The website I found gave five ideas to make science exciting and engaging:
The first idea is to "watch it". This means that when learning about things like animal cycles, get a butterfly or frog hatching kit. This will allow students to day-by-day watch as the caterpillar change into a butterfly, or watch the tadpoles become frogs. They can observe every day and record the changes they see. This is exciting for students and then in the spring they can find a caterpillar or tadpole and do it all over again.
"Find it": This idea is great not only for engaging students, but also for teachings with low materials budgets! If you are doing a unit where students need to inspect, observe or test things have them bring in their own item to do these things with. Having students find their own materials will make it more exciting to examen and test them later.
"Hold it": Instead of just showing students diagrams or charts, have them make a model of whatever you are learning about. Being able to put it together, take it apart, and hold it in their hands will really enforce and keep them interested in the topic.
"Build it": When it comes to things like physics it can be a lot more fun to have students build the structures you are teaching them about. The website said that the K'nex Construction Kits come in classroom sizes which allow students to work in groups to create large structures and test their abilities. This makes learning about physics a lot more fun and comprehendible. You can also turn into a competition by seeing which group can create a tower or bridge that holds the most weight etc...
"Take a break": If you get done with a rough science unit and your students are burnt out, plan a few fun science lessons! Do some fun, carefree experiments that teach them little science factoids but by doing fun things. You can easily find books or websites with fun science experiments you can do with your students. This will lighten the mood of science and show them it is still fun!
http://www.lessonplanspage.com/articles/HomeScienceTools.html
I definately like the find it, and build it, suggestions that you found. I feel that if students are able to explore or "create" science on their own that it becomes real for them and creates that motivation for them to learn. These suggestions really offer opportunities for that to happen. I also agree with the take a break suggestion but only if the experiments really are expiraments and only if they are meaningful and worthwhile.
ReplyDeleteI think this is great- especially because I would love to teach science! I love how the author desribed the "Watch it, find it, hold it, build it, and take a break!" I think the "watch it" is very important. If studetns SEE the science with their own eyes they not knly will be able to comprehend the information better, but they will automatically be more engaged with the lesson, which in the end will hopefully lead to positive learning experiences within the subject of science.
ReplyDeleteGreat info!