As a preservice teacher, one thing I really want to do is try in implement as many hands on activities as I can in my lessons versus just strictly lecturing. I am preparing to teach my first unit on the hydrologic cycle, water pollution and air pollution. Does anyone have any great ideas on how to make my class more hands on for these specific lessons? What has had a great response in your class? Even any general ideas on how to implement hands on activities in the rest of my student teaching?
Hi Haylee, One activity that can be kind of fun (depending on the age of the students) is to make them learn the water cycle by dancing it. The NYC DEP has a lesson here that you might want to check out!
I love the NYC DEP lesson! All that motion and movement will really help some students connect and remember the water cycle. I have my 5th graders pretend to be water molecules and stand together in a loose group when liquid, spread out and moving more when gas, and then link arms with another molecule to condense. They "fall" onto the ground as precipitation plopping, dripping, and drifting as snowflakes. It also reinforces the molecule movement in liquids and gases.
Thank you both for your input! I will definitely have to try this out with my kids!
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