Biology, the study of living things, shouldn’t be boring! From creepy crawlies to magnificent mammals, there is an area that can capture the attention of almost every student.
If you want to set young students up with a sturdy foundation for future biology studies, the way you teach matters. Here are five suggestions for helping them stay excited about biology.
1. Use a Variety of Instructional Materials
Sitting down and reading from a textbook for an extended period won’t help promote excitement for children. Neither will listening to a dry lecture.
That’s why it’s important to use a variety of instructional materials. With so many technological options available today, it’s easier than ever. To help students want to learn more biology, consider using:
- Picture books
- Hands-on learning
- Field trips
By mixing these instructional materials in with more traditional ones, you’ll help your student retain what they learn.
2. Engage Students with Experiments
Biology is the perfect subject for hands-on learning opportunities! After ensuring your child understands basic experiment safety, start experimenting.
This will help your student see science in action instead of just reading about it. Make sure you work through the scientific method, giving your child a chance to make an educated guess before each experiment. This will help promote critical thinking.
After the experiment, make sure you connect back to the hypothesis. Did the student accurately predict what would happen, or were they surprised? This discussion is crucial to ensuring the student understands the concept.
3. Connect New Concepts to Background Knowledge
To maximize learning, you’ve got to build on what the student already knows. Find a way to connect your instruction to the student’s existing background knowledge.
A fun way to do this is to ask your student what they know about a topic. Having a discussion before diving into your lesson will help you tailor your instruction for your child’s level of understanding.
It’s also a good time to pre-teach vocabulary words. This way your student will already know what the new words are when they come up during the lesson.
4. Teach the ‘Why’
To help engage students, guide them to understand why they’re learning the concepts. Help them to see how they’ll benefit from this instruction. For instance:
- Learning about germs will help you stay healthier
- Understanding how food affects your body helps you make better choices
- Learning about animals will help you take better care of your pets
Tying instruction to a ‘why’ gives students a reason to learn and remember.
5. Encourage Discussion
Let students talk about each experiment. A discussion time allows people to bounce ideas off each other. It encourages questioning and thinking and even creative excitement!
During this time, you can facilitate the conversation to make sure it stays on track. You can help clear up any misunderstandings, and guide your student into further discovery.
Do You Want Your Child to Learn Biology in a Fun Way?
If you’re looking for a fun way for your child to learn important biology concepts this summer, be sure to check out the Dallas summer camps from Club SciKidz. Camp instructors specialize in making learning fun!
The Grossology summer camp offers plenty of hands-on learning opportunities. Campers will learn solid biology skills as they dive into kid appealing, gross concepts like:
- Fake wounds
- Cow burps
- Dookie Cookies
- And more!
For a biology themed camp your child will never forget, sign up for the Grossology summer camp today!