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Two children and a teacher play together at a long flume containing sand and gently running water. As if this flume were a riverbed, the teacher and children explore how the water pools or cascades when the river’s pathway is obstructed, freed, or channeled. Observe how the teacher wonders with the children and encourages them to pursue their questions. Notice what strategies he uses to help the children relate one change to another, or to think about the relationship between cause-and-effect.

Jenna plays with blocks as she sits on the floor alongside her teacher. As you study the strategies that the teacher uses to extend Jenna’s block play consider when and how she is most successful. Notice how the child gazes at her teacher on multiple occasions and speculate about Jenna’s intentions. Observe how the teacher shares her own interpretations of the child’s actions and reflect on why she may decide to do so. Carefully study Jenna’s play and work in order to discover what specific features or properties of the blocks most capture her interest.

Six two-year-olds and their teacher, experiment with mixing food coloring in water. Notice how the teacher works to increase the children’s understanding by asking them to plan ahead: “Tyler, do you have an idea of how many drops of blue we should put in?” Observe what strategies the teacher uses to maintain the children’s interest and encourage their participation. Carefully study how the children respond when food coloring is added and learn what their comments and actions indicate about their knowledge of color mixing.

Eight boys and their teacher problem solve about how to learn what some construction workers are building without crossing the parking lot at school. The teacher says, “So we’re gonna try and figure out what they might be doing over there.” This activity encourages the children to make inferences about the goals and intentions of other people. Observe what theories the children share about what the workers are doing. Notice that the children assume the construction workers’ digging is purposeful.

Three children play together by animating a butterfly and two toy turtles. These animals become the central characters around which the children collaborate to develop a pretend script. Study how the children use symbols in their play and consider why some symbols are constant while others change. Observe how pretending together encourages the children to reject certain symbols while accepting others.

Four children talk with their teacher as they work to paint their faces and to move like animals. Observe how the teacher confronts the paradox in Kay’s decision to paint an entire butterfly on her face and consider how an adult might help the child reflect about this contradiction more clearly. Notice how the teacher encourages the children to reflect on their thinking by asking them to plan ahead: “I notice that you’ve just started with the orange.

Three children are exploring watercolor paints with their teacher. On several occasions, the teacher gives the children verbal guidance or even holds a child's hand to show the sequence: dip in water, dip in paint, and then stroke paper. Carefully study the teacher’s strategies and consider where she is most effective or ineffective when helping the children learn watercolor technique. After brushing some green paint on her paper Maddy says, “I don’t want this one. It’s not great.” She then closes her box of watercolors and places her paintbrush in the water bottle.

Nicholas and Jack are working at the table with their teacher. Jack would like to write the word 'pineapple' and throughout the video clip the teacher helps Jack determine what letters to write next by giving him phonetic clues. For example, the letter 'N' is next and the teacher says, “So it’s ‘Pi – Nah’. What letter makes that ‘Nah’ sound?” Consider what Jack must be able to do with the letter sound provided by his teacher and think about what other techniques may better support Jack’s writing efforts. Notice that Jack asks the teacher many questions.

Walter, Justin and Shea are exploring shadows with their teacher. Notice that the teacher begins by saying, “When I stand here, look! When I stand here my shadow is on the wall." Consider why the teacher may decide to use a scientific term to talk with the children about their discovery. Justin holds a toy snake in his hand and points to the wall as he says, “I see mine on the wall." Carefully study the details of his actions to learn what knowledge about shadows Justin demonstrates.

Jack and his teacher have been working on the problem of building stairs using unit blocks. Jack repeatedly tries to build a set of stairs more than three blocks high, but each time he adds the fourth block, the structure tips over. Notice how the teacher invites Jack to think about what is making the staircase fall and what could be done to prevent it.