Predict, Observe, Explain: Why Predictions Make Kids Better Scientists

If you could change one habit in your science teaching, make it this: never run an experiment without a prediction first. It takes two minutes and changes everything.

Why predictions matter

• They surface ideas. A prediction shows you what students already think, including misconceptions you’d never hear otherwise.
• They create a stake. A child who guessed “the heavy one” cares which lands first.
• They make surprises memorable. When the result doesn’t match, the brain notices. That’s where learning happens.
• They teach that being wrong is useful. A prediction isn’t a test of the student. It’s a starting point for the investigation.

A three-step routine

1. Predict. “What do you think will happen? Why?” Students write or draw their prediction and one reason, before seeing anything.

2. Observe. Run the experiment. Students record what they actually see, with numbers where possible, and without interpreting yet.

3. Explain. Compare the prediction and the result. “What did you expect? What happened? What’s your explanation?” This is where the science idea comes in.

This is often called Predict, Observe, Explain (POE), and it works from kindergarten through Grade 9.

Making predictions safe

Some students hate being wrong. Help them:

• Say it out loud: “Scientists’ predictions are often wrong. That’s how they find out something new.”
• Use “I think… because…” A reasoned guess is a good prediction, whether or not it turns out right.
• Vote. A show of hands for each option takes the pressure off any individual.
• Don’t reveal the answer too soon. Resist saying “Good thinking!” or “Not quite” before the evidence arrives.

When the prediction is wrong

The best response isn’t “Good try.” Ask:

• “What did you notice that surprised you?”
• “What part of your thinking might need changing?”
• “What would you test next?”

A student who says “I thought the heavy one would land first, but they landed together” has just changed their mind based on evidence, the core of science.

Examples

• Predict: which falls first, a heavy or a light container? Observe: they land together. Explain: gravity pulls all things at the same rate, but air resistance matters.
• Predict: does warm or cold water spread food colouring faster? Observe: warm. Explain: faster particles.

Every Fieldbook lesson builds in a prediction step before the hands-on part. Try Do heavy things really fall faster? or Why does a ball stop rolling? Sign up for three lessons free.