Kids Have 'Aha' Moments With Hands-on Science Experiments

Kids are budding scientists, propelled by natural curiosity to explore and discover. Give them the right tools and "Aha" moments are sure to follow.

Teachers can harness the joy of discovery with software that engages students in authentic scientific investigations that let them ask their own questions, view data visually, get immediate results and draw conclusions. With science skills becoming a prerequisite for a competitive global workforce, learning science by doing science is an effective way to develop interest and competency, according to Wayne Grant, Ph.D., chief education officer at PASCO scientific.

"Learning by doing engages students at a personal level and provides them with a deeper learning experience and greater understanding of scientific principles," says Grant, a former research scientist and curriculum designer. "SPARKvue software from PASCO gives students the opportunity to engage in real-time data collection, analysis and reflection just as real scientists do."

With SPARKvue, students can collect and display real-time sensor data, make predictions right on a graph, take a snapshot of their work, and annotate their work with built-in tools. The use of electronic journals lets teachers monitor progress and gauge a student's understanding. Assessment prompts customized by teachers capture student responses. More than 60 standards-based labs covering a range of disciplines are available for middle school through high school grade levels. Each lab contains all the instructions, procedures, safety tips, graphs, tables, analysis tools and student response tools needed for successful inquiry-based investigations--all within the same framework.

PASCO, a leading developer of innovative, technology-based solutions for hands-on science, designed SPARKvue to use wherever science happens—inside or outside the classroom. It runs on most digital technologies available to teachers, including Windows and Mac-based computers, interactive whiteboards, netbooks and PASCO's all-in-one SPARK Science Learning System. There is also a SPARKvue App optimized for the iPad, iPod touch and iPhone to measure a wide range of phenomena—including pH, temperature, force and carbon dioxide level.

"Authentic scientific research transports students into a whole new world of possibilities—a world where they can explore, ask questions, experiment and draw conclusions," says Grant. "Given the right tools, students learn how to learn, how to apply their knowledge to real world problems, and how they can contribute to a growing body of knowledge."

EDITORS NOTE: To interview Wayne Grant, please contact Kathleen Dixon at 408-871-7765 or Kathleen@kdixon.com.