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Managing Science in the Elementary School Classroom

By engaging students in authentic, scientific study, teachers can create excitement and interest about the world in which we live.
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The primary grades are a perfect time to build on a child’s natural curiosity about the world he or she experiences daily is intense. By engaging students in authentic, scientific study, teachers can create excitement and interest about the world in which we live. So why is science not a centerpiece of weekly instruction?
 
Science can be messy; it requires time to organize, uses technical equipment, is less familiar, and takes specific strategies to manage. However, these issues are surmountable, especially if it is taught via a mix of whole group and center-based activities. 
 
Teachers can alleviate the difficulties that teaching science poses by
  • organizing materials thoughtfully and carefully
  • teaching procedures for handling science experiments and equipment
  • modeling and teaching the conceptual skills necessary for students to engage in the scientific process
Whole Group Activities
Mini Lessons: Teachers can work with the whole group to lay the groundwork for scientific exploration. This can done in a mini-lesson.The first thing that students need to be taught is the “what” and “how” of being a scientist. Teachers can encourage this by asking questions such as:
  • What makes a good question? 
  • Where can you look for answers? 
  • What is a good observation? 
  • How are experiments done? 
  • Why do you need control groups?  
  • How should data be recorded?
In addition to modeling the whole scientific process, mini lessons need to be conducted to establish expectations of how students operate at the science center. Working collaboratively, using equipment safely, communicating results, storage of materials, etc. should also be topics of mini lessons.
 
Observations: Making good observations are crucial to the scientific process. One of the easiest ways to do this is to set up objects on student workspaces. Students can informally observe/discuss/question the objects at any point during the school day. Also, teachers can
  • set up a Science Information Board, on which students write observations or questions that they’d like brought to whole group discussions. Yellow sticky notes are good for this.
  • use journal time, one or two days a week, to record observations
  • use a ‘science daily sign in’ instead of a math daily sign in, to allow students to make and record observations

Small Group Activities

Science Centers: A science center is simply a permanent place in your classroom where science supplies are stored and where active science can take place. Their use

  • promotes independence
  • helps students become more responsible
  • allows for student initiative and discovery
  • overcomes the obstacles associated with whole class labs

Science centers also provide students opportunities to (a) observe and explore interesting objects and phenomena, (b) repeat and modify whole group activities (c) conduct experiments (d) record information (e) access relevant information in books/magazines.

 
Science Center Organization:
  • Filing cabinets. Use a filing cabinet or plastic storage trays to organize materials. Organize drawers with the equipment needed for different conceptual areas or topics. One drawer might have tools and equipment related to force and motion, or magnets. Another might be related to life sciences, plants and insects, or geology. However the drawers are organized, all tubs should be carefully labeled.
  • Set-up. Involve students in setting up the Science Center. Ask them to help create rules for material use. 
  • Books and writing materials. Filing trays or plastic tubs can be used to store reading material and student writing books.
Science Center and Daily Routines:
  • Small group work space. After an introductory discussion and instructions about the next steps, groups can be rotated through the science center to complete assigned explorations with particular materials. Use volunteer parents to assist at the center as needed.
  • Free choice. Allow individuals or pairs of students to use the science center during free choice time to explore self-directed activities in which they are most interested. A sign up sheet is a good management tool here.
  • Literacy centers. Students can be rotated though the science center at literacy time and can engage in various science related reading/writing activities.
Read more about it…
There are excellent Web sites that can help teachers get started with an inquiry science program that is grade level specific, developmentally appropriate, and based on national standards.
 
The Center designs interdisciplinary projects that teachers throughout the world can use to enhance their curriculum through use of the Internet.
 
Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory
http://www.harvard.edu/ECT/
This organization has developed a kindergarten through grade 6 inquiry-based science curriculum. This curriculum provides 10 investigations into changing seasons and other aspects of every day experiences. 
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