Early Years Science Inquiry

There are many ways to start an inquiry. One effective way is to use a story that focuses children’s attention on a specific topic.

Take a peek at what the students learned about flight and how that informed their creative designs!

Students construct their own bird nest made of items they think are good options for a bird's nest.

Provide students with an opportunity to learn the use of balance scales in a practical outdoor setting.

Students observe bird nests and discuss which materials are best used in their construction.

Sticks and stones can make two and three-dimensional shapes that students can use to explore geometry in an outdoor setting.

Students use balance scales to become more familiar with the concepts of weight, balance and measurement.

In an attempt to explore this question and other aspects of Gravity further, students designed and implemented a number of creative experiments.

Students quantify distance by walking along a pathway from one location to another wearing pedometers.

Children engage in an exploration of magnets, further discovering what items are magnetic and what items are not.

Students make and measure imprints outside and learn how they represent non-standard units of measurement.

Students use standard units of measurement to measure and compare the circumferences of trees.

Snowfall can be a learning opportunity when students measure and compare the depth of the fallen snow each week.

Carol Stephenson, Kindergarten teacher at the Dr. Eric Jackman Institute for Child Study Laboratory School, brings us inside her classroom to share how she fosters inquiry-based learning with her students.

Students learn about the types and parts of a plant by exploring their natural environment.