Scientific Thinking

The scientific domain focuses on scientific investigation as these are necessary steps to science instruction and content. Learning about their world around them and giving children the opportunities to become competent with the tools necessary to do so is a part of this domain. Component concepts in this domain include: inquiry, physical science, life science, and earth science.

Indicators for scientific thinking for three year olds include:

• Uses senses to observe and explore classroom materials and natural phenomena
• Begins to use simple tools and equipment for investigation
• Makes comparisons among objects

Indicators for scientific thinking for four year olds include:

• Asks questions and uses senses to observe and explore materials and natural phenomena
• Uses simple tools and equipment for investigation
• Makes comparisons among objects

Indicators for scientific thinking for five year olds include:

• Observes and describes characteristics, basic needs, and life cycle of living things
• Seeks information through observation, exploration and descriptive investigation
• Identifies, describes, and compares properties of objects

Parents can help children in the scientific thinking domain by:

• Taking walks outside and pointing out the sounds, sights and smells
• Using magnifying glasses, binoculars rulers, to investigate objects
• Allowing children to play in sand and water to examine their properties
• Talking about the changes and the weather and making predictions
• Observing their pets and their behavior
• Making predictions about how fast or slow certain objects will go, which items will sink or float
•  Asking children questions about what they are seeing
• Helping children to learn more about particular plants or animals they are interested in
• Bringing objects from outdoors inside for them to examine-stones, leaves, flowers, acorns
• Demonstrating changes in property in objects – snow melting, etc

The scientific thinking domain refers to children’s ability to investigate their environment around them and to learn to apply critical thinking. To gain the necessary skills needed in this domain, children need to be given the opportunities to investigate their world through recording, describing, questioning, forming explanations and drawing conclusions.

The performance indicators listed above are form the Work Sampling System Omnibus Guidelines. For more information on the Work Sampling System, go to http://www.pearsonearlylearning.com/index.html  

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