Science is all around us, therefore children are exposed to it every day. The science includes things like watching a plant grow, learning about animal life cycles, and monitoring raindrops. It’s no surprise that primary school students look forward to learning science. Science is formally introduced into the Singaporean curriculum in primary 3, allowing children to improve their acquisition and command of the English language, mother tongue, and mathematics during the first two years.
Despite their enthusiasm for the subject, the majority of them struggle to correctly answer the questions on their worksheets. This can be discouraging for them as they begin their scientific careers. How can you assist your child in improving his or her science grades in primary school? Here are some helpful hints!
Tips for boosting your child’s science grades in primary school
1. Experiential Learning
Children have an insatiable need to learn about the world around them. Because time is limited at school to cover the curriculum, incorporating many hands-on activities to pique your child’s attention is more difficult. Outside of school, becoming involved in science is not as tough as it appears. At home, everyday objects can also be used as a learning stimulus. You can pique your child’s curiosity by asking him or her questions about plant parts and having him or her observe the plant with you. Under your guidance, your kid can also do his or her own experiments at home. Many practical science experiment books are available at the National Library for kids to follow. Allowing your kid to take responsibility for observing his or her environment allows you to be more hands-on with his or her learning.
2. Use the Correct Keywords and Key Concepts
Through abilities such as comparing, classifying, inferring, and analyzing, the science curricular framework encourages students to cultivate a spirit of scientific inquiry. Keywords help pupils distinguish between skills as they learn new ones. If the question asks you to compare the physical properties of materials, for example, the focus should be on how these materials’ properties are employed. It is critical to emphasize the importance of thoroughly reading each question in order to understand what is being asked of them. The majority of science questions are lengthy. It is not enough to pick out specific scientific terminology in the question to solve it. To draw attention to keywords like “explain,” “observe,” and “compare,” you should highlight them. Scientific terms, in addition to keywords, must be highlighted in the questions because these are the essential concepts that the teacher will be searching for to evaluate their understanding.
3. Speak in scientific terms – be specific
Answer the questions to the point and do not go overboard with your writing. This is where the majority of students fail. They may lack a sufficient understanding of the scientific vocabulary required to respond to the inquiries. To address this, you can assist your child in crafting his or her responses based on the information supplied in the questions. Concept application skills can be demonstrated through pictorial hints such as diagrams, graphs, and tables.
4. Elimination of multiple-choice questions
Your child cannot obtain the proper scientific answer through the process of elimination in a multiple-choice question. Three of the four possibilities are nothing more than distractions. They detract attention from the correct solution. Pay special attention to the offered distractors and read the question thoroughly. If your child does not instantly know the proper answer, he or she can try to remove the obvious incorrect responses.
Do you think your child may use some extra help with science in elementary school?
Due to the technical vocabulary and concepts required in primary school Science, many parents find it difficult to steer their children to success. Parents may want to consider enrolling their children in an enrichment program, such as TCSG STEM education classes, to augment their schoolwork. Your children will be able to comprehend topics fast with teachers who are dedicated to helping them score well through interactive activities. Learn more about our enrichment programs, or schedule a Learning Strength Evaluation to determine your child’s learning ability.
