Scientific Thinking and Exploring

Observes and responds to external stimuli (e.g., sounds, lights, smells, or other environmental aspects).

Indicates surprise, curiosity, or hesitancy when presented with unfamiliar items, people, or situations.

Indicates interest by looking, pointing, or verbalizing.

Explores or asks questions about new materials or the environment.

Notices (verbally or nonverbally) differences or similarities among materials, objects, and phenomena.

Uses past experiences to generate new questions.

Describes differences and similarities.

Expresses curiosity and/or makes predictions after observing something that occurs repeatedly.

Ask questions to obtain information from weather forecasts to prepare for and respond to severe weather.

Make observations of plants and animals to compare the diversity of life in different habitats.

Uses senses to become aware of immediate surroundings (e.g., looking at a mobile, turning their head towards a sound, or touching different textures).

Touches, feels, and manipulates objects to gain understanding.

Seeks out and explores objects and items.

Begins using objects as tools (e.g., using a block as a hammer or a phone).

Plays with objects of interest (whether familiar or new) for extended periods of time.

Identifies and uses some tools for their intended purpose.

Seeks to gain additional knowledge in areas of interest using trial and error and/or asking for caregiver help.

Explores and notices properties in objects.

Uses many tools as intended (e.g., scissors or magnifying glass).

Starts with a useful, general approach to investigation even if details may be lacking.

Explores objects with the intention of finding out something specific.

Uses tools in new and creative ways.

Make daily and seasonal observations of local weather conditions to describe patterns over time.

Record and use observations to describe patterns of what plants and animals (including humans) need to survive.

Demonstrates recognition of familiar items, people, and situations.

Persists in looking for missing object(s).

Demonstrates willingness to try new things.

Uses simple strategies to carry out ideas.

Persists in actions or attempts to affect the environment or objects.

Approaches situations with intent to achieve a simple outcome.

Uses a variety of strategies to carry out ideas.

Demonstrates ability to focus on one element of a situation.

Persists with a trial-and-error process through play and experimentation.

Makes a simple plan to see what will happen.

Uses a greater variety of strategies to carry out ideas.

Demonstrates ability to focus on multiple elements of a situation.

Makes a prediction when prompted.

Makes a plan in advance with an intended outcome.

Demonstrates awareness that different materials and variables impact strategies and outcomes.

Makes a logical prediction of an expected outcome.

Changes a plan or actions when the outcome is not as expected.

Identify and describe patterns that emerge from the effects of different strengths or different directions of pushes and pulls on the motion of an object.

Design and build a structure to reduce the warming effect of sunlight on Earth's surface.

Shows a preference for certain materials, people, or situations.

Indicates surprise when outcome is not as expected.

Groups objects that belong together.

Recognizes differences among similar objects.

Makes guesses at possible explanations.

Communicates simple questions or observations after experimenting with objects or materials.

Describes items by comparing, sorting, classifying, and/or organizing.

Begins to rely on or expect information, based on things seen or experienced directly.

Offers detailed observations of why the result occurred.

Is open to more than one solution or answer to a problem.

Reflects on results and develops understanding when guided by an adult.

Construct an argument supported by evidence for whether a design solution works as intended to change the speed or direction of an object with a push or a pull.

Observes interactions and materials in the environment.

Begins to explore materials in the environment.

Experiments with materials in the environment (e.g., stacking items) and notices what happens.

Uses vocabulary to describe materials.

Begins to experiment with cause and effect.

Expresses ideas about materials or results, verbally or nonverbally.

Communicates possible explanations for an outcome.

Generates more complex questions.

Retells or describes own actions when experimenting.

Communicates with others about questions, actions, ideas, observations, or results.

Communicate design ideas for a structure that reduces the warming effect of sunlight on Earth's surface.

Chooses familiar people and objects.

Remembers and builds on past experiences.

Applies knowledge gained from one situation to another.

Recognizes different qualities to inform the development of a rule.

Recalls information and communicates how they will use it in new or different experiences.

Develops and applies rules.

Uses previous experience to solve problems.

Compares findings to predictions or expected results and notices patterns in the findings.

Sort objects in terms of natural/human-made, color, size, shape, and texture, then communicate the reasoning for the sorting system.

Identify and describe patterns that emerge from the effects of different strengths or different directions of pushes and pulls on the motion of an object.