Back to School First Two Days
The first couple of days are critical with middle schoolers. Setting the tone, expectations, etc. yet winning them over and making them feel part of a team with a common goal is tough with this age group. What Science related activities does everyone try to set the stage?
Idea 1: Equipment Memory - Set up 6 boxes including 12-15 pieces of equipment that are the same in each box. With a box in front of each group, begin with a class discussion of what each object is and what it does. I choose inquiry here since it points out any misconceptions the students have. Next, have the students each number a paper for the items in the box. Remove the boxes and have students write what they remember. go over the answers while visually showing them each item once again. Of course, prizes for the most right! Objectives: reengage brain cells, clarify or evaluate misconceptions, review uses of equipment, reassure learning can be fun.
Idea 1: Equipment Memory - Set up 6 boxes including 12-15 pieces of equipment that are the same in each box. With a box in front of each group, begin with a class discussion of what each object is and what it does. I choose inquiry here since it points out any misconceptions the students have. Next, have the students each number a paper for the items in the box. Remove the boxes and have students write what they remember. go over the answers while visually showing them each item once again. Of course, prizes for the most right! Objectives: reengage brain cells, clarify or evaluate misconceptions, review uses of equipment, reassure learning can be fun.
Tags: activities, first day of school, science, science equipment, science lessons
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Eric Biederbeck on
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I have a small group activity I love to start the year off with in science- it is called "Mission to the Moon" and it involves a spaceship landing in the wrong place on the moon and students having to rank 15 items that they will take from the crash with them on their walk to the space station- good collaborative activity and actually was done at one time by NASA which the kids find cool. Then I plunge into learning science and the scientific method- I like to have them play what I call the marble game- give them a marble, scissors, piece of masking tape, and piece of construction paper and tilt a desk up. Then students need to design a "course" that takes the longest time for the marble to travel on.
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Permalink Reply by paula webb on
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These are great. Research says to have the kids doing what you want them to do the rest of the year in the first couple of days. So if you want them problem solving, thats what they should be doing.
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Permalink Reply by Dawn on
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Hi All,
As an old teacher but new science teacher, I'm looking for ideas from the rest of you. I have a very strong Instructional Technology background but my position was cut :(
Paula - based on the idea of having kids doing what you want them to do the rest of the year . . .I'm thinking inquiry, investigation, collaboration . . .here is an idea for an early activity:
Lab groups with digital camera walk around classroom taking pictures of whatever they choose (equipment, screen, lab tables, clock, garbage can, Mrs. Moore). The group tries to determine why the object is there, what is its purpose, how might it be used at some point during the course of the year. This would involve group discussion, maybe problem solving and documentation. Maybe I'll do a quick intro to the Rule of Thirds. Use a card reader on one laptop to quickly input each groups images, share on screen from LCD, and let them explain to the class their thinking. Similar to a scavenger hunt but without giving the students the clues to go find a particular item. -
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