5 Ways To Teach Science
Science is all around us and it is never too early to nurture the “innate scientist” in your child. The inquiry-based approach is embraced by the American and Singapore education authorities for teaching science in schools, and motivates children to observe think, ask questions and to investigate. Here are five tips to get you started:
ASK AND ASK Encourage your child to observe, ask questions and explore. For a start, focus on the science process skills of observing, comparing and classifying.
MAKE LEARNING FUN Leverage on your child’s area of interest as a springboard for learning.
SHOW, DON’T TELL As the old stage goes “Tell me and I forgot, show me and I remember, involve me and I understand”. Get your child involve in meaningful activities or science experiments to enhance his learning.
DISCUSS AND APPLY Weave in the facts, vocabulary and explanation of the science concept as you teach them.
READ WIDELY This broadens the child’s horizons and help build up his vocabulary.
Read to embark on this inquiry-based guiding journey now? Here are some activities using the theme of water:
MOVE IT Find some transparent plastic containers. Add water and a few drops of food colouring. Let your child watch how water moves.
FLOATING EGG Fill a glass with water, add an egg (boiled or raw) and observe how the egg sinks. Pour in two teaspoonful of salt at a time and stir carefully. Continue until the egg starts to rise and float. This teaches kids about density.
SHAPE RACE If your child has a pet fish, observe the shape of the fish and how it swims. Conduct a “shape race” experiment by using modeling clay. Make different shapes of about the same size-the shape of a fish, a square or a star shape. Place them at the top of three tall bottles filled with water and observe which one flows through fastest. Ask your child to guess why the tear-drop shape flows through fastest. (Hint: angles and sharp curves break up the flow, increase drag and slow down the movement.)
Lim Hwee Hoon
Manager
Formation centre
