1) To explore beyond your curriculum
We know timetables are packed in schools and a science club is a brilliant opportunity to take things further. Perhaps you might explore the same themes as the curricula learning, but in more depth. You can try out things you wouldn’t normally do in class as the groups are smaller and the pressure to put things in books is off. Whatever your focus, exploring beyond the curriculum is a great reason to start a science club.
2) To enjoy time with smaller groups of children
Science clubs are usually much smaller than a class, typically 10 -15 at most. This means more time can be spent with each child that you would have in class, less people to share the kit with and therefore lots more opportunities for hands on learning taking it in a direction that is of interest to them. The opportunity to explore the ‘what if…?’ question at a science club is priceless!
3) To respond to the interests of your club members
If you have a group of budding paleontologists or material scientists, then a club is the perfect place to explore these interests and connect them to careers opportunities in their fields of interest. A chance to bring fossils from home or a school trip to the beach for proper exploration or to study the school garden’s compost heap or dead head a sunflower are rich in experience and something we don’t always have time for in a normal day in school.
4) To develop interest and engagement with science
The freedom that an extra-curricular science club brings has a lot to do with the interest and engagement of science. Children might choose to attend a science club who don’t attend any other school club, there might be children you want to invite specifically or perhaps a special group of children you want to target for a club. Advertising it as a no writing club might engage some children who find writing a challenge in your timetabled science lessons.
5) To develop children’s perceptions of self as scientists
Lots has been written about Science Capital and as founders, we are both learning to be accredited trainers for the Primary Science Capital Teaching Approach (PSCTA) here in the UK. We noticed straight away that the synergy with this and My Science Club is about valuing children’s personal starting points and their perception of self as scientists can be developed enormously through engagement with our packs and we can’t wait to share them with you!
Why not try one of our free sessions and get your creative juices flowing – or sign up for our membership and let us do the hard work for you.