A sure way to make science relevant to children

Key points:

In eighth grade, Nearly 50 percent of students have lost interest in science or do not believe it will be relevant to their education or future plans..

Do you really want to promote science to children so that they maintain that interest?

Give them problems to develop solutions for.

For example, some people still like to read physical books (I'm one of them). Sometimes, you don't want to hold the book while reading it. You want to support him on something. Ask children to think of simple ways to hold a book hands-free. Provide materials, such as cardboard, popsicle sticks, glue, etc. If, after revealing your invention idea, they need other equipment, do your best to provide it to them as well. Ask them to create their inventions and test them. If they don't work, ask them to find out why they don't work so you can make adjustments. Give them a certain amount of time to ideate and create the invention.

Here's the trick: if you aren't able to create a working prototype in the allotted time, don't see it as a failure. Consider it an opportunity to discuss what you would do differently if you had more time.

In the real world, most innovations take years to materialize. The learning after each iteration is as important as the final product. Even after there is a final working prototype, there are often new subsequent editions of the innovation (for example, all iterations of the iPhone).

With this approach, children learn to develop hypotheses (if I do this, I will get that), to test their hypotheses by building prototypes, and to observe whether the prototypes work as expected. They will also learn to manage their emotions, since success does not come immediately.

Where did I get the problem of holding a book hands-free? Generative ai. The prompt I used with ChatGPT was: “List 10 everyday problems that could be solved with a solution that an elementary school student could develop.”

But where does science come in?

Science comes in when discussing why your prototype works. Using the example of the book title, the questions to discuss could be:

• What materials work best to keep the book from slipping? This question introduces friction and material properties into the discussion.
• How does the weight of the book affect the effectiveness of the bookend? This question involves the concepts of strength, balance, and structural integrity. Heavier books exert more downward force, so students would need to think about how the book stand can withstand that pressure without collapsing.
• How does each material used to create the book holder contribute to its operation? This explores mechanical properties and addresses how materials differ in strength, flexibility and durability.

You can also use generative ai to develop discussion questions.

Now they don't just think about the fact that they are creating something. They are also thinking about why it works.

Because they had the opportunity to solve problems at an early age, students will be inclined to tackle more challenging problems as they grow older. They will be more likely to do the work to determine why things work because they will see the fruits of their labor. They will think about what they can do to improve their creation. They will think about what they can create next. They will not see science simply as something that is learned; They will see it as something that can be applied to produce tangible results and solve real problems.

Make science interesting to kids by applying it to everyday problems, then give them the tools to solve these problems and help them think critically about why their solutions work. Ultimately, these children will become the innovators of tomorrow.