Science · Kindergarten · The Senses and Scientific Inquiry · Weeks 28-36

Conducting Simple Investigations

Students plan and carry out simple investigations to answer their questions.

• Common Core State Standards
• K-ETS1-1

About This Topic

Conducting simple investigations is where kindergartners begin to see themselves as scientists. Students move from curiosity to action: they ask a question, decide what to do to find an answer, and carry out their plan using materials they can touch and observe. Aligned with K-ETS1-1, this topic builds the foundation for scientific inquiry by asking students to define a problem and use systematic observation as a tool for answering questions they care about.

At the kindergarten level, an investigation does not need to be elaborate. Testing whether a toy car rolls faster on a ramp or a flat surface requires only a simple ramp, a car, and attentive eyes. What matters is the sequence: the question comes first, the method follows, and observation completes the cycle. Keeping this structure visible with a three-step anchor chart helps students internalize the logic of scientific thinking before they are asked to write it.

Active learning is the heart of this topic because an investigation only exists in the doing. Students who plan and run their own experiment, however simple, develop ownership over the outcome. That ownership transforms passive interest into genuine scientific curiosity and prepares students to build on their own prior knowledge rather than relying on someone else to supply answers.

Key Questions

1. Design a simple investigation to test if a toy car rolls faster on a ramp or a flat surface.
2. Explain the steps you would take to find out if a plant needs sunlight to grow.
3. Evaluate the results of a simple experiment you conducted.

Learning Objectives

• Design a simple experiment to test a question about the physical world.
• Explain the steps taken to conduct a simple investigation.
• Compare the results of a simple investigation to the initial question.
• Identify observations made during a simple investigation.

Before You Start

Asking Questions

Why: Students need to be able to formulate questions before they can design investigations to answer them.

Basic Observation Skills

Why: Students must be able to notice and describe simple attributes of objects and events to gather data.

Key Vocabulary

investigation	A careful study or examination to learn about something or to find answers to a question.
question	Something you want to know the answer to, which starts an investigation.
plan	A set of steps you decide to follow to carry out your investigation.
observe	To watch carefully and notice details about something.
results	What you find out or learn after you do your investigation.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

A fair test means everyone gets a turn.

What to Teach Instead

Kindergartners often think fairness in a test means equal participation rather than equal conditions. Guide students to see that a fair test means changing only one thing at a time, such as the surface, not the car and the surface together. Side-by-side active comparison makes this distinction concrete in a way that verbal explanation alone does not.

Common Misconception

The result you hoped for is the correct result.

What to Teach Instead

Young students sometimes report what they wanted to happen rather than what they observed. Normalizing unexpected results as interesting data, by celebrating surprise outcomes during whole-class sharing, helps students trust their observations over their expectations and builds honest scientific habits early.

Active Learning Ideas

Think-Pair-Share: My Best Question

Each student thinks of an 'I wonder...' question about a toy or classroom object. Partners share questions and together choose one they could actually test using only things in the room. Pairs then describe their plan in one sentence before the class votes on which question to investigate together.

15 min·Pairs

Inquiry Circle: Ramp vs. Flat

Small groups test a toy car on a ramp and on the classroom floor to see which surface lets it travel farther. Students draw their setup before testing, mark a prediction with a sticky note, then place a sticker where the car actually stopped and compare the two results.

30 min·Small Groups

Stations Rotation: Three Science Questions

Set up three stations, each with a different testable question and the materials to answer it: does a larger cotton ball sink faster, does a taller ramp push a marble farther, does a cup full of water feel heavier than a half-full one? Groups rotate and carry out each investigation, recording a drawing and one sentence at each station.

35 min·Small Groups

Gallery Walk: What We Found Out

After an investigation, each group posts a before-and-after drawing showing their prediction and their result. The class walks the room and uses sticky dots to mark results that surprised them, then gathers to discuss why some groups may have gotten different outcomes.

20 min·Whole Class

Real-World Connections

• Food scientists design taste tests to determine which new snack flavors are most popular with children. They plan the test, observe how children react to different snacks, and analyze the results to decide which flavor to produce.
• Mechanics at a car repair shop investigate why a car is making a strange noise. They listen to the engine, check different parts, and use their observations to figure out what needs to be fixed.

Assessment Ideas

Exit Ticket

Give each student a card with a simple question, like 'Does a ball roll faster down a steep hill or a gentle hill?'. Ask them to draw two pictures: one showing how they would test the question, and one showing what they think the result will be.

Discussion Prompt

After students conduct a simple ramp investigation, ask: 'What was one thing you planned to do? What did you observe when you did it? Was your observation what you expected?'

Quick Check

Observe students as they plan their investigation. Ask guiding questions like: 'What is your question? What materials will you use? What is the first step in your plan?' Note their ability to articulate a plan.

Frequently Asked Questions

What counts as a real investigation in Kindergarten?

Any structured sequence where students ask a question, do something to find an answer, and describe what they noticed counts. It does not need data tables or formal controls. The key elements are a specific question and a deliberate observation tied to it. Rolling a car down a ramp and marking where it stops is a legitimate investigation at this level.

How do I keep students focused during a science investigation without it becoming free play?

Anchor the activity to a single, clear question and give each student a specific role: one pushes the car, one marks the stopping point, one draws the result. When every student has a job, attention stays on the task. Clear time limits and a two-step recording sheet also structure the work without making it feel like a worksheet.

How does K-ETS1-1 connect to scientific investigations?

K-ETS1-1 asks students to define a simple problem and consider solutions. An investigation is a systematic way to test whether a proposed solution works. Students who practice the question-and-test cycle at kindergarten are learning the same define-and-test logic that engineers use, just with toy cars and ramps instead of prototypes and materials.

How does active learning support scientific inquiry in kindergarten?

Students who design and carry out their own investigations experience the complete loop of wondering, planning, testing, and finding out. That loop is the core of scientific thinking. When a teacher demonstrates instead, the student sees the result but never commits to a prediction or carries out a plan, reducing the experience to passive observation rather than active inquiry.