The belief that it is possible to understand things about the physical and natural world by active investigation is at the core of scientific thinking. Active investigation — experimentation and discovery — is a natural part of children’s lives. In science education, we are primarily concerned with promoting scientific inquiry in young children and guiding them in their questioning, investigation, observations, record keeping, collaborative discussions, and theories as they grow.

We prepare teachers by engaging adults as learners in their own inquiries, thus cultivating their own curiosity and understanding about the physical and natural world. Considerations of curriculum emphasize the importance of direct experience to the construction of understanding, collaborative learning, and curriculum integration, and increase their understanding of the natural world.

COME LEARN WITH ME Come learn about the natural world with this engaging science book series from Bank Street and Lickle Publishing. THE VOYAGES OF THE MIMI Get a glimpse of our serialized dramatic adventures that combine video, print, and software for integrated curriculum and inquiry-based instruction in the middle grades. IDEAS ON TRIAL Science comes to life in these exciting biographies of daring pioneers.

TIORATI WORKSHOP At Tiorati Workshop for Environmental Learning, a collaborative venture of Bank Street College of Education and the Palisades Interstate Park Commission, learners investigate and deepen their understanding of nature. LEARNING NETWORK Science lesson plans and resources from Bank Street are available through the New York Times Learning Network.