{"id":5347,"date":"2024-01-31T23:30:06","date_gmt":"2024-02-01T04:30:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sites.miamioh.edu\/exemplary-science-teaching\/?p=5347"},"modified":"2024-01-31T23:33:12","modified_gmt":"2024-02-01T04:33:12","slug":"teaching-science-with-a-budget","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sites.miamioh.edu\/exemplary-science-teaching\/2024\/01\/teaching-science-with-a-budget\/","title":{"rendered":"Teaching Science with a budget"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

When we look back on how instruction was given to us as students, some of us may remember the specific teacher that gave the instruction, or some may remember the specific mode they used to deliver the instruction. The biggest thing that grabbed our interest as students during a lesson was most likely something that engaged us with a very flashy demonstration or a really interesting fact about a topic. These methods are called engages, it can be related to a “hook” in a book that really pulls the reader into the story, but in our case it is pulling the student into the topic. The stage called the Engage is just one of the 5 stages that makes up the 5E’s Learning cycle, and it is a critical one to gain students interest. Engaging students usually comes from things such as demonstrations, or other observatory things, and all of these things usually cost money. Depending on the school district funds may not be allocated to teachers for things like this, so they may have to pay out of their own pocket, which can build up for a teacher, so here are some ways to Engage your students with a budget. <\/p>\n\n\n

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Strategy #1 – Using Materials readily in your classroom <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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There are numerous ways to engage our students that are right in front of us that we are sometimes unaware of. The strategy of using materials that are readily in your classroom comes from an activity that we did during the beginning of a lesson, which was used to engage all of the students in the class. The material readily in our classroom are things like using post-it notes, or whiteboards, you can use these materials to engage your students in thought provoking discussions and gauge their prior knowledge before diving into the topic. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Strategy #2 – Demonstrations <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Demonstrations are one of the best techniques to engage your students in the classroom, it is something that is visual, that can get the students minds wondering about what is to come later in the class. Demonstrations are a great way to get students interested in a topic, it is easy for us learn a topic, but for us to be seriously interested in it, and have a WANT to learn more starting with a demonstration is a wonderful way to do this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Strategy #3 – Field Trip<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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A field trip is a great way to engage your students in the material you are getting ready to cover. It has the power to apply a real world application to your topic which can grab a students interest immediately. One way to budget on a field trip, is using the resources and world around you. Nature and plants are around us everywhere, so when you are getting ready to start a topic, such as the parts of a plant, you can take your classroom out into nature on a field trip and catch their minds this way to start your unit. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Strategy #4 – Technology<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Technology has become more apparent in todays classrooms, and is usually a big part of students lives, outside of the classroom. There are many modes to engage students with the use of technology, it can be things like a YouTube video showing a demonstration, with you stopping the video and asking what they think is going to happen next, or something such as a PHET simulation. Technology has produced numerous of ways to interact with students, in a way that is usually already in the classroom. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Strategy #5 – Bringing in a Classroom Pet<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Students are usually very curious when it comes to animals, and there is a lot that encompasses them which can be covered in many topics discussed in a science classroom. If you are about to enter a topic about biomes, this can be a great opportunity to bring in a classroom pet, something cheap such as a frog, here you can show the classroom the pet, inviting them to wonder about questions you ask. Such as where do we think this frog lives, or what time of climate might this frog live in. This is a great strategy to engage your students in a relatively cheap manner. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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From science to social skills, classroom pet fish can be a true community builder. Learn more about how #classroompets<\/a> are impacting the school setting, and how the #PetsintheClassroom<\/a> grant program is helping teachers with their experience. https:\/\/t.co\/TGGVtAMrrR<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/CBzplnb2CW<\/a><\/p>— Pets in a Classroom (@PetsinClassroom) January 14, 2024<\/a><\/blockquote>