Children as Emerging Investigators: Scientific Process Skills and Inquiry Ecology in Nature-Based Early Childhood Classrooms

Abstract

This study examines the baseline scientific process skill profiles of 4–5-year-old children participating in a nature-based science program developed through a Turkish–U.S. partnership funded by TÜBİTAK. The intervention was aligned with both the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) for K–2 and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), integrating early science learning with global sustainability competencies. Using a mixed-methods embedded case study design, pre-test data were collected from experimental (n = 14) and control (n = 13) groups attending a public preschool in Bloomington, Indiana. The Science Observation Form (Kuru & Akman, 2017) showed strong internal consistency (Cronbach's α = .896–.961). Mann-Whitney U tests revealed significantly higher baseline scores for the experimental group on Scientific Process Skills (U = 140.0, p = .017) and total scores (U = 132.5, p = .046), with no differences on Problem Solving or Scientific Attitudes. Qualitative observations documented emergent inquiry behaviors, including prediction-testing cycles, explanatory language, variable awareness, and peer collaboration. The teacher reported strong curricular compatibility, indicating high ecological validity. These findings underscore the need for baseline-adjusted models in subsequent effect estimation and strengthen the evidence base for nature-based early science education within globally relevant sustainability frameworks.