My wife and I had a date night where we got to see BrainCandyLive! starring Adam Savage (of Mythbusters fame) and Michael Stevens (of VSauce fame). What a great show and what great ideas for teaching science! The showmanship of Adam's creations and Michael's depth of science knowledge led the entire audience into an understanding of air and air pressure.
One of the best parts of teaching a physical science class are the numerous demonstrations you can share with kids to elucidate often challenging concepts. As Michael said in BrainCandyLive, "You can't see air. How do we know it's there?"
Answering these types of questions in class can be both engaging and fun for students. Why would you show a YouTube video of these phenomena when you can DO them in your room in front of students! I started doing this to engage otherwise apathetic students. I realized that it was also really fun for both me and my students.
My love for this type of lesson started early in my career: before technology took over classrooms and textbooks were still modus operandi. Our school had a partnership with Capital Repertory Theatre and I teamed up with one of their employees. For over a decade now, around Halloween, we have done a lesson on special effects, dry ice, and fog machines. This works perfectly into the unit on matter we are covering in class at that moment. Based on the success of that lesson I began working on others including:
- Air Pressure (using a vacuum pump and chamber)
- Liquid Nitrogen
- Chemical Reactions
I also do innumerable smaller demonstrations to cause cognitive dissonance and/or engage students a the beginning of a lesson/unit. Anything to get them talking science and asking questions. The ones I listed involve a full period and often involve students making predictions, asking questions, and writing responses. There is lots of fun to be had but we also need to work on critical thinking and writing. I also want to make sure they actually learned something.
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| Photo From Halloween 2016 |
Thanks to YouTube, there are a plethora of videos showing various performers (teachers) doing demonstrations on almost any topic. Showmanship didn't come naturally to me. I had to work hard at it. I have watched everyone from Bill Nye and Steve Spangler to MIT's Walter Lewin. From each video I can glean not only how the demonstration is best done but also how the content is best explained an presented. I also steal jokes and humor. Here are a few of my favorite Channels for getting ideas:
Sick Science
Crazy Russian Hacker
Tested
Jefferson Lab
I start with a blank piece of paper and write out ideas as I journey through YouTube. I later write a more formal script for how things will run in class. Everything is noted from whether the lights will be on or off to what music will be playing. My students can smell an unprepared lesson from a mile away and know when you're off your game. Preparation is key!
Most importantly for these demonstrations, I consider safety; the safety of myself, the students, and property. Even seemingly inconsequential things need to be considered. How will students be seated? How close will they be to the demo? In what parts of the lesson can I have student involvement? Where should materials be positioned? How will cords run along the floor? How should the materials be handled? What safety information needs to be shared with students?
I know great teachers that don't use "edutainment" in class. They don't feel the need to provide a show and entertain students. That is fine. This is how I enjoy teaching. I feel this is the best way to teach my students for these particular topics. I love providing wonder and hopefully spark some interest in science that will go beyond the 45 minutes of class time. I know it does because I hear them talking about it in the halls and at lunch. Students stop in to see me years later to reminisce about a particular demo or day in class. That doesn't happen with worksheets, packets, or even most cookbook labs.
Find a simple demo and work on your showmanship. Have some fun!
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