Forums

Hello all, I am a 3rd Elementary Education student preparing to enter Student Teaching next year. 

What are some strategies to help you with classroom management during a Science lesson? How do you make sure that all your students are engaged and are participating in the activities?

Hi Jennah!

I am a pre-service teacher going to Wright State University and will be graduating in the spring of 2025. Congrats on preparing for student teaching! For science lessons, it’s important to set clear expectations upfront, explaining behavior and participation rules, especially during projects or experiments. Assigning roles during group work helps keep students focused and engaged. I also like using callbacks to get students’ attention and quickly refocus the class. One of my favorites right now is saying “Waterfall,” and the students respond with “Shhhh” to quiet down. For engaging the class, if you enjoy the lesson and show excitement, the students will likely feed off that energy too! Try starting with an exciting hook, like a fun question or demonstration, to spark interest. Also, checking for understanding throughout with thumbs up/down or whiteboards helps ensure everyone is on track. With these strategies, you’ll keep students engaged and make science lessons more exciting!

Wishing you all the best in your teaching journey!

Hello, I am also about to begin student teaching in math and science and have been having the same concerns. I think my biggest goal is to create a love of science for all students. The best way to do this is to be true to yourself. If you show a love of science and learning, students will be receptive to this. Science can be very fascinating as it explains the world so pushing this idea to students can foster a lot of engagement. At the younger ages, students are doing science in a very hands-on manner so they can see it right before their eyes. Hands-on activities engage all students and hold engagement fairly well I have found. If students begin to become disconnected, I would recommend finding how they can connect a specific topic to their lives.

Best of luck going forward!