Five First Science Experiments for Kindergarten and Grade 1
By Ahmed, founder
Five- and six-year-olds are natural scientists: they look, touch, ask “why?” and test. The key is short experiments with one clear question, a result they can see and not much writing.
1. What does a seed need to grow?
Put beans in three bags: wet and light, wet and dark, and dry. Check daily and draw. Children learn that water is needed. Try What does a seed need to grow?
2. Why does my shadow follow me?
Stand in the sun, move and watch. Use a flashlight to make shadows with toys. See Why does my shadow follow me?
3. Can you see a sound?
Put rice on a plastic-wrap drum, and make noise nearby. The rice jumps. See Can you see a sound?
4. What is it made of?
Use a feely bag and sort objects by material. See What is it made of?
5. What’s the weather like today?
Look outside, record the weather each day on a chart and notice patterns. See What’s the weather like today?
What makes these work for young children
- One question. “Do seeds need water?” not three at once.
- Something to see or count. A sprout, a jumping grain, a tick on a chart.
- Short. 20 to 30 minutes, with a break for movement.
- Drawing instead of writing. A picture with a few labelled words is a good record.
- An adult scribe. Let children say their findings and write them down.
Language for young scientists
Teach a few words and use them often: observe, predict, test, compare, same, different. Use sentence starters: “I see…”, “I think… because…”, “It was different because…”.
Safety
Supervise closely, avoid small parts that could be swallowed and avoid tasting anything in experiments. Check for allergies when using food items.
Keep going
Browse the whole Plants and Seeds unit and the K–2 units Light and Shadows, Sound, Materials and Weather Watchers. Sign up for three lessons free.