It is obvious to many people that many children do not like school. They find it to be boring and difficult to the point where they do not want to attend and lose interest in learning, which in turn makes the job of the teacher much harder. One way to ease this process of learning is for you, the teacher, to look for various ways that you can use a science classroom to let students have some fun. If you can increase their interest in classroom activities, they will develop a stronger desire to learn. From then on, you do not have to struggle to get them to know about certain facts and figures, but can just guide them to learn what they already desire to know. Three different items that can create a lot of fun in the class are plate magnets, toothpicks, and Bunsen burners.
Plate magnets are best used for metal experiments. One effective idea is to have children figure out the distance that the magnet will remain effective. They can then write out lines on the surface of a table that relate to how far they assume the magnet can reach. Children will appreciate the competitive aspect of this game. They can then place paperclips at the lines and release them to see how far the magnet can go.
Toothpicks may seem too small and simple to be beneficial, but students can learn a lot about design if you tell them to make bridges out of toothpicks. Only allow them to use glue and toothpicks. Give them free control over the ways that they carry out the design -- you will want them to end up with both strong and weak designs. Then, have the children experiment with the bridges to see which ones can sustain the most weight.
Bunsen burners are propane torches that rest on top of tables. There is a circular holder that contains the beakers and a long rod that reaches over the flame. The main idea of the Bunsen burner is to show students how to heat various chemical mixtures over an open flame. This can lead to all types of intriguing chemical reactions. Students will first be interested in this because the burners will appear easy and fun to use, but in the end they will figure out how compounds are made and how chemicals mix.
If you use toothpicks, plate magnets, and Bunsen burners, you can renovate the science experiments that take place in your classroom. You can increase the chances that students will look forward to coming to class and they will relish in the activities more. If you can spark this change in their approach to knowledge, you can offer them a lot more.
