This study explored the influence of a Saturday Science program that used explicit reflective
instruction through contextualized and decontextualized guided and authentic inquiry on K-2
students’ views of nature of science (NOS). The six-week program ran for 2.5 hours weekly and
emphasized NOS in a variety of science content areas, culminating in an authentic inquiry
designed and carried out by the K-2 students. The Views of Nature of Science Form D was used
to interview K-2 students pre- and post-instruction. Copies of student work were retained for
content analysis. Videotapes made of each week’s science instruction were reviewed to ensure that
explicit reflective NOS instruction took place. Explicit NOS teaching strategies included (1) introducing
NOS through decontextualized activities, (2) embedding NOS into science content
through contextualized activities, (3) using children’s literature, (4) debriefings and embedded
NOS assessments, and (5) guided and student-designed inquiries. Results indicate that K-2
students improved their NOS views over the course of the program, suggesting that they are developmentally
ready for these concepts. Students developed adequate views of the distinction
between observation and inference, the creative NOS, the tentative NOS, the empirical NOS, and
to a lesser degree, the subjective NOS.