Beginning of the Year Activities for Science Class

The beginning of the school year is often chaotic, especially in middle school with students changing their schedules and moving in and out of classes. This can make it difficult to begin teaching the curriculum, but with the teaching of such a large number of standards required each year, teachers don't like to waste valuable educational time. Here are some science class activities that can be used during the first week of school that will provide useful skills for students to use during entire school year.

Textbook Scavenger Hunt

Once the textbooks have been issued, hand out a list of questions about the contents of the textbook that will require students to search through all areas of the book in order to find the answers. This activity will allow students to become familiar with the topics they will be studying during the course of the year, and also provide basic instruction on how to use their textbook. It is surprising how many students don't know how to use an index, glossary or table of contents. The questions can be modified to fit the grade, with simpler questions for younger students, and more challenging ones for the higher grades. Some examples of Textbook Scavenger Hunt questions are: On what page does the Index begin? What is the definition of a batholith? On what page would you find the periodic table of the elements? In which chapter can you find information about marine ecosystems? List three types of marine ecosystems.

Learning How to use Basic Laboratory Equipment

The beginning of the year is the time to teach students how to use basic laboratory equipment. Set up several stations around the classroom with a balance, graduated cylinders and beakers, thermometers, rulers and other simple instruments. Microscopes would not be included in this activity, since they more complicated and require an entire lesson. After a whole-class introduction to each of the instruments, divide the students up into small groups and have them rotate through the stations and practice using the equipment. They can weigh a small object on the balance, measure out a certain volume of water with a beaker and graduated cylinder, take the temperature of a liquid with the thermometer, and measure the length of a piece of cardboard in inches and centimeters.

Science in the News

The beginning of the year is an excellent time to get students motivated about science by having them find interesting science stories in the news. Whether in the newspaper or online, there are always stories about space, technology, medicine, the environment, natural disasters such as earthquakes, hurricanes or tornadoes, or other science topics. This activity can be continued throughout the year.

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