Comments on: 10 ways to make lessons more hands-on

By: Sheldon Soper

Sheldon Soper — Wed, 12 Apr 2017 20:40:45 +0000

The “Tollbooth Game” was a favorite from when I was in school. Students ran a mock tollbooth with the rest of the class acting as the cars pulling through with tickets of varying amounts and various combinations of cash. Tollbooth operators had to process as many cars as possible (giving exact change, of course) within the allotted time period. Mr. Brennan turned our earnings and accuracy into a grade-wide competition.

The simulation reinforced the value of quick, accurate computational skills in an energetic and authentic way that hooked us all (not an easy feat with 12 & 13 year-olds)!

By: Anne Maddox

Anne Maddox — Tue, 11 Apr 2017 04:21:33 +0000

I taught an after-school science class at five different schools for grades 1-6, divided into 3 classes, 1-2, 3-4, & 5-6. I taught the same lesson to all the grades three times a day, five days a week. By the end of the week, I had taught the lesson 15 times. I made the lessons all hands on. The Ss loved it. I would have to say that the visual appeal was the key. The kids could see the science in action. You know that feeling when you teach a lesson and say to yourself what you will change the next time you teach it? Well, that was actually an hour later. The one thing I would change if I had to do it again would be to let the Ss pour over all the science books and pick the next lesson instead of me doing it. Then they could be the ones to give me the supply list. It honestly started to change my thinking as I studied the books, then applied the lesson, giving me a “can do” attitude towards any project.

By: Catherine Day

Catherine Day — Mon, 10 Apr 2017 20:52:29 +0000

I am the same way. I like having a written/video tutorial available and then I like to jump in and do it! That way, I can practice it and practice it. Case in point: During Grad School, the best classes were the ones where I actually had to DO what they were asking me about, not just write a paper on it EX: In Differentiation class, he had me write up lesson plans that included many elements of differentiation. However, in Tech Class, there was very little hands-on training and more writing about it than anything (not the prof’s fault though). We need to explain it (and provide written/visual instruction to our students, then let them go at it with gusto! This gets them excited about it while cementing knowledge on how to do it. Years later, when they actually may need the knowledge, it will come back to them.

By: Larry Lynch

Larry Lynch — Mon, 10 Apr 2017 14:30:22 +0000

I teach a welding class in a high school environment. We (students and I) have reversed engineered a grill/smoker of mine into a much larger size for sale. The math concepts involved created some confusion until they realized that the idea was to try, succeed or fail, and try again. We have settled on Plan B of the design, now working through mistakes in the assembly process. It has provided a multitude of lessons learned by my students, including what not to do again.