To me, science is the exploration of our natural world through the questions we ask, observations

we make, and experiments we create. It is our tool to understand the many aspects of life that are

not immediately explainable, and it has helped to better our lives. It is my belief that science

should have a great emphasis in the curriculum of elementary students. As has been stressed so

often in class, students tend to lose their love of science by the time they reach middle school,

and it is hard to bring that love back. Current science teaching methods rely heavily on testing

and sterilized questions that do not promote inquiry. Additionally, Bell states that modern

science classes do not connect science to the real world, and focus anecdotal lessons that never

stray from the scientific method (Bell, n.d.). By the time they are out of elementary school,

students are tired of the mind-numbing cycle of simple questions and little exploration. Instilling

a love of the subject early in a student’s life and nurturing it is important to me, and I would like

to use what I learned in this class to spark a lifelong appreciation of science in my future

students. I’d like to connect my lessons to relevant subjects and topics of importance to my

students’ lives, so they do not feel like they are being forced to learn something that barely

applies to them. I also want to emphasize moving away from the strict scientific method, and

encourage students to be messy with their craft and experiment with their experimentation

process, rather than force themselves into a box. I want to promote inquiry and deeper thought

through the use of the Nature of Science, Bloom’s Higher Order Thinking questions, and projects

that involve critical thought. Most of all, I want my students to enjoy and have fun with science.

I have memories of dreading science classes throughout my K-12 schooling, and I never want

my students to feel that way when they are in my class.

References:

Bell, R. L. (n.d.). Virtual learning network. Teaching the Nature of Science: Three Critical

Questions : Virtual Learning Network. Retrieved December 1, 2022, from

https://vln.school.nz/resources/view/956729/teaching-the-nature-of-science-three-critical-

questions