How to Teach Science Research

Classroom Actvities

• Step 1:
  Start with an experiment. Divide the students into learning groups of two to four students. Give each group one raw egg, 10 feet of masking tape and 10 plastic drinking straws. Each group must design and build a contraption that will keep the egg from breaking when dropped from the teacher's hand using only the materials provided. Give the students a set amount of time: say, 30 minutes. Go outside and drop the eggs. Chances are the eggs will break, and the students will immediately ask for more materials and start designing new contraptions as they are walking back into the building. This is a great time to start talking about aspects of scientific research such as the control and variable, as well as the fact that all groups had the same materials but had different designs.
• Step 2:
  Sing some songs about scientific method. Science Songs for Teaching has many different CDs available with songs about the steps of the scientific method. In particular, Lyrical Life Science volume 1 has a song set to the tune of "Dixie" that is full of information, easy to learn and catchy to sing.
• Step 3:
  Watch a video about the scientific method. Science involves active learning, and seeing the scientific method in action can be a valuable learning tool. Discovery School has a fun DVD for fifth through eighth graders demonstrating the procedures of the scientific method as well as patience and the importance of recording accurate data.
• Step 4:
  Invite guest speakers into your classroom who use the scientific method on a regular basis. Let them discuss the importance of using the steps correctly and how this affects the outcome of their work. Examples might include researchers, environmentalists and veterinarians who use a hypothesis to treat animals since their patients can't tell them what the problem is.
• Step 5:
  Use the scientific method in every experiment you do. Show different ways of recording data on maps, charts and graphs. Lessons can use more complicated techniques, such as different data analysis methods, as students become more comfortable using the method.