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What are some ideas I can use to get students and my self excited about teaching science?
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Hi Hannah,
I think that the idea that someone gave of edible labs to get students and teachers excited about learning/teaching science was an excellent idea. Some ideas that I think would be interesting or that I enjoyed as a kid are listed below. Hope this helps!
-making rock candy
-using oreos to explain the phases of the moon
-walking on egg shells(not edible but still super fun and shocking to kids)
-even something as simple as baking cookies(if you have the proper equipment) can show many different science principles and even incorporate other subjects like math
Another way you could get the kids and yourself interested would be to start out every unit with a shocking experiment. I just went on a trip to the Maryland Science Center recently and the demonstrator showed us some really cool jaw-dropping experiments such as how to make clouds right in your classroom. Good luck and I hope you are able to get excited about science with some of these ideas!
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Hi Hannah!
Hands-on activities are such a fun way to get your students interested in science and have fun yourself! I posted about some fun first day of school activities on my blog for new science teachers which could be used anytime: http://fornewscienceteachers.blogspot.com/2015/08/science-lesson-ideas-for-first-week-of.html.
I'm really excited to share an opportunity for you and your students to make a flat penguin and send it to me--I'm going to Antarctica with scientists in November and will photograph it and email it back to you! I've attached directions and a template here. You can learn more about this and a lesson to make blubber gloves (another fun hands on activity) on my recent blog post: http://fornewscienceteachers.blogspot.com/2015/10/connect-your-students-to-polar-science.html
I'm also happy to find other ways to interact with your class while I'm in Antarctica--let me know!
Sincerely,
Michelle Brown (@MsBrownTeacher)
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Hi Hannan,
as a part of our field experience this semester we are doing STEM projects.Fourth graders, as engineers, are constructing cars which use air for their movement to reduce pollution. Students through hands on activities, built the cars and tested how force affect their motion and speed. All of my students are maximally involved in each activity and experiment they conducted. It was so astonishingly to see their excitement during each activity.
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I really like to do simple labs that get students moving. Edible labs are always fun too when you can incorporate it (like cells is a really easy one).
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What is a good edible lab for elementary students?
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Great idea on incorporating food into the lesson! Children love hands on and enjoy being able to eat as well! Thanks for the tip!
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Kids love food, so edible lessons are a great way to guarantee your lesson will be well received by your students! Great idea for a fool-proof lesson!
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That sounds like very helpful advice! I will remember this when I start teaching.
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I definitely agree with what Logan said. Also, make sure everything you do is hands on, it will keep the students and you more engaged.
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That is some great advice. I think labs that get students moving are the perfect way to get students engaged and excited about what they are learning!
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This was great advice! I am very nervous as well to be a new teacher and my own classroom. I am most scared about the first week of school. I feel like this is make ore break for determining how the year is going to go. Is there any advice for the first week of school?
Thanks,
Tiffany Barnes
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Hi,
Children love science because they get to do fun, hands-on activities. My advice is keep the learning interactive it really engages the students into their own learning.
I just completed a first grade stem unit plan on natural and man-mad materials. At the end of the unit we made birds nests out of brown paper bags. The students enjoyed it so much and it was fun!
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I remember learning science when I was younger because I got to use my hands and work with materials to make things, build, or experiment. So definitely choose hands on activities to get the students motivated and excited to learn science. Having an example of what the students will be making or doing would be a good idea also so they can see what their end project should look like. Also relate the science to their life! When students can relate to what they are doing it also helps them learn and sparks their interest.
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Yes, I love hands-on activities because children learn actively, than passively. Children learn better when they are actually working on something constructive.
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I am also a new teacher and greatly benefited from all the advice on this thread! Thank you!
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