| Many people do not have good memories of their high | | | | The science teacher facilitates an experiment or |
| school and university science-based classes. Unless | | | | investigation concerning a certain science topic or |
| you become a professional in some scientific field, you | | | | principle. Students take the primary role of gathering |
| may remain uninterested throughout your life in | | | | data -- that will guide them to the currently unknown |
| discussing science's benefits. Perhaps you see | | | | lesson. Students follow the prescribed procedure of |
| studying this subject as simply discussing abstract | | | | the experiment, which provides the students with data |
| thoughts and equations that a group of dead men and | | | | to analyze. This data is gathered and presented by the |
| women formulated some time ago -- with little to no | | | | teacher to the class as a whole. |
| practical application. | | | | Stage 2: Expansion |
| You may see this subject as pointless -- does it | | | | During the expansion stage, the teacher facilitates |
| matter how chemicals bond to form compounds, how | | | | classroom discussion about the observed data. |
| photosynthesis occurs, and why water changes from | | | | Students begin to discover trends as the teacher |
| one state of matter to another? Many can still hear | | | | questions what they perceived during the experiment. |
| the monotone voice of their teachers when these | | | | Next, either the teacher can conduct a similar |
| questions arise. A poor value for science could truly be | | | | experiment to further elaborate on the discovered |
| the result of a poor experience learning it in the | | | | trends, or the teacher may have the entire class |
| classroom. | | | | participate in a similar, simpler experiment to reinforce |
| The impression of scientific study that teachers leave | | | | what conclusions they have drawn thus far. |
| on their students has so much to do with the method | | | | Stage 3: Explanation |
| in which they present the subject -- the traditional | | | | In this third and final stage, the teacher is responsible to |
| education style of lecture and busy-work may be | | | | actively engage the students -- leading them to the |
| responsible for the disgust many have for science! | | | | main science principle that the observed data is |
| The goal of education is to foster critical thinking skills in | | | | pointing to. The students should still play a major role in |
| individuals so that as they grow and mature, they can | | | | discovering this idea, so the teacher must refrain at all |
| use these skills to improve not only their own lives, but | | | | costs from simply revealing the idea without allowing |
| also the whole of society! The traditional style of | | | | the students to ask questions and predict a solution. |
| teaching science does not reinforce this goal; rather it | | | | Through a review of the exploration and expansion |
| hinders it from becoming a reality. Thankfully, a | | | | stages of the science lesson, the science teacher can |
| revolution in science instruction has begun. Read on to | | | | carefully guide the students to the key science principle |
| discover the Science Learning Cycle: a new, effective | | | | at stake, using what the students have already |
| way to teach science. | | | | experienced and participated in! |
| Stage 1: Exploration | | | | |