Science is All Around You - post

How can teachers help children notice the science all around them?

As we enjoy the arrival of Spring, with the waves of pollen wreaking havoc on our sinuses and covering our cars, windows, and clothes in all its green glory, we also welcome the warmer weather and the numerous flowers budding from the thawing soil. Beyond our tissues from incessant sneezing, there is a world of wonder just waiting to be appreciated. To support discovery and strengthen your practice, consider short professional learning such as Tomorrow’s Einsteins: Infant and Toddler Science Buy Now $16.00 and Spaces That Support Discovery Buy Now $24.00, both designed for early childhood professionals.

The children in your classroom are naturally curious and love to learn about the world around them. Teachers can build on children’s inquiries and enthusiasm by helping them discover scientific concepts using classroom materials and the world outside as provocations for observation and hypothesis.

What are practical long-term science studies I can run in my classroom?

Long-term studies give children time to notice patterns, revise hypotheses, and document change. Gardens are a classic example: over weeks children record germination, measure plant height, document insect visitors, and reflect on food chains. Quick, actionable long-term study ideas:

1. Seed-to-plant study (3–8 weeks): plant different seeds in clear cups, have daily observations, and graph growth. Use magnifiers, journals, and photo documentation.
2. Caterpillar to butterfly lifecycle (2–6 weeks): keep a safe observation enclosure, chart stages, and connect to habitat needs and food sources.
3. Seasonal weather journal (6–12 weeks): designate a daily observation time for temperature, cloud cover, wind, and rainfall; compare trends and relate to local seasonality.

Design tips: (1) Let children's questions pick the focus; (2) define simple, repeatable observation routines; (3) create a shared data display so children and families can watch progress. The geoscience teaching literature emphasizes making science relevant to everyday life and returning the inquiry to students for reflection and explanation (Carleton SERC — Earth Science Literacy).

How can everyday classroom materials support meaningful STEM exploration?

Everyday items—boxes, measuring cups, recycled bottles, rocks, sand—become rich learning tools when teachers frame open problems and require evidence-based prediction and recording. Example activities:

• Sink/float prediction table: have children predict, test, and record results; extend by designing a boat that must float while carrying a small weight.
• Magnifier scavenger hunt: give children simple prompts (find a vein in a leaf; count insect legs) and ask them to record sketches or dictations.
• Loose parts engineering: provide tapes, cardboard, and connectors; ask small teams to build a structure that can hold a block for 30 seconds and iterate based on testing.

For practical ideas and ready-to-run activities, see our articles on using everyday materials for STEM and turning them into meaningful learning experiences: How Can I Use Everyday Materials for Meaningful STEM Exploration?, How Can I Turn Everyday Materials into Meaningful Learning Experiences?, and How Can Child Care Providers Teach Hands-on STEAM with Everyday Materials?.

How do I connect studies to curriculum goals, documentation, and families?

Connection to standards and families strengthens program quality. Action steps teachers can use:

1. Map one or two observable learning objectives (language/vocabulary, observation skills, measuring) to your state early learning standards or your program’s goals.
2. Create a simple observation rubric (what counts as a 'detailed observation' vs a 'simple observation') to guide documentation and assessment.
3. Invite families: send short photo-updates, ask families to contribute observations, and host a 'gallery' where children explain their findings.

If you operate in New York, align your studies with New York's early childhood regulations and learning standards; see How can New York early childhood programs use garden-based learning? for specifics and implementation tips.

Our course Meaningful Lesson Planning for Infants/Toddlers Buy Now $24.00 and Project Based Learning for Children Buy Now $16.00 provide practical planning templates and family engagement strategies. For quick tips on adding STEM across the preschool day, see Easy Ways to Add STEM to Your Preschool Classroom.

How should I assess and reflect on children's scientific learning?

Assessment is documentation of thinking—not just a checklist. Use three complementary evidence sources: 1) observational notes or photos showing process; 2) child-generated records (drawings, dictations); 3) performance during a short demonstration (explaining why an experiment produced the observed result). Share rubrics with colleagues and families so expectations are transparent.

Framing the practice: science is not only description but aims to explain regularities; invite children to offer explanations and test them (Weinberg — Can Science Explain Everything?).

What should teachers take away?

Make small, repeatable routines that put observation and evidence at the center. Use long-term studies and everyday materials to build curiosity, documentation skills, and scientific habits of mind. Share findings with families and map activities to your program goals. Try one new long-term study this term and iterate with children.

What are the key takeaways for teachers?

Teachers should make observation and evidence routine: establish short daily observation windows, run one or two long-term studies each term, and create shared documentation that children and families can access. Start with a focused phenomenon (a seed-to-plant study, a weather journal, or an insect habitat) that grows from children's questions. Use simple tools—magnifiers, measuring cups, data charts, and photo documentation—to support consistent observation and scaffold emerging measurement and vocabulary. Differentiate expectations by age: for infants and toddlers prioritize sensory exploration and adult narration; for preschoolers, add drawing, dictation, and simple graphs so children can record and revisit patterns and hypotheses.

Assessment should triangulate process and product: combine (1) observational notes and photographs capturing children’s investigative processes; (2) child-generated artifacts (drawings, dictations, simple charts); and (3) performance demonstrations where children explain or test a prediction. Share a short rubric with colleagues and families so expectations are transparent. Plan brief team reflections every two weeks to examine documentation, adapt provocations, and identify language to teach that helps children move from description to explanation. Keep materials safe, accessible, and rotated to sustain curiosity; invite families with take-home observation prompts or a gallery event where children present their findings. Choose one new long-term study this term, plan for regular data displays, and schedule a family-share event at the study’s close. These steps build scientific habits of mind, language, measurement, and stronger home–school connections while producing usable evidence of learning.

Related articles to read next: How can New York early childhood programs use garden-based learning?, How can I use STEM activities in my Preschool and Pre-K classroom?.

Keep these quick reminders close at hand: #science #STEM #inquiry #gardening #outdoors