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I have recently started my internship in a second grade classroom. The way Science is set up in the school is they have two week blocks. Two weeks are dedicated to social studies, then two weeks for health, and then two weeks for Science. I have found our problem is trying to fit in enough time to teach everything we want in that very short amount of time. Those two weeks are such a short amount of time that I am trying to figure out how to get the students excited about Science. It seems that we are in such a rush to get through the material that we lose the fun factor that comes with science. Does anyone have suggestions on how to make the most of such a short amount of time for science? How can I get my students excited about Science?

I would agree with Tina's suggestion about a theme or question for the two week block. Also, is it possible to do science investigations as part of the health block, depending on the topic? For example, activities related to body systems such as the effect of exercise on heart rate, vision and the structure of the eye, how diseases are spread, etc.

Hey Rachel,
We would love to know how your student teaching experience went (especially as it relates to teaching science. If you have a chance let us know. In the meantime, I came across an old article (1999) written by a teacher with an idea for getting students excited about science. What I liked about her idea is that it can be adjusted to include scientific an engineering practices. Here is the article in case anyone is interested: A Science Showdown
Carolyn

One thing that I have noticed through my student teaching is the more hands-on the better. If you can start the science time with a captivating experiment or something that they can do all by themselves, it really helps get them interested in the lesson. One thing that I have noticed is when I let them do the experiment first, then explain the concepts, they really like to try it again once they know what it happening. I personally like doing experiments that they can do, and make again at home. This can also help get parents involved because it shows what the students are learning in class.

I would think experiments catch the attention of the students and keep their attention for the short period that you have to teach the information. It would be interesting to see what some experiments you have that the student could then take home and try. Could you share?

Second grade is a wonderful age where students can be given the freedom necessary to explore the realm of science. Lessons should focus primarily on discovery learning and manipulatives. This article helped me understand new ways to approach science in the classroom: http://learningcenter.nsta.org/files/sc1107_29.pdf Anticipatory sets are obviously important when beginning a lesson, but the most decisive factor in determining the energy of a lesson is your passion for the subject.

Is there a way you could create an interdisciplinary unit with science and social studies? That would give you a 4 week block of time. Just a thought!

In science I think it is important to ensure students are actually 'doing science' by providing them with hands-on inquiry activities. Let them be interactive learners by exploring and experimenting, rather than just reading them information or facts from a textbook. Reading from a textbook can take time, students can learn the same amount if not more from doing little activities. Getting involved in fun, investigable activities will definitely keep students excited and engaged. Jess