I want students to have fun in science class. As I ponder how to make things fun for them, I think of things that I have fun doing in science. As I stated in my previous post, I am researching and discovering ways to make science fun for the student in science class.
I took a physical science class last semester at Drake. The class was a lecture three days a week and two days we had lab. Our lab teacher was cool, she loved CSI and she enjoyed being a forensic detective. So why not bring this into the classroom?
On the first day of lab, she wore a scarf that resembled CAUTION tape. We were going to be detectives and solve a mystery. There was a victim and we had to solve the crime. We used DNA to solve the mystery of who did the crime. We all had our DNA tested and the results were in. Who did the crime?
What I like about this scenario is that the teacher became another person. The teacher mimics a crime detective. The only clue we had was that the victim had died. We had to discover how to find the suspect. As a class, we had to think and act like a detective. How are we going to solve the crime? We had a forensic lab that we could test our DNA to uncover the culprit. This maybe a struggle in the classroom to find the right answer to the mystery but by making the students determine how to solve the mystery they will learn a lot about science.
This would also be fun for the students to see the teacher in a different light, she is the investigator. I think the students would have fun trying to figure out the crime. They may have background knowledge of the shows on TV, such as CSI New York.
This activity would probably work best with older students, since there is a victim in this activity, the student would be better able to handle the activity with more maturity.
I love this idea! You're right - it would be best suited for older students... however, it can be adapted to what you are teaching and to the grade/skill level of the students. Plus, the depth of the questions will really determine which students to use it with. When you make things into a game, like the activity you wrote about, students don't even realize they're learning - they just want to have fun!
ReplyDeleteNancy-
ReplyDeleteI was just reading a section in a textbook about why students have trouble understanding concepts in science. Lack of interest is one reason the author gives for this. I feel some science educators don't view learning the same way as you. You can have fun AND learn at the same time. As discussed in Professor Kruse's class, we just need to facilitate the right kind of questions for our learners.
Nancy,
ReplyDeleteYou're right on target when you say science should be fun. I think a creative teacher can make any class fun, but in science we have so many more tools at our disposal. I had a high school chemistry and physics teacher who was only a few years out of college. He was as much a kid as the rest of the class. But, that's what made the class so much fun. He had a whole arsenal of tricks and fun demos he used throughout the year.
I've seen whole books written on fun, interactive science projects that are designed to capture the student's imagination, and wow them at the same time. I'll be doing my best to make my class fun for everyone.
The CSI thing sounds pretty awesome, I think it would be a pretty awesome lab to do with some adjustments for a middle school class. It would be a great unit, you could do an experiment and a whole bunch of really intriguing inquiry lessons.
ReplyDeleteNancy,
ReplyDeleteI also agree that you hit the nail on the head. I am working on comparing how science is taught in other countries versus the United States. What I have found so far is that the United States teaching lacked the ability to link the content to the science and to make it applicable to real life. The CSI exercise is an excellent example of what teaching science should be. Thanks for the example!
This is awesome Nancy and after teaching our science unit this week in 5th grade I can promise you that our students would love an activity like this. It would keep them engaged and excited about learning. What a cool way to learn about science and have fun at the same time!
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