5 must do activities for Science Teachers to keep science fun

Engaging science activities are not only fun and memorable, but they also help students to learn about how the world works.

It’s all about exploring how and why things happen and the best way for students to remember is by getting hands on, experimenting, and observing.

We’ve come up with five must-do activities that teachers can use to keep science fun, while also helping students to enhance their understanding in the process.

1. Experiment!

Science revolves around proving and disproving theories, and one of the best ways for youngsters to engage with a topic is to ensure that they’re actively part of it.

For those in Chemistry teaching jobs, allowing students to experiment in a lab or classroom environment can help boost engagement and knowledge retention.

Pupils can also be encouraged to analyse their findings and to then predict outcomes ahead of further experimentation.

2. Venture out of the classroom

Many memorable moments can happen outside of the classroom via fieldtrips or outdoor learning, as these provide pupils with an opportunity to see science happening around them.

Even stepping out into the playground, or exploring a hedgerow can provide a different perspective and assist with the learning process.

Ofsted has also said that outdoor learning adds something to the experience, and that it can help to foster a connection between pupils and the natural environment at a young age.

3. Let your feedback drive curiosity

Feedback provides crucial guidance to pupils to ensure that they’re on the right track, but it’s a lot more effective if it encourages youngsters to go out and find the answers for themselves.

While experiments and practical work should lead to pupils questioning what they see anyway, a teacher should encourage them to try different things and to take new approaches.

‘What if’ feedback can help to inspire pupils and drive them to be inquisitive, which in turn will ultimately develop their understanding of the key scientific theory.

Not only does this enhance levels of engagement in the classroom, but it also helps to foster an environment where pupils feel confident to take risks, potentially fail, and learn from it as a result.

4. Use the power of observation

Pupils will observe a lot in their daily lives, especially when they’re younger, so encourage them to keep a notebook and to write down things that pique their interest.

These can then be explored during lessons, where engagement will generally be higher as pupils will feel that the topics apply directly to what they want to know.

This also helps to link the sciences to a child’s curiosity, and can be used to introduce them to different elements of theory which can be explored further with the use of experiments and other classroom activities.

5. Show the worth of science through real-life examples

It’s important to showcase how science is involved in everyday life, as if pupils can understand it’s relevance, they’re more likely to be engaged with lesson activities.

Real-life examples should be used to demonstrate theory at all levels, as it can help students to relate to what they’re being asked to learn and understand.

Using Lego can help with the teaching of atoms for example, while basic circuits can be demonstrated using any number of household objects, from mobile phones to games consoles.

For older pupils, this can also be tied into different career examples, as a teacher can demonstrate the types of scientific skills that may be required for those considering a career in various fields.

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