Top Ten Science Instructional Strategies that Engage the Brain

Sarah Baker

Juan N. Seguin Elementary ~ Houston ISD

Science Lab/Science Lead/Title I Coordinator

sbaker9@houstonisd.org

• Engage: Focus attention and activate prior knowledge.

• Explore: Students think, investigate, test, make predictions, problem solve, and collect information.

• Explain: Allows students to analyze their exploration. Teachers clarify learning.

• Elaborate: Activity which expands and solidifies student thinking and applies it to a real-world situation.

• Evaluate: Teachers assess student performance and/or understandings of concepts, skills, processes, and applications.

• Video Clip• Toy• Stuffed Animal• Read-aloud• Image/Picture• Song/Music• Mystery Bag• Question• Internet Resource• Access prior knowledge

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Investigation 1: Mystery Substance

Investigation 2: Magic Fish

Investigation 3: Sand

• Science notebooks can be a valuable tool for both teachers and students to use to determine:

a) prior knowledge and existing science ideasb) how conceptual understanding is being builtc) procedural understandingd) mastery of curriculum goals, ande) the ability to apply/transfer ideas to new context

• They should be used before, during, and after all investigations.

• Title Page– Student Name– Teacher

• Table of Contents– Teacher created or– Student created

• Individual Pages– Number each page– Headings– Date

• Glossary– Pictures– Word Wall

I love science!

• Drawings• Tables/Charts/Graphs• Graphic Organizers• Notes• Reflective Entries• Inserts• Investigation Formats• Writing Frames

www.sciencenotebooks.org

• Beach Ball Toss: Write questions on a beach ball with a Sharpie. Have the kids toss the ball around and answer the questions.

• “Hot” Potato: Pass around something that can be set to “buzz” after some time (timer). Have the kids pass around the object quickly. The student that has the object when it “buzzes” has to answer a question.

• Easter Egg Hunt: Place review questions in Easter eggs. Hide Easter eggs in classroom or outside. Break students into groups. Have them look for the eggs and compile them together. Take turns opening the eggs and answering the questions. Give a point for each correct question. The team with the most points wins.

• Vocabulary “Twister”: Get a shower curtain or plastic tablecloth from the dollar store. (You can also use large butcher paper). Trace large circles onto the surface. Write vocabulary words inside the circle. Call out the definitions and have students “play” twister.

• Planet Pursuit: Write the names of the planets on cards or sentence strips. Have each group race to put the planets in order correctly. Time each group. This can be adapted for other science concepts such as renewable, nonrenewable, and inexhaustible resources.

herbivore producer habitat

predator carnivore cow

decomposer mouse grass

omnivore bear moose

lion prey consumer

• Students are able to retain content if more than one sense is activated during a lesson.

• Ideas:– Discovery Box– Compare Worms

• Role play allows learners to take semantic information and link it with movement.

• Ideas:– Sun/Earth/Moon Relationship– Planets– Matter Molecules– Science Lab Safety Scenarios

An effective science lesson should include meaningful opportunities for students to develop their literacy skills.

Role ~ Audience ~ Format ~ Topic

Role: Who are you? A plant

Audience: To whom is this written? the sun

Format: What form will it take? thank-you letter

Topic: What is the subject of this writing?

The sun’s role in growth.

www.learningscience.org

www.brainpop.com

www.brainpopjr.com

http://www.reliant.com/en_US/Teach_Me_Energy/index.htm

http://education.jlab.org/vocabhangman/

Gurian, M., Stevens, K., King, K. (2008). Strategies for teaching boys and girls: Elementary level. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Klentschy, M. (2008). Using Science Notebooks in Elementary Classrooms. Arlington, VA: NSTA Press.

Marzano, R. (2007). The art and science of teaching: A comprehensive framework for effective instruction. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Tate, M. L. (2003). Worksheets don’t grow dendrites: Twenty instructional strategies that engage the brain. Thousand Oaks, CA: Corwin Press.

Wolfe, P. (2001). Brain matters: Translating research into classroom practice. Alexandria, VA: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Young, Rick. (2000). Sing the Science Standards. Canton, MI: Talent Live Studios.