As an author of science activity books for children, I've
attended my share of elementary/middle school science fairs. I cannot recall ever being surprised by a
project or display that was particularly clever or original. Mostly the exhibits are the predictable
volcano models, electric circuits, acid-base changes detected by red cabbage
juice. Parent fingerprints are all too often
all over the display and when I've asked the student about their work, they
show little background or knowledge of the subject. The “fair” aspect of the event is far more
important than the science. I’d like to
help change that. Since most science fairs take place in March—two
months away—NOW is the time to start.
First, there is a coming shift to looking at science as a process. Juliana Texley,
president-elect of the National Science Teachers Association, told me:
“The Next Generation Science Standards emphasize the practices
of science. With respect to science fairs, the first six are most crucial:
1. Asking questions (for science) and defining problems
(for engineering)
2. Developing and using models
3. Planning and carrying out investigations
4. Analyzing and interpreting data
5. Using mathematics and computational thinking
6. Constructing explanations (for science) and designing
solutions (for engineering)
Tomorrow's science fairs will place less emphasis on
winning, more on cooperation and on the pathways that were used to get to the
products.”
I like the idea of kids working together. After all, the body of knowledge we call “science”
comes more from collaboration than competition.
When I researched my biography of Marie Curie, I was impressed with the
eagerness she exhibited when a new journal came in the mail. She couldn't wait to go to her own lab and
repeat the experiments of colleagues in other parts of the world. Science is the original wiki—a communal body
of work.
Playing with nature, asking testable questions, taking an
initially informal, experiential approach to curiosity are the scientific behaviors
that elementary students should be doing.
The formalization of experiments and the “scientific method” can be
learned after there is some experience with just playing around. My approach in my own books has always been
to bring science into the world of children; let them learn something new about
something familiar before subjecting them to the abstract, rigorous
generalizations or laws of science that are the result of cumulative knowledge.
One problem in elementary school science is that most teachers do not
understand it well themselves. They need
to learn to listen to the questions of children so that they become aware of
the questions that can be answered by doing
something.
The best science activity books for children give a reason
or motivation for doing an experiment that goes beyond a “wow!” or a “so what.” So if you’re looking for help, here are two
books to get you started: Prize-Winning Science Fair Projects for
Curious Kids by Joe Rhatigan
and Rain Newcomb. This book is
a collection of experiments actually done by kids for science fair project that
answer kid-friendly meaningful questions and show dramatic changes in otherwise
ordinary items.
My own book: See
for Yourself: More Than 100 Experiments for Science Fairs and Projects. Projects are rated according to “challenge
level” so there are quickies and then there are more ambitious projects.
Here's a suggestion: since science touches every aspect of our universe, find
out what a child is interested in and Google it along with the word “science”
and see what you get. Experiment with
other word combinations but always attach the word “science.” Bring imagination and curiosity to the inquiry. If a question occurs to you or the child, don't dismiss it; think about it. You just might be led down a path of creative
discovery that shows you why scientists love science.
Note: I’m collecting
a list of terrific science books to be published here on the I.N.K. blog at the
end of January. Please send your
suggestions to me along with the link to the Amazon catalog page, a brief
description of the book and an image of the cover: email@vickicobb.com.
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