Constructing concepts about electricity in early childhood education through inquiry-based activities

We present a study that aims to describe the implementation of a proposal where preschool children construct concepts and generalizations through empirical experience and dialogue with others by engaging in inquiry activities on electrical circuits. The participants are children (aged 4 to 5) from a preschool classroom. The sessions were recorded and analysed. The results show that children understand electricity as an entity that allows things to work. In general, they have no difficulty identifying electrical and electronic devices. As the activity develops, children reach an inductive generalization according to which metal objects conduct electricity. It is observed that children show more difficulties in applying these ideas when they make predictions than when they justify their observations.