My primary objective is to summarize research findings on the development of scientific
thinking, with a particular focus on studies that target elementary- and middle-school students.
To preview, sufficient 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 scientific 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 scientific thinking, there are also conditions under which
adults do not show full proficiency. Although there is a long developmental trajectory,
research has been aimed at identified 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 identified what children are capable of with minimal
support, but is moving in the direction of ascertaining what children are capable of, and