How to Learn Science in the Classroom
Science is part of our everyday lives, encompassing the human body, physics, animals, electricity, computers, rocks, dinosaurs and more. To spark students' interest in science, turn the classroom into a hands-on science lab. Students love to learn by doing, seeing and repeating. You can also integrate science with other subjects such as math, reading, computers and spelling.
Instructions
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Set up a show and tell area. Encourage the students to bring in science-related items to discuss and display to their classmates. Some things to bring in to show are collections of toy dinosaurs, fossils, rocks, seashells, pets, books or homemade experiments.
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Adopt a classroom pet. Assign each student a turn in caring for, feeding and cleaning the pet's cage. During breaks and vacations, allow one of the students to take the pet home. Gather as many books and posters, and as much Internet information as possible. to display about the pet.
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Create a bookshelf of science books. Hang science posters throughout the room to encourage science study.
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Set up several microscopes in the room. Encourage students to look through the microscopes to examine things look at things like clothing, hair, animal hair, dust, paper, sugar and salt. Also have several magnifying lenses available to examine everyday items.
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Study electronics by peeking inside everyday objects. Take old computers, keyboards, VCRs, telephones and calculators, and open then up for the students to see how they are made. Make sure that what you set out is safe to touch.
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Set up a weather station outside. Each week, assign a different student to measure the rainfall, snow and temperature, and to note the cloud formations. Set up a bulletin board to report the daily weather.
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Create a science experiment to promote health in the classroom. Learn the difference between eating a healthy diet and eating junk food. Keep a food diary for a week. Discuss ways to improve your diet.
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Learn about science careers. Invite science-related professionals to come and speak in the classroom. Take field trips to hospitals, nature centers, science museums, zoos or recycling centers.
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Hold a science fair in the classroom. First, explain how a science fair works. Then have students choose a subject that interests them. Encourage the process of experimentation.
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Learn a few science tricks. Grab the students’ attention by demonstrating an erupting volcano (pour baking soda and vinegar into a vessel ). Float a ping pong ball in the air above a hair dryer to demonstrate Bernoulli's principle.
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Tips & Warnings
Involve the students in creating the science displays.
Rotate the displays among other classrooms in the school.
Visit a hands-on science museum to get ideas for the classroom.
Make tornado tubes when studying weather.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit microscope image by christemo from Fotolia.com
