The Importance of Lesson Planning in Science Education

Today teaching is very interactive, gone are the days of lecture! A good science lesson should be full of relevant useful information, and that means planning. The first step I would take is to check the frameworks and verify that I am teaching a topic found there. This brings us to…planning! Where to start? Should I use manipulatives, worksheets, show a video, do an experiment? There are so many ways to teach a topic that a teacher needs to have a plan in place.

     Lesson planning is a practical way for a teacher to organize her thoughts and ideas before presenting them to her class. Without a plan there is no telling what could happen. The biggest chance for disaster in a science class is probably during an experiment. It is the teacher’s foremost responsibility to ensure her student’s safety. The teacher needs to carefully plan her lesson and consider the following questions: are the tools safe, are the students mature enough, how can the lesson be carried out to avoid disaster? As we saw in the video Sarah’s case, lack of planning is a recipe for disaster. The student’s became so frustrated that the classroom became chaotic and Sarah could not help them because she didn’t have a plan and she didn’t try the experiment herself before doing it with her class. 

     Some other factors to consider when planning an elementary science lesson are: keep it interesting, keep it moving, and to use more than one method of presenting information since all students do not learn the same way.  Younger children can be easily distracted and have shorter attention spans so it’s important to be aware of what the children are doing during the lesson in case changes need to be made, such as breaking into small groups or watching a video.  It also doesn’t hurt for a teacher to be flexible when it becomes necessary to alter her game plan. 

The Museum of Science

In the short time I have lived here, the Museum of Science has become one of my family's favorite places to spend time. My son really loves it there and calls it the "Dinosaur Bones Museum." 
                         
                                       
The Museum of Science, http://www.mos.org/, has some great DVDs and videos teachers can use in the classroom.  They offer an ENews letter for educators as well as Professional Development classes. For students the MOS offers podcasts and videocasts on different science topics.  They have virtual exhibits and the computer clubhouse. 

There is also the National Center for Technological Literacy, part of the MOS, that provides guidance and resources to intergrate engineering in schools.

Of course the best resource would be to take a class to the MOS. The place is full of learning waiting to happen. I hope I get to take a class to the museum. I know it would be a memorable day for the students and I'm sure they would learn a something that will stay with them for a long time.

My Science Story

     My science education didn't really start until I was an adult.  I went to nursing school for a short period of time before I realized that I just couldn't get use to "the hospital smell". During this stint I took Anatomy and Physiology (I&II), Microbiology, and Chemistry. I did well in 3 of the 4 classes. Chemistry has never been my forte.
     As an adult I have had a lot of personal experiences that led me to become informed about several medical topics such as fertility, genetics, circulatory system (blood pressure), endocrine system (gestational diabetes),  my own breast cancer and radiation, and a family history of colon cancer. I have learned a great deal about several biological conditions and treatments. I wasn't too happy about having to do this research for myself but I did enjoy the reading material. Genetics really piqued my interest. While I had some really bad luck of being diagnosed with breast cancer at 37, I am lucky not to have the BRAC gene. Science is a wonderful thing!
  
    I have been exposed to a lot of hands on scientific learning over the past two years. Being the mother of a 4 year old makes life very interesting.  As parents, my husband and I try to expose our son to as many positive learning experiences as possible. We are always looking for the teachable moments. In doing so we spends lots of time at museums. Since moving to Arlington we have spent countless hours at the Aquarium, Museum of Science, and the Children's Museum.  My son has even participated in scientific research conducted by Harvard and MIT PhD candidates at the Museum of Science. We also enjoy watching Sid the Science Kid on TV. Due to the wonderful science experiences I have had with my son I am really looking forward to teaching science. I am excited to have a bunch of students to work with! And then I can come home and teach it to Kieran.
     Even our vacation was educational. We went to the Sea Shore Trolley Museum in Kennebunkport, ME and learned about how trolleys run and we took a lobster boat tour and learned about lobsters!!