Guided Discovery is a teaching technique used to introduce materials, working areas, or learning processes in a classroom. It can help children make a variety of good choices, use materials successfully, and take better care of themselves, each other, and their classroom. The Goals of a Guided Discovery are:

• To excite and motivate children to explore areas and materials in their classroom with imagination, invention, industry and joy.
• To help children learn to make choices and use "choice periods" in a productive and satisfying way.
• To develop children's abilities to work cooperatively in learning areas or with materials in their classroom - e.g., to be partners, to listen to each other's good ideas, to learn from one another.
• To build and establish a common classroom vocabulary - all children know the names and places for materials in their room.
• To develop and establish expectations and rules for taking care of materials and areas of the room - children learn expectations for independent set-up and clean-up and proper ways to handle the materials to keep them safe and beautiful.

A Guided Discovery can be done with a whole group, small group or individuals. All children will experience a Guided Discovery for a material, area or process before any children use it independently. They are actively involved in generating rules, establishing vocabulary and exploring expectations and possibilities for the material, area or process. Students will have the opportunity to practice and rehearse using and exploring the material, area, or learning process while the teacher closely observes and guides. They will also have the opportunity to share work done during a Guided Discovery with other children.