The Discovery interest area provides students with opportunities to be a scientist, that is, to use their five senses to explore the world around them.  Students learn scientific concepts as they observe and explore through hands-on experiences.  The ideal Discovery interest area offers a variety of developmentally appropriate materials that encourage students to experiment, hypothesize, and observe.  To maximize students' learning, teachers should ask open-ended questions, provide problem-solving opportunities, and support their investigations.  The Discovery interest area is a Creative Curriculum and ECERS-3 required area.