Experiences

Seed germination

Amparo Artigues

Spain

Lower Secondary School

Science

Teaching in class

Direct

Difficulties in teaching:
Lack of interactive media such as digital whiteboard, Internet access in all classrooms, audiovisual media.
Lack of laboratories
Excessive Number of students: 28 students per class
Learning difficulties:
Students especially have trouble understanding the micro processes (eg, the cell) and the processes related to the hidden as phenomena within the earth where physical magnitudes intervening (eg, movement of tectonic plaques). The phenomena that are more distant from their experience.

Use media to view the natural processes. Educational Videos
Ensure that activities are varied to capture the attention and not bore them: experiences, videos ... In theoretical classes, how to teach the content I think is better to use different techniques to help students see the content expressed in different ways: graphs, different types of diagrams, tables of contents ...
Perform experiments both in the laboratory and at home to help understand natural phenomena through experiences.
An example of this is a simple experiment that students have to do at home. The aim is to check as a seed to germinate responds to light, water, gravitational, mechanical and thermal stimuli. Geotropism and phototropism
The experiment was carried for 3 days from seed germination. Each day students must complete two tables: one with data on applied stimuli or conditions (temperature ...) and another with observations on the root and stem (color, size ..). Moreover they have to describe various aspects of seed germination and draw conclusions.
The advantage of this experiment is the simplicity. Experiences are also a way to bring students to the scientific method.