Teaching with Manipulatives!!

`Teaching science should include some great manipulatives to improve the understanding of science more. Studies have shown that the best way to introduce or reinforce abstract scientific concepts is by using manipulatives. These manipulatives maybe small objects that can be touched and moved about by students. Manipulatives can make science come alive. Most students learn by doing, so manipulatives is a great way to get information across to your students. Students LOVE science experiments. Here are some great science experiments that I would love to do in my future classroom.
http://youtu.be/Hr6dZ6aWpF4
Click on the url and it will link you to a video about changing the color of milk. This video is very interesting and makes one realize that the fat in milk can change so many different things. Through this hands-on experiment, students can learn so many different things.


*Also I feel that is important to allow your students to make things own their own. When I was a student in elementary school and high school, I often learned through making things. I will never forget, I learned so much about a solar system after I made one of my own.

*Another thing is to take students on field trips. Use this as a manipulative to engage their interests. There are some great science places that could be a great introduction into a lesson. Some places that I know that are great are the following: Dauphin Island Sea Lab, Turtle Point, Alligator Alley. Dauphin Island Sea Island is a great place for the students to learn about the sea creatures and salt water and such. Turtle Point is kind of like 5 Rivers. It teachs students about river water, creeks, and the animals that live in these areas. Lastly, Alligator Alley would be a great place to teach your students about reptiles.

This was me doing a science lesson for my class. My science experiment was about sticking a straw in a potato. It was to see if a regular straw would go through a potato. The results showed that they only way the straw would go through was if you  closed off the top of the straw with your finger.