Playground Science

Science on the playground is not new but not perhaps as common as it might be? Learners often repeat activities from lessons after the lesson. If they participate in science activities such as role play on the playground in lessons we have found that they continue the lesson by repeating the activity with friends on the playground.

Year 2 pupil sketches a life cycle

Jon, a local Manchester teacher and part-time science tutor at the University of Manchester and I have trialled a number of ideas for lesson activities on the playground including science topics such as habitats, Earth in Space, light, forces and more. A typical example would be reflection modelled by the children kicking a ball against a wall. They can see the path of the ball and the angle at which it strikes the wall and the resulting bounce at a similar angle. Pupils are asked to draw, in chalk, arrows to show the path of the ball and to describe what they see. The teacher emphasises words such as path, straight linne, bounce, travel, travel to etc. back in a darkened classroom pupils recount what they have just seen on the playground and watch a demonstration of light bouncing and reflecting of a mirror. They then discuss the similarities to what they observed outside.
If you would like to hear more about playground science do get in touch with alan.cross@manchester.ac.uk