There are a variety of interactive science activities available, which are usually determined by the field of science being studied and the type of equipment available. Experimentation is one of the most common activities, particularly in classes dealing with physical sciences and chemistry. There are a variety of activities that can involve the observer’s observation and action, usually to test ideas or find differences in various objects. Computers and other forms of technology are also used in some types of interactive science activities.
Interactive science activities are those that are used to demonstrate scientific ideas to someone in a way that is more engaging than passive listening or viewing. These activities are frequently used to assist someone in better understanding the realities of a scientific concept or to allow someone to reach their own scientific conclusions. While many subjects in school can be made interactive, science is by far the most straightforward.
Physical science offers a variety of opportunities for teachers and students to engage in interactive science activities. Biology activities could include observing how animals in a zoo move and then attempting to replicate those movements to see how the human body’s muscles and bone structure differ from that of other animals. Simple experiments, such as dropping several objects and recording their fall times to understand constant acceleration due to gravity, can often be used to study physics. Chemistry interactive science activities can also include active experimentation, though this usually entails observing how different chemicals combine and react to one another.
There are also numerous interactive science activities that make use of computers and other technological devices. The previous example of dropping objects to observe physical properties could be aided by a computer and camera that tracks the objects’ movements and records velocity to help a student better understand how velocity, acceleration, and gravity are all related. There are also a number of computer programs available that can be used to study science in ways that are less time consuming than direct observation. Virtual planetariums that allow students to look at stars on a computer monitor, biology presentations that allow students to interact with and explore cell structures, and computer animations that demonstrate how disparate particles and bits of mass could come together to form the stars and planets of a solar system are examples of interactive science activities.