Knowing, believing and guessing
Epistemology is the part of philosophy that asks what knowledge is and how we get it. For children it comes down to questions they already care about: How do you know? Who told you? Could you be wrong?
In a community of enquiry the group builds its own criteria. Children often begin with 'I saw it' or 'my teacher said so' and then find cases where those reasons fall short. That discovery is the point of the session.
Free activities to download
Ready-to-run EduTrend Contents philosophy enquiry workshops for primary, middle and high school. Each free download includes a step-by-step session plan, facilitator notes, three student worksheets and an assessment checklist. Full 20-week programmes are available in EduStore.
How Do You Know?
Primary · Ages 5–7
Foundation · 30 min
Young children guess what is in a feely bag using different senses and enquire into how we know things.
Know, Believe or Guess?
Primary · Ages 8–11
Developing · 45 min
Pupils sort statements into know, believe and guess, and enquire into what makes the difference.
Can You Trust Your Senses?
Middle School · Ages 11–13
Intermediate · 50 min
Students test their senses with visual illusions and enquire into whether we can trust what we see.
Who Should You Believe?
Middle School · Ages 12–14
Intermediate · 50 min
Students decide which sources to trust on different questions and enquire into when it is reasonable to believe what others tell us.
Is Knowledge Justified True Belief?
High School · Ages 15–18
Advanced · 60 min
Students examine the definition of knowledge as justified true belief and test it with Gettier-style cases.
Liked the free activities? Go further with a 20-week programme.
Each free activity comes from a full EduTrend Contents programme: a Family Guide or Teacher's Guide with one-page session plans for 20 weeks, plus an Assessment Toolkit with rubrics, trackers and certificates. Choose the one for your child's age or your class below. Instant PDF download after checkout.
P4C-411 · 20 WEEKS · $29
How Do We Know? at Home
Family · Ages 5–11 with a grown-up
Exploring how we know things at home.
P4C-412 · 20 WEEKS · $39
Knowledge and Epistemology Enquiries
Primary · Ages 5–11
Class enquiries on knowing, believing and evidence.
P4C-413 · 20 WEEKS · $39
Knowledge Philosophy Lab
Middle school · Ages 11–14
Senses, sources and the limits of knowledge.
P4C-414 · 20 WEEKS · $45
Knowledge Enquiry Leaders
High school · Ages 14–18
Lead knowledge enquiries for younger children.
Photos: Anna Khromova, Michał Parzuchowski / Unsplash
Knowledge and Epistemology
Explore knowledge and epistemology with five free printable philosophy activities, from a feely bag game and know-believe-guess sorting to visual illusions, trusting sources and Gettier cases. For longer learning, choose a 20-week programme for families, primary, middle or high school.
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Knowledge and Epistemology
