Kindergarten Science: how to help at home
What your child learns in Kindergarten science in the Prince Edward Island Curriculum, and simple things to try at home.
The Big Ideas this year
- Exploring the World Using Our Senses.
Easy ways to practise science at home
- Go on a nature walk and name what you see: leaves, bugs, clouds, puddles.
- Plant a bean seed and check it together each day.
- Ask “What do you notice?” before you explain anything.
- Talk about the weather each morning and what to wear for it.
What each unit covers
My Five Senses
Take a sensory walk and name what you see, hear, smell and feel. Sort household objects by how they feel, such as rough and smooth.
Be a Scientist
Asking a science question, predicting, observing with the senses, picking a tool such as a ruler or magnifying glass, and telling what was found out.
Materials
Describing everyday materials (soft or hard, rough or smooth, bendy or stiff), what sinks or floats, and naming what things are made of, like wood, metal, glass and cloth.
Sense Words
Builds the words children use to describe what they notice with their senses. Your child matches describing words to sights, sounds, smells, tastes and textures.
Senses Help Us
Your child uses clues from the five senses to name everyday things, and talks about how seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting and touching help keep us safe.
What Do You Hear?
Your child uses the sense of hearing: matching sounds to animals and things, and telling loud from soft and high from low.
What the report card levels look like at home
- Beginning
- Just getting started with this idea. Short, regular practice with lots of support helps most.
- Approaching
- Understands parts of it and is building confidence. Keep practising the tricky parts.
- Meeting
- Has it! Mixed review now and then keeps it strong.
- Exceeding
- Applies it confidently, even in new or harder situations. Try challenge mode and real-life problems.
Your child’s teacher decides the level on the report card. Read the PEI report card guide.
Common questions
Go on a nature walk and name what you see: leaves, bugs, clouds, puddles. Plant a bean seed and check it together each day. Keep sessions short, about 10 to 15 minutes, and stop on a success.
The Prince Edward Island Curriculum Kindergarten science units include my five senses, be a scientist, materials, sense words, senses help us, what do you hear?.
Free printable Kindergarten science practice sheet
Questions from every unit, with an answer key.