What is the role of scientific inquiry in early science education?
Within any elementary school class, there may be a wide range of physical and cognitive development (National Science Resources Center, 1997). Teaching science through inquiry is effective with a developmentally diverse group of young children. Scientific inquiry practices in early childhood education focus on scientific behaviors such as observing and making predictions and providing opportunities for children to express themselves and their findings as scientists do through writings, drawings and presentations. Children are naturally inquisitive and have a desire to learn about their world through exploration and conversation (Loucks-Horsley & Kapitan, 1990). This innate urge to understand their world is acted out in play. Curious exploration contributes to a better understanding of science and provides children with opportunities for manipulation of materials and investigation of how things work. Exploration also encourages observation, predictions and explanations. Scientific inqui
