Science experiments for high school students?

What kind of science lab experiments should be included in a hands-on workshop for elementary school science teachers?

• My campus would like to offer a workshop for current and prospective science teachers so they get hands-on lab experience. Any advice about specific experiments (think about extracting DNA, observing insects etc.) or resources would be useful. I am looking for experiments that are more relevant/novel.

• Answer:

  Short answer: Look at documents teachers need to follow / use (curriculum guides, textbooks) and try and talk to a local board 'science expert'. There are teachers who just want a great experience that they can share to students in a 'motivation to keep going' sense. I've found more uptake from teachers in such sessions who get something at the end that they can re-use in a classroom setting (especially if a sub has been hired to cover them while they are in a session). This means the activity has to be replicable in a classroom, and affordable to reproduce (so cheap, or making using of gear already in possession). In Ontario (Canada), there is a standardized curriculum. This document outlines what students should learn each year (but not how, or when). Creating lab experiences that teachers can tie to this is beneficial, as it can directly tie to their teaching. Starting here would be a good place as it gives you some of the perspective needed. You can always tie your 'class-room' friendly activity into something bigger too. For example, I've seen an activity about iodization that is then used as a spring board to talk about Nanotechnology and where it is heading. Activities that have an element of role play work well too (for example the activity may be simpler, but your asking the student to 'be a doctor and make a decision based on the information of the lab tests you perform'). If you looking at making kits, the gold standard for me is the work that has been done by the http://www.perimeterinstitute.ca/.