Urban Farm DB
Research catalogue
Database research record2020·Spain

Are early-years-children able to use magnifying glasses and dichotomous keys to observe, compare, classify and identify small animals?

Esther Cascarosa Salillas, Beatriz Mazas Gil, Ester Mateo González

Journal of Biological Education

Urban Farm DB summary

Research with first-year preschoolers in Spain analyzed their ability to observe, compare, classify, and identify small animals using magnifying glasses and dichotomous keys. Students learned to observe intentionally with magnifying glasses and compare small animals based on the number of wings, legs, and color. However, students struggled to use dichotomous keys, indicating that teacher assistance was necessary to develop scientific skills such as observation, comparison, classification, and identification.