It’s true that when it comes to science classes, students need to learn and memorize a lot of facts, theories, truths, and core elemental realities. They have to prove concepts, often with hands-on lab work. This is where the possibility of true excitement lies.
Science teachers have a winning lotto ticket when it comes to classroom engagement. It can be the most hands-on, eye-opening, practical, and even explosive, of all subjects. (Though we don’t recommend anything actually explosive or combustible without the proper safety precautions!)
It’s truly possible to have students learn at high levels as well as be fully engaged. It’s all in the presentation. Here are five tips to achieve electrifying engagement in science class.
Allow Student Demonstration of Lab Experiments
Before lab work, the teacher often models what students will be doing in their experiments. Instead of modeling it as the teacher, use this as an opportunity for engagement. Create a rotation of students to demo the steps for the class. This ensures every student gets some hands-on time with the work, while also making the instruction portion of the lab fun for all.
Encourage Students to Discover Real Science in Fiction
Challenge students to a running scavenger hunt of science principles. Students must search media like books, movies, tv shows or video games for examples of concepts learned in the classroom. When found, they can bring in a collection of images or write-up on their findings. This assignment keeps them processing what they’ve learned beyond the classroom.
Create Science Lesson Skits
Explanations of chlorophyll, neurons or sedimentary rocks can all be elevated with creative writing. Ask students to develop skits to showcase and explain the principles and concepts they have learned. Even short skits (a page or two) allow students to creatively prove subject mastery.
Video Saved the Science Star
For every subject and lesson, science teachers can find video streams or DVDs that help enhance the topic. Don’t hesitate to use these tools in your lesson plans. Varying how information is relayed to students, especially via streaming videos or DVDs, will help students of all learning types lock in and learn.
Science Mysteries
Every lesson in science has a clear objective, letting students know what they are expected to learn. Posing lesson objectives as questions is a great way to engage students right away. Encourage students to treat their assignments as detective work as they seek to solve the great mysteries of science. Their research and lab practical work are all important steps in deciphering the clues and finding a result that solves the mystery. How you frame the work is key to keeping your students engaged.