Incorporating science into your virtual school routine might seem challenging, but it’s far easier than you might think. By reading science books as part of your English class or bringing in outside programs for virtual field trips, your students will be able to learn more about science. Science is everywhere in the world around us so it’s important that students learn as much as they can about it.
- Chart the weather at the start of each day.
At the start of each day, you should chart the weather because this will be a great way to bring in a discussion about weather patterns and the different seasons. If you do calendar time during your virtual school day, charting the weather would be the perfect add-on during this time. For older students, you could study various weather elements like the different types of clouds or significant weather events that happen in your area.
- Read science books as part of your reading or language time.
As part of your reading or language studies, you could read science books to teach science and reading at the same time. For younger students, you could read books on different elements of nature or science events like landing on the moon, and for older students, you could have them do reports on different science leaders, animals, or elements of the periodic table. Whether you’re studying poetry, teaching students how to read, or learning to write a research paper, there are plenty of opportunities to incorporate science into your English class.
- Perform science experiments.
Just because your school day is virtual doesn’t mean that it shouldn’t include science experiments. You might have to choose experiments that can easily be seen on the screen, but you should still include them as part of your teachings. Always a crowd favorite, the classic volcano will still work virtually, and most science experiments can be tailored so you can perform them virtually. You could even have students perform a few science experiments with items they have around the house or explore their yard for different leaves or types of nature to share.
- Bring in outside programs as virtual field trips.
To stimulate your students, you should bring in outside programs to teach about science. Many museums and nature centers have virtual programs set up where they can teach students or share exhibits virtually, and you could even bring in programs that have virtual STEAM field trips already planned. No matter what your students are studying, there are programs available to help provide stimulate and provide further information to your students.
- Use scientific calculations as part of your math lessons.
As part of your math lessons, you could integrate science by including scientific calculations as part of your math problems. For example, you could help students calculate the distance between planets or how many months a bear hibernates during its lifetime. No matter what grade level you teach, working science elements into your math lessons is one of the easiest ways to incorporate science into your virtual school routine.
- Allow students to share their scientific findings.
Once a week, you could designate a time for students to share their scientific findings with their classmates. During “Science Show and Tell”, students could share about a science book they read or tell something fascinating that they learned. This will also help virtual students engage with other their classmates.
- Teach one interesting fact every day.
An easy way to incorporate science into your virtual school routine is to find a time during the day to teach one interesting fact every day. It could be after lunch or before you end the day, but you should try to have the same time so children look forward to it. It doesn’t need to be a long presentation or anything elaborate, but reading one fact about a scientific element or science leader will expose your students to a great deal of scientific knowledge. Taking one minute each day might seem trivial, but at the end of the school year, it will have made a large impact.
In your virtual classroom, your students will grow up to a range of occupations, and some of your students might be inspired by your science teachings and become a member of the science community. It’s important to teach students about science because it affects almost every daily activity we do, and teaching them about science could help them develop a passion for it.
Valerie Cox is a contributing writer for LOC Scientific. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, playing with her dog, and volunteering in her local community.
