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GLOBE in Early Childhood Education: When 4-6 Year Olds Become NASA Climate Researchers
Organization(s):Ha'Etz HaGadol
Country:Israel
Student(s):32 Young Researchers (Ages 4-6)
Ha'Etz HaGadol (The Big Tree) Kindergarten
Kibbutz Mishmarot, Coastal Zone of Israel
Led by Certified GLOBE Instructor Natali Horovitz
GLOBE Member(s):Natali Horovitz
Contributors:- Kibbutz Mishmarot families (weekend observations and support)
- Pilot parents (aerial cloud photography contribution)
- GLOBE Israel National Program
Report Type(s):Virtual Science Symposium Report
Protocols:Clouds
Presentation Poster:
View Document
Language(s):English
Date Submitted:2026-01-20
This research demonstrates that children aged 4-6 can meaningfully participate in authentic scientific research through an adapted GLOBE program. Over 14 months of implementation at Ha'Etz HaGadol Kindergarten in Israel, 32 young researchers conducted 225+ meteorological measurements using custom-designed tools and Hebrew voice-supported digital applications. The project successfully preserved NASA's scientific rigor while making data collection accessible to pre-literate children through innovative physical adaptations (three-height observation station), technology integration (GLOBE Observer app, digital microscopes), and gamified learning approaches. Results show that children developed advanced scientific literacy, mastered meteorological terminology, and independently contributed valid data to NASA's global climate database. This first-of-its-kind implementation in early childhood education challenges assumptions about age barriers in STEM and provides a scalable model for global replication, proving that scientific capability develops through practice and trust, not just age.