My primary objective is to summarize research Wndings on the development of scientiWc
thinking, with a particular focus on studies that target elementary- and middle-school students.
To preview, suYcient research has been compiled to corroborate the claim that
investigation skills and relevant domain knowledge “bootstrap” one another, such that
there is an interdependent relationship that underlies the development of scientiWc thinking.
However, as is the case for intellectual skills in general, the development of the component
skills of scientiWc thinking “cannot be counted on to routinely develop” (Kuhn &
Franklin, 2006, p. 974). That is, even though young children demonstrate many of the requisite
skills needed to engage in scientiWc thinking, there are also conditions under which
adults do not show full proWciency. Although there is a long developmental trajectory,
research has been aimed at identiWed how these thinking skills can be promoted by determining
the types of educational interventions (e.g., amount of structure, amount of support,
emphasis on strategic or metastrategic skills) that will contribute most to learning,
retention and transfer. Research has identiWed what children are capable of with minimal
support, but is moving in the direction of ascertaining what children are capable of, and