Hands-On Science
by Anna Chapa
April 24, 2008
My class has been busy all year incorporating hands-on work into our science studies. We have completed many different labs, covering physical, earth, and life sciences. My students always enjoy getting their hands "dirty" and learning a great deal in the process.
Included in this article is a slide show of two of their favorites from the year:
1) "All Mixed Up", working with mixtures and solutions. During this lab, there were four stations the groups were asked to complete. Each station taught the difference between mixtures and solutions, and how difficult it is to separate the mixtures.
2) Owl pellet dissection. This was during our study of ecosystems, food chains, and food webs. The students were a little squeamish at first, but then really became interested and excited to see what type of animals their owl had consumed. Using a chart showing different animal bones, each student was able to show proof of the owl consuming more than one type of animal (e. g. shrew, mouse, bird).
