In this challenge, the authors wanted to support students' knowledge of light and the ways in which it interacts with other materials through a series of connected learning experiences. These experiences are related to "NGSS standard 1-PS4-3 Waves and Their Applications in Technologies for Information Transfer. Plan and conduct investigations…

This article explores the usefulness of detective role-play as a research method to facilitate young children's critical thinking. The study examines four specifically designed detective play experiences, adopting an ethical rights-based approach to research with children. This qualitative multiple-case study is grounded in play-based pedagogy…

When exploring and introducing sound, students need to understand that there are multiple aspects that work together to create sound. In this single class lesson, students work through an inquiry-based challenge to discover how sound can be manipulated and altered through these elements. By investigating how to manipulate sound, students are able…

This qualitative study examined the perspectives and experiences of seven focal families from Mexican immigrant backgrounds that participated in collaborative project-based learning in their children's bilingual classroom. Projects centered on children's experiential knowledge, and were created bilingually. Findings indicate that parents perceived…

We present experimental evidence on the impact of a multi-faceted program that integrates technology-aided instruction, teacher training and coaching, community ownership, and free primary education. Our setting is three districts in rural Zambia, where we randomly assigned the program across 30 treatment and 33 control schools. The results show…

Project-based assessment has been used to evaluate coding projects created by students for a long time. Nevertheless, there is a lack of rigorously tested project-based coding rubrics that are developmentally appropriate for early childhood. This study presented the development and testing of a coding rubric to evaluate children's creations with…

The problem in this study was that despite encouragement from administrators, kindergarten through Grade 8 teachers struggled to use project-based learning (PBL) in a local school in the Association of Independent Maryland and DC Schools (AIMS). Rooted in Kilpatrick's progressive philosophy of education and Piaget's theory of constructivism, this…

This dissertation study explores the implementation of Project-Based Learning (PBL) in first-grade classrooms and its impact on student engagement. The study emphasizes the importance of collaborative grade-level teams and teacher support in successfully implementing PBL. The study adopts a mixed-methods approach and takes place in a small rural…

In this article, the authors unveil the Trade Book Inquiry Design Model (IDM) blueprint. Anchored in a compelling question inspired by a trade book, the new blueprint is broken into two instructional blocks: "Reading and Comprehension" and "Living Social Studies." The inquiry template is designed to be instructionally efficient…

A key question concerning educational researchers is how to promote students' self-regulated learning (SRL) in regular classrooms. We address this question by examining the beliefs and practices of a primary school teacher who supported students' SRL by employing an experiential learning approach. We gathered data throughout an 11 weeks long…

This report summarizes the results of kindergarten through fifth grade students' academic achievement outcomes in mathematics and science following four years of campus-level participation in the Launching Elementary Academic Foundations (LEAF) to STEM program. The LEAF to STEM Program consists of three key components that were adapted for K-5…

Providing opportunities for elementary students to engage with enduring social issues, such as houselessness, is essential in preparing informed, engaged, and social justice-oriented citizens. This article draws from the following standards: (1) C3 Framework for Social Studies Standards that center inquiry; (2) Learning for Justice's Social…

IPAS ("Ilmu Pengetahuan Alam dan Sosial"/Natural and Social Sciences) constitutes essential subjects in the implementation of the Merdeka Curriculum in primary schools. The primary goal of integrating IPAS is to enable students to effectively manage their natural and social environment as a whole. In light of this objective, the…

This article is based on a yearlong qualitative, multiple case study that explored the pedagogy of elementary school teachers' work through the combining of inquiry-based pedagogy and critical literacy. One case is shared where Zoe, a first-grade teacher, engages students and fosters learning in critical, inquiry-based ways. Two interviews, daily…

Researchers have proposed integration as an approach to effectively teach social studies in primary grades. Many teachers integrate by teaching social studies content and skills during time allocated for other subjects, such as literacy, science, or math. Integration clearly uses time efficiently to allow for more social studies content. However,…