The collaborative teaching research was conducted in northern Taiwan’s Tayal indigenous
tribe to practice a constructivist inquiry-based science project curriculum implementing
place-based education for kindergarten children. Research participants
included 2 classroom teachers and 15 young children. Entering the natural tribal context,
the researcher collected data through field observations, interviews, and other
documentation. Qualitative method was adopted to analyze research data. A bamboo
project was implemented relating to children’s life experiences. Research findings
reveal: (1) teachers and children managed to co-construct a science project curriculum
based on local resources and Tayal traditional knowledge (2) children
developed basic scientific concepts and knowledge about natural plants through the
inquiry-based project curriculum and (3) teachers regarded their roles as being colearners
with children and realized the importance of children’s active involvement in
the constructivist inquiry-based teaching. The result can help to improve science
teaching/learning for indigenous children by utilizing environmental resources as well
as traditional knowledge in future education.