Hello! I’m Erica Hirsch, assistant director of Home For Your Heart School and the woman behind the wig of “Erica Einstein.”
Once a month, Erica Einstein visits our Preschool and Pre-K students for a special science lesson. It is truly my favorite part of my job! During these visits, students observe, make predictions, ask questions, and discover what happens through fun, hands-on experiments.
I learn a lot about your children during our time together, too. I see who embraces curiosity and who approaches something new with a little more caution. I notice who is confident in speaking their ideas, who finds comfort in being an observer, and even who feels a little timid around a balloon!
I especially love the classroom behaviors and school-readiness skills that this group lesson strengthens. The students learn and follow a special routine just for Erica Einstein. They dress themselves in lab coats and goggles, find a seat in our gallery-style learning area, listen to a brief introduction to the lesson, and then perform their job with guidance from teachers and parent volunteers.
It is a busy 15-minute visit packed with opportunities to practice listening, speaking, dressing independently, following directions, turn taking, participating in a group, and moving through a familiar routine.
The goal is not for children to understand every scientific concept just yet. Instead, Erica Einstein helps them practice the habits of young scientists: being curious, noticing details, wondering why, making predictions, and learning through exploration.
Through Erica Einstein, I hope children learn that science is all around them and that every discovery can begin with one important question: “What do you think will happen?”
Volunteer With Me!
Parents and caregivers are invited to volunteer during Erica Einstein visits by using the SignUpGenius link below. I hope to have at least two helpers each month, but I never turn away willing volunteers! Extra hands are always welcome and help the children safely complete their lab duties. Because these mornings are busy and move quickly, I ask volunteers to please make other arrangements for younger siblings. Click here to sign up for a volunteer date
Science Books I Like:
- Ada Twist, Scientist by Andrea Beaty
- Magnets Push, Magnets Pull by David A. Adler
- A Seed Is Sleepy by Dianna Hutts Aston
- Over and Under the Pond by Kate Messner
- What Is Science? by Rebecca Kai Dotlich
Explore Science at Home
Families can continue encouraging curiosity with these helpful resources:
- PBS KIDS Science Games
Preschool-friendly games featuring familiar PBS KIDS characters. - Sid the Science Kid
Videos and activities that encourage children to ask questions and investigate everyday science. - 15 Preschool Science Activities from Science Buddies
Easy, hands-on experiments created especially for young children. - Exploring Science With Your Child from NAEYC
Simple ideas for finding science in everyday experiences. - Smithsonian Science in Pre-K
Activities and ideas that help young children observe, ask questions, explore, and think like scientists.
Sincerely,
Erica Einstein