Science Activities for Kids: Tips for Teaching the Scientific Method in Kindergarten
Looking for science activities for kindergarten or first grade? Wondering what do kindergarteners do for science? I have you covered! Introducing the scientific method to young learners can seem challenging, but breaking it down into simple, fun activities makes it both engaging and educational.
Here are easy science activities for kindergarten or first grade that you can do to introduce the scientific method
1. Ask a Question
The first step of the scientific method is asking a question. This is where curiosity kicks in, and e know our little learners are naturally curious! Encourage them to ask questions about the world around them.
Take your class on a nature walk around the schoolyard. Ask them to look around and think of questions. Examples include:
– “Why do leaves change color?”
– “What do ants eat?”
– “How do birds build nests?”
Write down their questions on a large piece of paper when you return to the classroom.
2. Do Background Research
For young students, background research can be simplified to gathering information through observation or asking an expert, like their teacher or parents.
After the nature walk, pick a few questions and discuss them in class. You can share a picture book, show a short educational video from YouTube, or explain the concepts in simple terms. For instance, if the question is about ants, you could read a book about ants and discuss their behavior.
3. Make a Hypothesis
A hypothesis is an educated guess. Teach your students to make predictions based on what they know.
Bring in a few small plants and ask your students to predict what will happen if one plant gets no water, one gets water and sunlight, and one gets only water but no sunlight. Write down their predictions on the board.
4. Test Your Hypothesis by Doing an Experiment
This step is all about hands-on learning, which is perfect for young students.
Use the plants from the hypothesis activity. Over the next few weeks, have students observe the plants and record what happens:
– Plant A: No water
– Plant B: Water and sunlight
– Plant C: Water but no sunlight
Have students draw pictures or use simple charts to track the plants’ growth and changes.
5. Analyze the Data and Draw a Conclusion
Help your students understand what the results of the experiment mean.
After a few weeks, review the observations with your class. Discuss which plants grew the best and why. Ask questions like:
– “What did we learn about plants and sunlight?”
– “Were our predictions correct?”
Encourage your students to explain their thoughts and draw simple conclusions about the importance of water and sunlight for plant growth.
6. Share Your Results
Sharing what they’ve learned helps reinforce the lesson and builds communication skills!
Have your students present their findings to the class or to another class. They can create simple posters with drawings and sentences explaining what happened to the plants. You can also help them make a short presentation using pictures you took during the experiment.
Teaching the scientific method to kindergarten and first-grade students doesn’t have to be complicated. It can be really fun!
If you’re looking for ready-made kindergarten science worksheets or science activities for the classroom, you’re going to love my year-long science curriculum for kindergarten and first grade!
This comprehensive and engaging science curriculum is designed for whole-group or easily followed in a homeschool setting for the entire year! This includes 12 units with inquiry lessons, STEM activities, data notebooks, rubrics, print-and-go worksheets, home projects, and so much more!
Check them all out with the links below. These units hit both Kindergarten and First Grade Benchmarks.
What’s Inside This Download?
- Practice of Science * Tools * What is a Scientist * The Scientific Method
- Five Senses 5 WEEK UNIT
- State of MATTER UNIT (Printables, Experiments, Posters, Journal)
- ENERGY Sound, Heat, and Light 3 Week Plan
- FORCE and MOTION Science 3 WEEK UNIT
- PUSH and PULL Week Unit Plan with Inquiry
- DAY AND NIGHT Week UNIT
- Animals Life Science 2 WEEK UNIT
- Plants 3 Week Unit for Kindergarten and First Grade
- Real Vs Make Believe Lesson Plan & Printables
- Weather Unit – Rain, Snow, Sunny and Stormy
- SUN MOON EARTH and Solar Eclipse Week UNIT
BONUS – Butterfly Life Cycle Flip Book & A Standards Checklist for K-1 Science
Looking for more science fun? Check out these 5 engaging science activities for kids!
