Here are some examples of stimuli that we recommend for different types of inquiries
Can I be your friend?: age 7 upwards, KS1, KS2, KS3
Themes: Social media, friendship, online, communication
Changing Batteries – The Saddest Story: age 5 upwards, KS1, KS2
Themes: Loneliness, Care, Sadness, Loss, Death, Paradise, Robots, Artificial Intelligence
All You Need is Love – The Beatles: all ages
Themes: Love, music, social history
The Baboon on the Moon: age 3 – 5, EYFS, KS1
Baboon on the Moon from AUB Animation on Vimeo.
Theme: Loneliness
Why do we go to school?: age 3 – 7, EYFS, KS1
Theme: Education
Click here for the full outstanding set of BBC CBeebies short videos designed to help younger children tackle philosophical questions
The Hospital Window: age 10 upwards: KS2, KS3
Themes: Honesty, lying, friendship, care
Dove: Artificial Beauty Time Lapse: age 10 upwards: KS2, KS3
Themes: Beauty, truth, identity
Like a Girl: age 7 upwards, KS2, KS3
Themes: Gender, stereotypes
New Friends – age 5 upwards, KS1, KS2, KS3
More stimulus suggestions for older students (KS2 and 3) here………
Themes: Friendship, change, conformity, coercion
What’s wrong with it?: 3 – 7 years, EYFS, KS1
Show the picture to the children and pause for a few seconds. Ask what’s wrong and get them to explain how it should be different and why. Browse also for chocolate teapot, upside-down tree and square tomatoes http://im.ft-static.com/content/images/d5ae77a8-b361-4c2b-ac06-4345710f62ac.img
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe – the crowning: 3 – 7 years, EYFS, KS1
This can open up talk about kings, queens and democracy. Would it be sensible to have two kings and two queens? And could a child really be a king or queen?
Elephant Art: 3 + years, EYFS, KS1
Is it art or not? What constitutes art? Does this help elephant conservation? Lots of questions from all ages guaranteed with this subject.
What’s the Big Idea?: Different: 3 – 7 years, EYFS, KS1
This focuses on whether we’re all different, whether it’s ok to be different and whether things can be the same but different too. It encourages the children to explore similarities and differences between each other.
A robot friend: 3 – 7 years, EYFS, KS1
Do you think it would be a good idea to have a robot visit your classroom? If you had a class robot, what would you have it do? Should you call it a boy’s name or a girl’s name? Or just make one up?
Weird animals: 3 – 7 years, EYFS, KS1
These weird creatures will provide interest and some hilarity too but which would you rather have as a pet? You could discuss how animals are adapted and then try and choose the best animal to be a teacher or fire, ambulance or police person. https://www.boredpanda.com/strange-animals/
