Hello all,
My name is Britney and I am a student at Henderson State University. I am pursuing my BA in K-6 and I am in my senior year. Teaching up to the fourth grade is my ideal grade range. I know that in most elementary schools the students stay with one teacher who is a general education teacher. In one of my other classes, I had to create a pretend floor plan. In that classroom, I had a section of the class called the science exploration center. I had a table with a large shelf against the wall behind it that would contain tools and supplies for doing hands-on activities with them. Has anyone ever done this or do you have any ideas or tips for this type of thing?
Hi Britney,
I too am a preservice teacher and we have focused on classroom set-up in some of my classes right now. I think how you structure your classroom depends on how you plan to run science in your class. I think one issue that you might see with a science center displayed all the time will be that students will think all of the materials are available all the time. If you don't have a specific place for science, you must put a lot of thought into how you structure your classroom. Consider things like if you plan to have them work in groups, have a specific place to do experiments, and what materials they will need and when. Since you may be using some high dollar equipment in the upper grades (3-4), you don't want those things being damaged, however, you also don't want students misusing materials that are set out. How often do you plan to do science and how beneficial do you think it would be to have science supplies on display all the time?
I hope things work out well,
Chandler
Hi, I taught Pre-k for twenty years and I have always had a science center in my classroom. Once I graduate I plan to create one like you are saying because they need that hands on and what better way to offer it but during a free play or learning centers. Our sceince center in Pre-k offereded real and found materials like rocks, sticks, nests, shells and I even had a snake skin. I also used that space for learning items for teaching healthy habits and sensory boards. I also had sequency games and magnets, mignifine glasses, binoculars along with items to use them with. That was also where we kept our class pet. I have had fish and birds. I hope that helps to answer your question! Good luck!
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