Science Activities for the First Week of School
As summer draws to a close, the anticipation of a new school year looms ahead for both teachers and students alike. For science educators, the first week of school is a crucial time to establish a positive and engaging classroom environment. Will you kick off the new school year with a bang or just do the same old thing?
Here are some first-week-of-school activities your students are sure to love, and the comic-twist to some of these will leave them excited for more
Tackle the Scientific Method with Glow Sticks
Most teachers use the first week school to set a foundation for lab procedures and safety. While the old-school version of the scientific method is evolving into inquiry-based learning, students still have to understand the process of asking questions, designing a way to test their questions, and reporting findings. This glow stick experiment bridges the gap between the old fashioned scientific method on inquiry creating a memorable lab your students will go nuts over.
Task
Learners are told they will be designing an experiment to test how temperature affects the brightness of glow sticks. They will be given basic supplies- three cups (preferably clear plastic or glass), water, ice, a heat source (managed by the teacher), and three glow sticks.
Experimental Design
While there are clear instructions, like the example pictured on the right, out there, I prefer to allow my students to develop this first week of school experiment on their own. This allows learners to take a deeper dive into inquiry and work through problem-solving on their own.
The goal is to have the students design an experiment using all three cups of water- one cup of regular tap water (control), one cup of ice water, and one of hot water.
Making Predictions
Prior to plunging the glow sticks into the various baths, students need to make predictions and form a hypothesis. This is a key step in both the traditional scientific method and the more inquiry-based model.
Test and Observe
Now the fun part! Turn off the lights and put those neon toys in the water. When I conduct this first week of school activity with my students, the classroom is a-buzz with excitement. There is something about glow sticks that triggers excitement and curiosity.
Report Results
Once the excitement concludes and the results are clear, it is time for students to report their findings. In my classroom, we simply hold a class discussion. Many other educators opt to have their students create a poster explaining their results.
As a whole, this first week of school activity pans out to be one of the more memorable ones in my classroom. It is an easy way to practice the steps of scientific inquiry and gets students on their feet from day one.
All About Me First Week of School Activity
Another fun way to engage your learners from the first day of school is to take a moment to get to know them. This builds rapport and helps you quickly gain insight into some of the new personalities you have in your science classroom.
Task
Students are tasked with creating a one-page comic that highlights who they are. The comic provided by Cool School Comics prompts learners to think about hobbies, pets, favorite foods, and more.
One-Pager Templates
Three different one-pager templates are provided for this project. Each template increases creative freedom. The first template provides a prompt in each window. This makes it easier for students to come up with ideas if they are struggling.
The two additional templates do not have prompts and allow students the freedom to create whatever they wish.
The Benefits
This first week of school activity gives students the opportunity to feel seen in their new classroom. By giving them a medium to express themselves, it helps them feel welcomed. While the activity is not directly science-related, it does let them know, right from the first day, that they are part of the classroom community.
Lab Safety Overview
When it comes to lab safety, how do you get their attention and keep it? Simply going over the rules can result in a lot of disengaged students. This important information needs to presented in a manner that will grab their attention and keep them engaged.
Task
Cover the aspects of lab safety in a manner that is not boring.
Lab Safety Comic / Anchor Chart Poster
With graphic novels being such a trend right now, educators need to use comics as much as possible. They are sure to grab attention and engage today’s learners in reading.
The Cool School Comics has created a lab safety poster that is both funny and to the point. Your learners will be instantly roped in and excited to spend a part of their first week of school reviewing lab safety rules.
Interactive Notebook Covers
Interactive notebooks are a valuable instructional tool in science classrooms. They foster active learning, organization, critical thinking, creativity, and collaboration among students. So, it should come as no surprise that many science teachers opt to start these notebooks during the first week of school.
Task
Inspire students to take ownership and pride in their interactive notebooks right from the get-go.
Interactive Notebook Covers that Rock
One way to get them excited about their interactive notebooks is to have them create attractive and cool covers. Cool School Comics has you covered (see what I did there).
With over twenty design choices, students can personalize their interactive notebooks with the trendy comic style. Each cover includes clipart of a variety of science topics allowing you the opportunity to select covers that align with your curriculum.
Benefits
Interactive notebooks require students to actively engage with the material rather than passively copying notes. One of the key advantages of interactive notebooks is their organizational structure. Students learn to categorize information into sections such as vocabulary, notes, diagrams, and reflections.
Every student has a unique learning style, and interactive notebooks cater to a variety of preferences. Visual learners benefit from colorful diagrams and illustrations, while kinesthetic learners enjoy hands-on activities like cutting, pasting, and creating foldables. Auditory learners can benefit from discussions and verbal explanations during notebook reviews.
Using interactive notebooks teaches students valuable study skills such as note-taking, summarizing, and reviewing. By actively engaging in the creation and maintenance of their notebooks, students develop organizational habits that can benefit them in all areas of their academic career.
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