KLEIN's
GUIDE TO
SCIENCE EDUCATION
PHOTO CREDIT: Nadene Klein at Tuolumne Meadows Yosemite National Park
Even after hours of planning what might seem to be an impeccable lesson, things don't always go according to plan. As teachers we are warned to be flexible. We know our plans might have to change because of a fire drill, a snow day, or an impromptu assembly. This week, I was compelled to alter my physics lesson plan. Not because of one of the afore mentioned situations, but because one of my students had a better idea. I was planning on teaching free body diagrams. I had my multi-media presentation ready to go. I began by passing out scratch paper to my students to give the non-verbal communication that what we were about to do was practice. I didn't want them to stress about doing perfect drawings at first. Before I could explain what the paper was for, a male student exuberantly shouted out, "Are we making paper airplanes?" "That's not really what I had planned..." I began my reply while the wheels in my head were spinning, "You know what? Yeah, let's make paper airplanes." I had no idea at first what I was doing to my science lesson, but I knew I had them hooked. While students made their paper airplanes, the wheels continued to spin. Students exclaimed that they were having fun and never ever had had a teacher ASK them to make a paper airplane before. I encouraged them to fly their planes until the excitement wore off. I then handed each student a new piece of scratch paper. I modeled for them how to draw a free body diagram of their paper airplane in flight. The result was an example that was more tangible and I had 100% engagement of every student in the room. The second half of the lesson did go as I had originally planned. I was fortunate that this happened in my first physics class of the day. Therefore, I changed the delivery of the free body diagram lesson to be the same for all of my classes with equally impressive results. I am so glad that I was listening and willing to change. Scientifically yours, Nadene
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AuthorNadene Klein, M.Ed. has been an educator for over 25 years. She brings a passion and love for science to the classroom and through this blog to you. Archives
March 2024
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