What teachers, parents can do to make science a joy to learn

In order to make Science more meaningful in our schools, we should generate the "spirit of discovery" by allowing the students work like real scientists. The teachers should not teach science exclusively via a textbook. Instead teachers should allow students to conduct more experiments and explore on their own (parents can help at home). For example, if you want to get your students excited about the field of aerodynamics, announce a paper airplane contest.

Keeping a science journal and entering the records of their observations of what they have learned or demonstrated in science class, is another way students can emulate scientists. Students can have drawings, diagrams, tables, graphs, narrations, explorations, predictions and a description of what was done-and how it was done in their science journals. For every investigation students do in their science class they should follow the steps of scientific method and keep the records in their journals.

Students can compare their findings in their journals with other classroom fellows, teachers and parents. Comparing the findings with others promotes collaboration, co-operation and allows students to have meaningful conversation and scientific phenomena. Not only this new and exciting experiments come to mind constructed from what has just been learned, when students share their journals.

The article emphasizes on "spirit of discovery", student-centered work where students research their questions and care about the answers.