Key points:
- Interactivity and engaging resources can make science more approachable
- Elementary school teachers need easy-to-use science tools that will grab students’ attention
During my time as a kindergarten teacher, I learned three major lessons about our youngest learners’ relationship to science. Specifically, I learned that elementary school students are predisposed to being excited to learn about their world, are naturally curious about how the world of nature works, and benefit highly from learning about the STEM/STEAM-related professions they might someday consider pursuing.
My current role as a PreK-12 science curriculum specialist affords me the opportunity to work alongside a variety of elementary school teachers as they plan engaging lessons and activities for their students. Often, I hear that science is set aside for various reasons. While I recognize the critical importance of developing math and literacy mastery, we must ensure our elementary level learners are well-rounded and prepared with the scientific skills needed for future success. So, I see it as part of my role to provide the teachers I serve with easy-to-use resources and instructional supports they need to easily “sneak” scientific concepts into their lesson.
It seems obvious to say that when teachers have a variety of simple, high-impact academic resources to utilize to present scientific phenomena and concepts to their students, they are more likely to assure that science is included within their instructional day.
However, with all educators have on their plate today, experimenting with edtech resources might take a backseat to some other important tasks. So, I’ve created a list of three easy-to-use, essential digital tools elementary educators can use to inject science into instruction.
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