Figure 1. Classroom Science
(Brand_X_Images, 2008).

Classrooms now come in a variety of shapes, sizes and designs. To properly teach science or any other subject, it is very important to take into account how the classroom is set up. Lighting, space, acoustics, seating arrangement, temperature, classroom efficacy, and diversity are shown to have serious impacts on student learning.

Since there are such a variety of aspects about the classroom that research has shown to have an effect on student performance there are important suggestions to consider that can enhance student’s learning experience and maximize classroom efficiency.

Classroom design, creative lesson plans, and science connections into other subjects will promote understanding of science topics and encourage K-6 students to conduct scientific activities. Using president Bush's policies to expand a classroom's resources and finding cross-curricular lesson plans will allow students to think effectively and have fun while learning.

The classroom set up depicted in Figure 2 is one that is familiar to many educators. It is the more formal classroom setting, which becomes especially common in older grade levels. Classroom design research conducted through Georgia principals and national teachers indicated that in classroom design, the amount of natural lighting, flexibility, noise level and comfort ability of seating has major affects on student achievement (Figure 3). In younger grade levels, classroom design is especially encouraged to be flexible and welcoming to the students, something the right hand design does not accomplish well. Providing space to move around in and using complimentary colors will help students concentrate on academic work.

Figure 2. Traditional Classroom Design
(University of Wisconsin, 2008)

Figure 3. Perception Graph
(Langford and Tanner, 2002).

Figure 4 is one design option for classroom seating. Research is currently being done on the effects of therapy balls in the classroom and their effectiveness as classroom seating. Other options include pillows at low desks or well-designed chairs to support posture. For science, it is important have a stable area to work in, including a hard work surface, sturdy seating, and plenty of space for students to move in.  Often experiments generate excitement, so students will need space to move around in during expressions of this excitement or classroom control can suffer.

Figure 4.  Classroom Seating
(Worthington, 2007).

Figure 5. Principles' Grading of Classroom Acoustics in Their Schools
(Langford and Tanner, 2002).

Figure 6. Classroom Design for Optimum Hearing
 (The Quiet Zone, 2002) 

 Control of unwanted sounds

• minimize noise intrusion from outdoors
• minimize interference between classrooms
• design quiet ventilation system

Enhancement of wanted sounds

• control excessive reverberation by sound absorption
• minimize echoes from distant surfaces (such as the back wall)
• use hard materials for useful sound reflections (use surfaces beside and above the teacher)

Figure 7. Lighting and Space
(Harris Family Children's Center, 2007).

Figure 8. Test scores show differences with different types of light. (Daylighting in Schools, 1999)

Figure 9. Dragonfly Drawing

(Jamieson Associates, 2006)

Howard Gardener discovered that people learn in a variety of different ways. While this may seem obvious he was able to identify multiple strengths that people fall back on in order to solve a problem. One way that people learn is through body movement also called kinesthetically. The University of Illinois estimates that about 50% of people are kinesthetic learners and have trouble learning in the traditional classroom setting (Helping Children Succeed..,2008). By incorporating movement into the classroom, a teacher can anchor knowledge through patterns of bodily movements. Using movement creates a procedural memory pathway that students will use in the future. Recent psychology studies identify three main memory pathways including semantic (student remembers numbers and texts), episodic (student remembers where they were when they learned the fact), and procedural (student remembers moving in a pattern when they learned the fact). As movement is becoming recognized as a tool for learning, leaders in the field are emerging.

Check out Jean Blaydes Madigan and her Action Based Learning programs for more research and ideas.

• Semantic (numbers and words)

• Episodic (where)

• Procedural (muscle memory involving patterns)

Classroom diversity is now defined as “the incorporation of knowledge about diverse groups” that is taught to student (Affirmative Action, 2003). This means that any classroom can be diverse and studies have shown (Figure 10) that active citizenship and intellectuality increased in students who had been exposed to classroom diversity. In a science curriculum, this can incorporated as awareness of what other countries have done in related experiments or origins of the science concept from an experiment.

Figure 10.  Student Exposure to Classroom Diversity
 (Affirmative Action, 2003).

 

Figure 11. Out of Classroom Experience
(Environmental Science Center, 2008).

The Vermont Institute of Natural Science is great at providing hands on experiences for kids. They have resources that you may not and can provided them at a fairly inexpensive price.

Check out their Hands On Outreach Programs on their website at http://www.vinsweb.org/education/outreach_programs.html.

Local colleges, technical centers, and universities are a wonderful resource too. Bringing your class to a real lab can be fascinating and with a professor's supervision, students can ask questions and learn more about the tools that real scientists use in making new discoveries. If you have a specific idea for a program or are interested to know what programs are offered by professors at your local college, contacting someone in the department is easy to do. Browse the department website (listed below) of your nearest higher education facility and then use the example letter provided to contact them with your idea.

Browse Castleton

Browse Johnson

Browse VT Technical College

Browse Lyndon

Open the door.

Choose one of the links below to go to a letter that you can send to take advantage of your resources. Use the addresses listed to copy and paste into a letter along with your address and send it to people that can make it happen.

Higher Education Resource Letters

I would like a professional.

I want to visit.

I need tools.

Vermont Institute of Natural Science Letters

Raptor Encounter      Animal Tales      

Cold Blooded Critters       Bats!       

The Eastern Blue Bird    The Bear Facts     Beavers   

Flight of The Butterflies      Catamounts    

Coyotes in New England    Loon Lore  

The Magnificent Moose       Turkey Tales

(802) 359-5001 lconrad@vinsweb.org

(802) 635-1327       les.kanat@jsc.edu

(802) 468-1238

(802) 362-4374   rladue@vinsweb.org

(802) 635-1337
john.wrazen@jsc.edu

(802) 468-1456

 (802) 442-1707

(802) 442-1350

David.Conant@Lyndonstate.edu

Bouncing Ball

(Science and Math)

(Natural Science)

(Science and History)

(Science and Language Arts)

Eat and Run

(Science and Gym)

(Science and Health)

(Science and Current Events)

(Science and Art)