If your classes are anything like mine, then your students are constantly in need of a scientific method review! My students always need to be reminded of the scientific method, its components, and why it’s important. Luckily, I have a few scientific method review activities up my sleeve, and I’m always squeezing in some review time (which results in groans and complaints, but what’s new in middle school!).

A Quick Mini-Lesson

Before I share some opportunities to review the scientific method, we should talk about refreshing students’ knowledge! If you teach the scientific method at the beginning of the year, and that’s it – students are going to struggle.

Instead, I suggest doing a mini-lesson towards the middle of the year, and then maybe another refresher before testing season. I do this through a quick mini-lesson with guided notes. Students put these guided notes inside of their notebooks, so they can refer to them later during review activities or before a test.

 

If you want a free scientific method mini-lesson, then you’re in luck! Download this FREE Scientific Method Quick Lesson and Guided Notes. The free resource includes a Google Slides presentation and guided notes for the lesson.

Download the Free Mini-Lesson

#1 Starting a New Lab

The easiest, and probably the most obvious, way to review the scientific method is anytime you start a new lab. There may be times when you want to do a quick lab, or you want to focus on a specific skill, so the scientific method is the last thing on your mind. But, making sure you reinforce the scientific method with every lab will help students in the long run.

#2 Lab Demonstrations

Whether students are watching a live demonstration or a video, they can still engage in the scientific method! Students don’t need to perform the lab themselves in order to flex those skills. Plus, lab demonstrations also give you the opportunity to model the scientific method, which can really help those students struggling to get the hang of things.

#3 Science Projects

Maybe you’re hosting a science fair or having students create their own unique labs, this is the perfect chance for a scientific method review. Not only will it help students review the skills, but using the scientific method during a project will ensure their project runs smoothly and is completely thought out from start to finish. It’s also how you can assess what students observed and learned through their project.

 

Scientific Method Template

 

To make scientific method review simple, I use the same Scientific Method Template every time! It also comes in a print and digital version, so you can choose the best format for your review.

Using the same template gets students familiar with the process, and the template is a super simple front and back layout (if you go with the print option).

The Scientific Method Template includes sections for –

Question

Hypothesis

Independent variable

Dependent variable

Control

Materials

Procedures

Recording Data

Conclusion

 

Get the Scientific Method Template