During the course of our experimentation, the children asked and answered many interesting questions: Do the pumpkins float right-side-up, upside down, or on their sides? What part of the pumpkins sink in the water? What would have happened if we had filled the sink to the very top and then placed the pumpkins in the water? We talked about displacement and compared our pumpkin experiment with what happens to the water level in our bathtubs when we climb in and sit down.
It is important for young children to see themselves as scientists when they investigate their world. Like scientists, we followed a procedure today that involved drawing upon prior knowledge, predicting, recording, investigating, observing, making comparisons, re-evaluating our thinking, drawing conclusions, and applying problem-solving skills. Encouraging this way of thinking and learning lays the foundation for further understanding of science.