BUILDING THE MOTIVATION TO STUDY NATURAL SCIENCE DISCIPLINES IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL THROUGH CROSS SUBJECT INTEGRATION

From the point of view of psychologists and pedagogues the most productive age for studying fundamental fields of scientific knowledge is 10 – 13 years. In order to achieve optimal results in formation of natural science understanding in younger grades studies should be carried out with adherence to vertical and horizontal successive connections and start in elementary school, although the age characteristics of child's development not always allow to form complex definitions. This process can be adopted through use of sensitive age-specifications, accomplishing studies through game elements and project education. Paying attention to elementary school student ecological education, integrated projects for elementary school were developed and are carried out. By this moment one of the projects has reached to the second stage of its implementation. Knowledge and skills acquired during the first stage of the project (laboratory work methods and so on) helped to boost the work of students in nature science class. Students gained motivation towards learning the subject and self-reliance in performing tasks of creative and exploratory nature, knowledge became more meaningful and attitude towards nature became more cautious.