Winter Explorations in Science

Submitted By: Julie Pugkhem, Preschool – 1st Grade Science

Exploration in science taps into young children’s natural curiosity, encouraging them to think like scientists by asking questions, observing their surroundings, and forming hypotheses. This foundation in critical thinking sets the stage for a smooth transition and continued academic success in the upper elementary years. These past few months have been an exciting few months of discovery and inquiry for the preschoolers, kindergarteners, and first graders.

In preschool, we wrapped up our exploration of the five senses with a thrilling indoor scavenger hunt using our sense of sight. The children had a fantastic time looking for different objects (and people) around the school. They were thrilled to walk by the front desk, discover Mrs. Bryan, and check her off their list. Behind her desk, they checked off another box on their list when they spotted a statue of the school mascot, a bulldog.

Meanwhile, our kindergarten friends dove into the fascinating world of light! They learned about what light is and explored the concepts of transparent, translucent, and opaque through hands-on activities. In first grade, we concluded our study of the properties of matter, focusing on the unique properties of water, such as adhesion and cohesion. The students engaged in exciting hands-on explorations, and with the arrival of snow, the students created a rainbow of colors by spraying the snow.  It was a delight for the preschool students who were able to play in the colorful winter wonderland.