Chapter 16 presents information on how EC professionals observe, assess and document science learning. EC professionals use evidence to determine what children know and understand, and base this on a process of observation (how children explore and interact within their environment), anecdotal note-taking, journal entries, checklists and folios of children’s work. The chapter describes strategies associated with the assessment of learning in science as outlined in the EYLF and the Australian Curriculum: Science. The information in this chapter is supported by case studies of EC professional practice.

Educators/teachers are required to determine what children know and understand so that they can effectively enhance children’s learning opportunities. Evidence of learning is usually obtained through a process of observation, anecdotal note-taking, journal entries, checklists and folios of children’s work. However, this data needs to be analysed by considering the full picture – who the child was playing with, what they were doing, what science underpinned the play activities and the children’s dispositions at the time. In early childhood centres, this understanding of a child’s learning is often determined through a democratic process (Dahlberg & Moss, 2008) that involves the collaboration of educators/teachers. This chapter describes and provides examples of children’s learning in science with reference to the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) (DEEWR, 2009a) and the Australian Curriculum: Science (ACARA, 2015).