We know science can feel intimidating sometimes - maybe you've felt like Omar here? We can help!
Dear Mystery Science,
Science was always my toughest subject when I was in school, so teaching science still feels really intimidating. I do feel more confident with the Mystery Guides as my expert co-teachers, but they can’t answer questions! This year I have a few students who are really curious about complicated concepts, and I just don’t know how to answer their questions – after all, I’m not a scientist! How do I handle scientific questions when I don’t know the answers?
Thanks,
Omar
We truly want each student to see themselves as a scientist – and their teachers, too!
We understand that your students might have detailed questions about the scientific phenomena in the lessons, and it’s okay if you don’t have all the answers - neither do scientists. They regularly make hypotheses and then revise their beliefs as they learn more. Learning together as a team can be creative and fun!
Here are some ideas for how to embrace tricky questions – and even encourage students to ask more!
- Look up the answer together
- Encourage students to research more information at home with their families
- Make it a discussion question – what does everyone else think the answer could be? Be creative!
- Build on their curiosity – what related questions can students think of? How many questions can they brainstorm? Check out our mini-lesson “How do scientists know so much?” for a fun activity that guides you through this process!
Our mission is to help students stay curious, and the best way to foster an environment of curiosity is by modeling this attitude yourself!
We’d love to hear what questions your students have – you can always submit one of their questions to the Curiosity Jar using the link at the top of the page when logged in. Here's where to find that:
Curious to learn more? Here are some other resources you may find helpful: