Combining arts with science builds on children’s interests in nature while allowing artistic expression. Although educators often discuss integrating the arts into science learning, empirical support is relatively recent. This thorough review of the education research literature on arts integration synthesizes previous empirical studies and theoretical literature published on arts integration, how the arts are integrated into science teaching, and the efficacy of arts integration for science learning. It provides evidence that arts integration provides positive outcomes in important areas such as learning, school climate, and teacher collaboration. This review also discusses evidence regarding obstacles to arts integration such as time, professional development, and ongoing support for teachers. Finally, we offer implications for future research, including the need for more rigorous empirical studies on integrating the arts into science teaching and learning.

Over the past two decades, science has increasingly become an integral part of early childhood curricula, and research on teaching and learning science in early years has emerged as an established field of study. Collectively, the findings of a growing body of literature suggest that introducing science in developmentally appropriate ways may support young children’s learning of science concepts and scientific thinking skills. The increasing number of edited volumes and special issues, including this one, devoted to the topic of early childhood science teaching and learning indicates that early science education, as a field of study, will continue to attract researchers from early childhood and science education as well as educational and cognitive psychology.

This study provides evidence that what happens in preschool (i.e., preschool curriculum) can have long-term consequences years later. In the current study, we seek to answer the question of whether the inclusion of science in the preschool curriculum is associated with fourth- and eighth grade science achievement scores. Based on science achievement data from the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS 2015 and 2019 cycles), the quality of preschool science learning opportunities showed long-term impacts on science achievement at the fourth grade level. Even after controlling for enrollment rates, the quality of the preschool curricula was a statistically significant predictor of fourth grade science scores with a high effect size (d=0.74). The observed impacts, however, appeared to diminish by eighth grade. Results from this study suggest that science concepts and skills should be an integral part of preschool curricula and curricular frameworks, and policy makers should allocate resources to provide well-designed preschool education programs with high quality curricula.

Social connections are crucial for today’s middle and high school students. We address this social need through a 3-H Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) Cycle. Through the Three Sisters Garden activity presented here, we teach secondary school students about biodiversity and sustainability as we integrate the arts into STEM (STEAM). Students investigate the growth and development of organisms from a crosscutting lens of systems. Students initiate the sensemaking process by paralleling their own need for companionship to plants. Students end the lesson by initiating a scientific argumentation for a Three (or Four) Brothers/Others Garden. The 3-H learning cycle begins and returns to social and emotional connections, giving equal weight of importance to the heart (social and emotional), hands (problem-solving), and heads (sensemaking). The lesson presented here exemplifies school garden-based learning and students’ ability to initiate sensemaking of the indigenous Three Sisters Garden intercropping method. Analyzing gardens from a systems lens allows students to make emotional and cognitive connections between their own need for social connections and plants increased growth and productivity in a polyculture. When students emotionally, socially, and cognitively participate in the process of science, they begin to see themselves as a part of the scientific process.