The following post is from Jennifer, a lifelong educator: 15 Fun Ways to Reinforce Science Concepts for Kids
See all of the Homework Helps posts here.
Hands-on experiments and activities are usually a hit with any student, but taking a science test can be quite the opposite. Answering questions about complex information can intimidate even the best of students.
Here are some ways to help your son or daughter solidify important concepts for an exam:
1. Create a brochure or pamphlet – include important facts and details. Add photos or drawings to further reinforce learning.
2. Make a cartoon strip with the main character talking about ideas that he’s trying to remember.
3. Design a poster – use photos from magazines or the internet; add labels to critical parts.
4. Video tape a “commercial” telling the viewers why they need to purchase this information. Preparing, presenting, then watching allows students to cover the material at least three times.
5. Some concepts are best understood through models. Play doh, legos, popsicle sticks and blocks are inexpensive and easily accessible. Have your child talk to you through each step and they’ll more easily remember the parts of the model you built together!
6. Put facts to the music of a simple song like Old McDonald or Row, Row, Row Your Boat. Writing lyrics, then singing them, doubles the study time.
Courtesy Of AGS Scientific
7. Watch an online demonstration – take notes while watching.
8. Make flash cards. Color code similar concepts.
9. Use index cards to make a matching game with key words and definitions. Play like Memory/Concentration.
10. Design a Power Point – send it to the teacher for extra credit!
11. Create a questionnaire, along with the answers, that you can ask a classmate before the test.
12. Make a concept map to “see” the processes.
13. Write a play about a scientist who discovers the information you are studying. Enlist classmates to play some of the parts. Ask if you can present the play to the class.
14. Present a puppet show, using premade puppets (or even socks with felt faces!) who talk about the facts that need to be memorized.
15. If motivation about science is lacking, visit a nearby children’s museum. It can ignite the passion your child needs to push through tough material.
What’s your child’s favorite thing about science? What helps them when it’s time to study for a test?
| Jennifer is passionate about children and education. She homeschooled her two sons for five years, established and directed a Christian school in Maryland for 20 years, and currently teaches in a public school in a Chicago suburb. She loves investing in relationships and delights in every moment that she spends with her family. | |
