Science · Year 1

Active learning ideas

From Curiosity to Scientific Questions

Year 1 students learn by doing. Turning everyday wonderings into precise scientific questions requires active engagement, not passive listening. When children manipulate objects, discuss ideas, and rewrite questions, they build the foundation for scientific thinking that lasts beyond the classroom.

• ACARA Content Descriptions
• AC9S1I01

• 20–35 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 4 activities

Activity 01

• Think-Pair-Share
• 25 min · Pairs

Think-Pair-Share: Wondering to Question

Provide a common object like a toy car. Students spend 2 minutes noting individual wonderings. In pairs, they rephrase one into a testable question, then share with the class for voting on the best version.

Differentiate between a 'wondering' and a scientific question.

Facilitation Tip

During Think-Pair-Share, give each pair a sentence stem like 'I wonder why...' and ask them to rephrase it as a testable question before sharing with the group.

What to look for

Present students with a collection of objects (e.g., a feather, a rock, a leaf). Ask them to write down one 'wondering' and one scientific question about one of the objects. Review their responses to see if they can distinguish between the two.

• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Awareness
• Relationship Skills

Activity 02

• Stations Rotation
• 35 min · Small Groups

Question Sort Stations: Small Groups

Prepare cards with wonderings and scientific questions. Groups rotate through stations to sort cards into categories, discuss why each fits, and create one new question per station.

Analyze how a question can be made more specific for an investigation.

Facilitation Tip

At Question Sort Stations, place a mix of wonderings and questions on cards and have groups physically sort them into two labeled trays to make the distinction visible.

What to look for

Give each student a card with a general wondering, such as 'I wonder if plants need sunlight.' Ask them to rewrite it as a specific, testable scientific question. Collect the cards to assess their ability to refine questions.

• Remember
• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Management
• Relationship Skills

Activity 03

• Stations Rotation
• 30 min · Whole Class

Object Question Relay: Whole Class

Divide class into teams. Each student observes an object, states a wondering, passes to next for rephrasing as scientific question. Teams refine their chain collaboratively.

Construct three scientific questions about a common object.

Facilitation Tip

For the Object Question Relay, place three mystery objects at each station and have teams rotate to write one question per object on a whiteboard before passing it to the next group.

What to look for

Show students a short video clip of a simple experiment (e.g., dropping two different-sized balls). Ask: 'What did you observe?' Then, 'What questions do you have about what you saw?' Guide the discussion to help them formulate testable questions from their observations.

• Remember
• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Management
• Relationship Skills

Activity 04

• Stations Rotation
• 20 min · Individual

Personal Question Journal: Individual

Students choose a classroom object, draw it, write one wondering and one scientific question. Pairs swap journals to peer-review and suggest improvements.

Differentiate between a 'wondering' and a scientific question.

Facilitation Tip

Encourage students to keep a Personal Question Journal where they draw or write about one curiosity each week and rewrite it as a scientific question with a peer check.

What to look for

Present students with a collection of objects (e.g., a feather, a rock, a leaf). Ask them to write down one 'wondering' and one scientific question about one of the objects. Review their responses to see if they can distinguish between the two.

• Remember
• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Management
• Relationship Skills

A few notes on teaching this unit

Teachers should model the difference between a wondering and a question by thinking aloud as they observe objects. Avoid rushing students to 'get the right answer.' Instead, focus on the process of refining language and testing ideas. Research shows that when students revise their own questions, they develop stronger metacognitive skills and deeper curiosity.

Students will confidently turn simple observations into clear, testable questions. They will recognize the difference between broad wonderings and focused scientific queries, and they will use feedback from peers to refine their questions.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During Question Sort Stations, watch for students sorting questions like 'Why do leaves change color?' as scientific.

  Redirect them to reframe it as 'Do leaves change color faster in sunlight?' and place it in the testable tray. Use the sorting cards to guide them to focus on what can be observed or measured.

• During Object Question Relay, listen for students starting questions with 'Why' as if it always makes a question scientific.

  Prompt them to change 'Why do balls roll?' to 'How does the slope affect how far a ball rolls?' Show them how 'why' often leads to explanations, while 'how' or 'what if' leads to investigations.

• During Think-Pair-Share, notice if students write questions that only need a yes or no answer.

  Ask them to expand it by adding 'What do you predict will happen if...' or 'Can you measure...?' and have their partner help rephrase it.

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Methods used in this brief

• Think-Pair-Share
• Stations Rotation