By bringing everyday phenomena into the classroom, teachers can more readily engage students in authentic scientific inquiry. When working with young children, the best phenomena are those that students can directly experience and investigate. Meaningful phenomena can be identified by watching children at play, listening to the conversations they…

A lesson plan is provided for a formative assessment probe entitled "Is It a Rock?" This probe is designed for teaching elementary school students about rocks through the use of a formative assessment classroom technique (FACT) known as the group Frayer Model. FACT activates students' thinking about a concept and can be used to…

Describes an approach that motivates preservice teachers to become involved in the scientific experience. The approach involves a science demonstration or activity that is done both in and out of class in which students report observations using a Vee diagram. Includes assessment procedures. (DDR)

Describes exploratory activities for a young child seeking to become acquainted with the world in which he lives. (EB)

First of a series showing ways in which the preschool setting can provide exploratory activities for the young child seeking to become acquainted with the world about him. Suggests ways to present the concepts of climate, clean air, personal space, and noise level. (EB)

Supports the approach for young children that allows them to perform actions on objects and observe the reactions. Describes some techniques to use to encourage an inquiry approach. (DDR)

Suggestions are given relating to having plants and animals in the classroom to stimulate development of the understanding of the concept of being alive, a concept not really understood by children under age nine. The research reviewed promotes firsthand experiences to help form concepts of living and nonliving, of identity and causality. (EB)

Some ways in which exploratory activities of the preschool child involve science concepts are described. The role of adults knowledgeable about both science and child development is stressed. Emphasis is placed on hands-on experiences. (EB)

Demonstrations are presented in which children can be introduced to evidence of specific concepts enabling them to participate in such a way that any conceptual conflicts that might arise in this learning situation can be gradually reduced. (EB)

Presents activities that utilize balloons to encourage students to explore questions related to scientific concepts. Concepts explored include light, heat, charged ions, polarization, and the sense of smell. (MDH)

Describes a unit on magnetism that utilizes hands-on activities in which students make hypotheses for discrepant behavior, discover whether a magnet attracts one object through another, measure the strength of magnets, explore levitating paper clips, and play a game dependent on magnetic attraction. (MDH)