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== =What is Science?= =How can K-6 students learn about the Nature of Science?=

We can help students learn the answers to these questions by doing inquiry based activities with them. Inquiry based activites ask students to observe, experiment, record, chart, and communicate their observations about events and objects in the natural world.

This wiki contains inquiry based activities that are suitable in the K-6 classroom. These activities connect to the big ideas of science as described in the National Science Education Standards. In ** Physical Science ** (PS) the topics are; 1) the **properties of matter**, 2) **motion and forces**, and 3) **energy**. In ** Earth and Space Science ** (ES) the topics are; 1) **structure of the earth**, 2) **changes in the earth and sky**, and the 3) **earth in the solar system**. In ** Life Science ** (LS) the topics are; 1) **characteristics of organisms**, 2) **life cycles of organisms**, and 3) **organisms & their environment**. We also have a topic area called ** Science as Inquiry ** for those activities that may not connect directly to a standard.

The picture lesson activities in this wiki were created by pre-service elementary education majors at the College of Education of **Temple University PA, USA**. The ideas for the activites were inspired from the internet and books about inquiry. You can see some of those books and resources by clicking on the link "Great Resources on Inquiry!" to the right.


 * Just click on the topics to the right to get started**. The activities are in pdf's, you will need Acrobat Reader on your computer. If you would like to contribute to this project just go to the "How to Contribute" page for more information.

If you have any questions just email Dr. George Mehler at gmehler@cbsd.org. Thanks.