An open-ended assignment to "make something" out of cardboard was a good fit for a half-day camp class of children in kindergarten, first, and second grades where the first goal was to have fun while learning. Given the opportunity to make something of their own design for their own purposes out of cardboard, the children persisted while…

Learning progressions (LPs)--descriptive continuums of how students develop and demonstrate more sophisticated understanding over time--have become an increasingly important tool in today's science classrooms. Here the author discusses some of the research behind learning progressions and presents The Science Inquiry Profile for PreK-4. This is a…

In this article, the author describes another teacher's unique approach to teaching science in one unusual second grade classroom. Immediately upon entering the classroom, the author was surrounded by an array of colors, shapes, and objects typically found in a forest. A multitude of puppets, stuffed animals, and live animals filled the classroom.…