The Focused Student: The art of teaching science
Science is all around us. Considering just our bodies, you have chemistry, biology, physiology, electrophysiology, physics, optics, engineering and many other sciences continuously at work. Look outside your own skin and you encounter everything from atmospheric physics to hydrology to paleontology. Science isn’t something that only scientists “do.” It’s something that makes us who we are and our world what it is.
Because it is a part of us and the world around us, science is a very “real” subject. Students can see and touch and observe and experiment with science, and that is often the level at which elementary school students first encounter science. They ask, “How do plants grow?” and learn that it takes seed, soil, sunlight and water. These are the big, overarching concepts. The details of the specific ingredients and their possible variants come later, in junior or senior high school.
The first part of studying science is understanding the big concepts and developing an inquisitive mind because that leads to self-discovery and drawing conclusions. But in the early years, the conclusions need to be very direct. This leads to posing other questions.
Vocabulary comes next. Every subject has its own lexicon, and that’s particularly true in science where moles aren’t garden pests and meters can be both length and instruments. Pictures and diagrams may help create a visual image of the vocabulary. Show your student the image, then have them close their eyes and see if they can describe it or draw it in the air with their finger.
Technology has a role to play in explaining concepts. YouTube has a remarkable number of videos explaining almost everything. The trick is finding material that matches your child’s level of knowledge. As a parent, you might also have fun looking for things on the Internet while your kids are working on other homework. For high school students, the Internet can be a place to see an experiment or an explanation of an experiment or concept presented in class. Your child or another student might ask the teacher for permission to video an experiment or demonstration, then post it for the class to review at home. This can give the less science-oriented group members something to do.
When kids get to junior and senior high school they need to take notes. Use a “project” pad of paper that you can buy at any big-box office supply store. On the right side of the paper the student takes notes; on the left, they list references the teacher gives them, draw pictures or diagrams, or mark concepts the teacher signals are particularly significant. On the bottom they can list the tasks. If students use the computer they can recreate the lines and put sub headings.
Most teachers hand out study guides. This is useful when there is a test, and I would recommend that the student spend part of the homework time outlining the lecture notes, using the information in the book to help supplement those notes. This creates an easy-to-follow flow chart for tests.
When studying for a test it is always important to know the format of the test, which is information the teacher will usually share. Will it be matching, multiple choice, or fill-in for vocabulary? Are there open-ended questions where the student might have to explain, define, or defend a concept?
As in other subjects, study groups help students discuss and organize the material that each brings to the group.
Good luck with the next science test.
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ROBERT FRANK is the executive director of the Hillside School and Learning Center in La Cañada. He holds a master’s of science degree in special education and has more than 40 years of teaching experience. His column appears on the last Thursday of each month. He can be reached at frank@hillsideforsuccess.org.
