How to Learn Science Using PowerPoint

A PowerPoint presentation can help students learn science concepts.

PowerPoint is a powerful presentation tool, which is made up of a series of slides created in Microsoft PowerPoint software. As a science teaching tool, PowerPoint can get students excited with engaging visuals that hook them with connections between their lives and the scientific lesson plans. Ideally, PowerPoint is an educational tool that creates an interactive lecture in which students ask questions and teachers offer evidence for critical analysis. It allows for student input rather than a monotonous lecture.

Things You'll Need

• PowerPoint science presentation

Instructions

1. Observe visuals of a science PowerPoint presentation while your teacher lectures. For example, a genetics presentation would feature a DNA model and genetic maps.

2. Ask your teacher questions about the science information presented. Your teacher should pose questions through the presentation also. Where does your eye color come from, what are recessive genes and what are the environmental effects on genes are questions that may be asked.

3. Share anecdotes about family history and genes to the class and listen to other students and your teacher's gene stories. This will allow for intellectual engagement of the science and motivate students to assess genetics in their own lives.

4. View evidence of the science of genetics on the PowerPoint presentation. An example could be Mendel's experiments with pea plants.

5. Understand the science lesson plan presented by your teacher. After the PowerPoint presentation, the teacher can pose more questions, introduce a lab project or create a hands-on experiment.

Tips & Warnings

• Any science subject can be presented in PowerPoint. Using this tool, students will be engaged by the visuals and graphs presented.

• Be sure to ask questions when you do not understand something.

• PowerPoint is just a tool. It cannot replace good teachers. A good teacher must find ways to engage students and find interesting ways to teach difficult to understand subjects.

References

• University of Colorado: Teaching the Nature of Science using Pseudoscience
• Center on Instruction: High Quality Science Instruction: Findings from Research
• Department of Computer Science at The University of Rhode Island: What is Powerpoint?
• University of Kansas: Genetic Lesson Plan Ideas

Resources

• Virtual Cell Biology Classroom: Cell Biology PowerPoints