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Elementary Science

Experiments

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Brenda Mireles Brenda Mireles 510 Points

I dont remeber being so fond of science when i was in elementary. I started to take interest in it when I got to middle school where we would start doing scince experiments. So kids can be engaged in fun activities during science, What type science experiments do you recommend for lower elementary kids?

Brenda, I think a great way to get students excited about science experiments that they can perform themselves is to have them each choose their own experiment and then they can present it in class. This allows for all of the students to be able to see a variety of science concepts while also teaching them how to present and do their own research.

Oh no, not liking science in elementary school!  I hear ya'.  When I was in school, science was rarely taught in elementary school, and when it was, it was all about remembering facts and vocabulary.  BLAH-YUCK-SNOOZE!

What did you like about middle school science?  Was it interactive?  Were you involved and immersed in the learning?  If so, that's just what you want to bring to our youngest learners.  

Even though elementary-aged students are young, it does not mean they can't be fully engaged in investigations.  My recommendation is to start with what students are interested in.  Ask them?  What do you wonder about?  What questions do you have?  From this, you can create a learning environment where students' ideas are valued, and students will be more fully engaged in the learning.  

Investigations should start with wonder (phenomena)!  Get the kids excited and interested to try to figure things out.  Allow them to be part of the process of what is needed to answer the question.  Don't be surprised if answering one question leads to ten more questions!  That's science for you! 

Erin Greek Erin Greek 775 Points

I was the same way in elementary school. I did not like science because we really only read from our text book instead of doing any hands on learning.

One discrepent event that I came across was the 'Magic String.' It allows students to think outside the box to try to figure out how the experiement works. I've attached the NSTA journal article about this experiment for you to view. I have also linked the NGSS website that has many different phenomena that could be used with various grade levels. It has been a good resource for me.

I agree with Elizabeth Barrett-Zahn that investigations should start with phenomena. Giving students the opportunity to think for themselves to try to come up with a solution would be a great way to get students excited about a lesson! All the best to you!

Attachments

The “Magic” String (Journal Article)

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