aligned with recommended practices (Duschl, 2008; National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, 2005; Sackes, Trundle, Bell, & O’Connell, 2011). This state of affairs seems to be associated with adverse effects on students’ science achievement (e.g., Sackes et al., 2011) and motivation, both vital contributors to students’ educational success and career-related choices (Bouchey & Winston, 2004; Maltese & Tai, 2010). Reports that elementary grade students find science to be more difficult, less meaningful, and less interesting than other school subjects may reflect the lack of appropriate early science experiences (Andre, Whigham, Hendrickson, & Chambers, 1999). There is growing emphasis on the need for instructional approaches that integrate science inquiry with literacy activities (Palincsar & Magnusson, 2001; Yore, Bisanz, & Hand, 2003). Some have argued that this integration in the early grades is likely to be an effective and realistic way to provide systematic and high quality science instruction (Marx & Harris, 2006). This has been the goal of the Scientific Literacy Project (SLP), a program of integrated science inquiry Correspondence should be addressed to Panayota Mantzicopoulos, Department of Educational Studies, Beering Hall, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907. E-mail: mantzi@purdue.edu Downloaded by [Purdue University] at 09:18 16 January 2013