The aim is to help children to ask and investigate questions we ask in physics like “Where do puddles go?” and relate these to Big Questions like “Will we ever control the weather?” 

Inside their discovery bags children will find a pipette, ruler, diffraction glasses, colourful spinners and a set of five investigation cards. Teachers and parents receive teaching notes and discussion guides. 

The project is led by Professor Berry Billingsley, Director of LASAR at Canterbury Christ Church University, and is supported by funding from the Science and Technology Facilities Council and the Templeton World Charity Foundation.    

Feedback from children, parents and teachers participating in the project will help the team to produce guidance for teachers about effective ways to encourage children’s questioning and critical thinking skills. 

Professor Berry Billingsley explains that epistemic insight (thinking about how we ask and investigate different types of questions) is an important and often neglected part of the curriculum.  

She said: “Hands-on science plays a key role in helping children to understand how science can help us to answer questions like, How are rainbows formed? It also helps children to appreciate where science fits with other ways of knowing like history and religion to help us to consider Big Questions.” 

Schools and parents who would like to join the project are invited to email LASAR@canterbury.ac.uk .