Characteristics of Good Science Programs
Can you recognize a good science program?
You don't need to be a scientist to tell if your child's school or after-school science program lives up to high standards. Here are ten things to look for in science programs for your children.
1. Science is "hands-on" and "minds-on."
Students do science themselves. They get their hands on real materials such as batteries and bulbs, magnets and paper clips, seeds and soil. Reading about science or having someone tell you about it is not enough.
Imagine the difference between reading about magnets and holding a magnet so you can feel its pull on a nail or watch it push another magnet away. Imagine the difference between watching an insect crawl and looking at a picture of insects!
2. Students are encouraged and taught to ask questions about nature.
Noticing patterns, being curious, and asking questions are beginnings of scientific thinking.
Your child might ask, "Where does our drinking water come from?" or "How do we know it's safe to drink?" An answer like "That's a good question" from a parent or a teacher encourages further learning. Students can answer questions like these no matter where they live. A girl living in a Chicago apartment building and a boy living on a farm may ask the same questions. But they will get different "right" answers.
3. Students learn how to find out.
Children learn how to observe and measure. They also learn how to keep records of their experiences and observations. They learn how to use tools of science, such as magnifiers and scales. They learn how to compare.
Some students wanted to know how long it took an ice cube to melt. They measured the ice cubes to make sure they were all the same size. They wrote down the time they took the ice cubes out of the freezer. Then they wrote down the time when each last scrap of ice changed to water. They figured out the melting time for each ice cube. They compared all their times. They were surprised at how long it took!
4. Students practice skills in order to become good at them.
Doing something once is not enough. Think of something new you learned and how much practice it took to be really good at it It's the same for learning science. And it's the same whether you are young or old.
When your child learns to use a microscope, it is used once, twice, or many times? It is used to look at different things? Learning to use a microscope requires "hands-on" time preparing slides, focusing, and looking at many different objects.
5. Students learn to think for themselves and recognize false claims.
When we watch television, advertisers try to talk us into buying their products. They tell us that their products will make our lives better. But will they? To decide for ourselves, we need to get in the habit of asking for evidence or proof. Asking for evidence is a scientific way of knowing that also helps in our everyday life.
Does wearing a certain brand of running shoes really make you run faster? Do you need to exercise to lose weight? Asking your child, "How did you decide that?" or "Why do you think so?" can start a discussion about how to make decisions.
6. Students work in groups.
Sharing work and talking about science helps understanding. As students talk to each other, they use the language of science and make it their own. No matter what language is spoken, discussing ideas aids learning. Teamwork is fun.
In one science class, a group of students made a model of the desert. They used a shoe box with sand, cacti, and dessert animals made from clay. They took the model to other homerooms and explained how living and nonliving things in the desert depend on each other. In getting ready to present the shoe box desert, the builders talked and made sure they really understood the science involved.
7. Teachers use different ways to find out what their students have learned.
Reading, writing, and speaking are all a part of science. Acting, art, and music are also excellent ways for a person to show what is in his or her mind. Paper and pencil tests are only one way to test learning and understanding.
Some students studied light and color. They wanted to show that sunlight can separate into all the colors of the rainbow. One group acted out sunlight striking a prism and then spreading out into many colors. Another group made a poster. Some told stories. One story was about a wavelength of light meeting up with a prism. One was about seeing a rainbow after a rain shower. The teacher could tell how much they had learned.
8. Students study science every day.
It takes time and practice for science learning to be deep and to last. Much of this time should be "hands-on." Reading words and memorizing vocabulary are not enough.
The boys and girls in Room Ten learned the names of different kinds of clouds. But that didn't mean they know anything much about clouds and weather! Later they used thermometers, and they measured rainfall. They looked at weather maps and predicted the weather. They found out what kind of weather came with different kinds of clouds. In fact, they got quite good at predicting the weather and proudly used the scientific names of clouds in their classroom weather reports.
9. Teachers expect all students to succeed and set high goals for themselves.
Teachers believe all their students can learn, regardless of their native language, gender, race, or ethnicity. They help students set high goals for their own science learning and help them "reach for the stars." If the class is divided into groups, be sure your child is in a group with students of mixed abilities.
10. Teachers have opportunities to improve their science teaching skills.
When teachers go to science workshops, in-service days, or courses, they can become more skilled and enthusiastic. This benefits students.
What Can Families Do?
- Be positive. Expect success. Offer encouragement and praise.
- Learn science with your child; you don't have to know all the answers.
- Visit your child's school. Find out if the science programs have all ten characteristics. Questioning teachers, counselors, principals, and other parents will give you some information.
- Act on your right and responsibility to be informed about your child's program and progress.
- Ask your child about science classes and look at the work he or she brings home. You can learn what he or she actually did in class.
- Take action. Get involved with parent and community groups to work for good science programs in schools and after-school programs. Share resources with other parents. Working together, you can make a big difference.
Last Modified: 2007-09-21 at 12:09:01 -- this is in International Standard Date and Time Notation