As any teacher knows, lesson planning is absolutely critical for teaching success. This is even more important in some subjects, like science, where a teacher’s ability to teach a potentially complicated process in an orderly and logical manner is vitally important.
Lesson planning in this subject can make a huge difference, and that’s why it is so important that teachers have a good handle on what lesson planning in science actually means.
What is Science to Kids?
When it comes to teaching elementary students, science is about so much more than just what it is to adults. Of course, it involves teaching them about the way various processes that govern our world work and making sure they have the building blocks for various scientific disciplines, such as biology, physics, and chemistry.
That being said, science is about discovery, imagination, curiosity, and more. Done right, a science lesson can alight a child’s imagination and put them down the path towards scientific interest. This is yet another reason why lesson planning for science is so important.
Steps on Lesson Planning in Science
Creating lesson plans for elementary school kids can be done in a simple, orderly, and understandable way. There are a plethora of resources available online to assist you, like 4th grade science lesson plans from Adobe Education Exchange. They also have resources for other grades, too.
The first step is to ask the following questions: What is the unit overview? What are you exploring, what are your goals, and what do you want the kids to learn upon the completion of the unit?
Let’s say that this is the start of a unit. From there, prepare your introduction. Outline the basics of what you want kids to know and understand. If you want to be interesting and different, don’t just jump in with dry vocabulary and disconnected overviews. Launch with a scientific story.
Let’s say you are explaining stars. Instead of describing what a star is and does, give extreme examples of their power and responsibility for sustaining life. Give a quick overview of a star’s life-cycle and describe the magnificent way in which a star eventually goes supernova and turns into a black hole. For elementary school kids, this is sure to grab their attention.
You will obviously have to prepare a variety of standardized information, including developing a materials list, discussing standards, instructing on vocabulary, and more. However, keep in mind that the goal here is not just to teach, but to excite.
Don’t just go step by step through a checklist. Instead, find ways to capture a child’s imagination. Use examples, artifacts, multimedia, and more. All of this can be done with a little bit of thought and planning, as well as making sure that you properly utilize the array of resources that are at your disposal.
As you can see, though it may seem daunting at first, creating good lesson plans in science is absolutely critical to your success as a teacher. Follow these steps, and you will be well on your way towards creating an excellent lesson plan for your elementary students.