Classroom experiments are usually hands-on and appeal to kinesthetic learners. These are the children who tend to want to move around while learning and may not fully understand topics with only visual or auditory stimulation. Participating in an experiment can make abstract topics pertain to real life. For example, a child may not be developmentally ready to understand statistics during a discussion or from a textbook, but will understand the likelihood of getting "heads" or "tails" if allowed to flip a coin 100 times and record the results.
Classroom discussion should always follow experiments because in some cases, children will not come to appropriate or relevant conclusions on their own. Another limitation is that sometimes experiments do not turn out the way you expect or desire them to. Small errors or variations can drastically change the result of an experiment. In the flip-the-coin experiment, it is probable that the results will not show an exact 50 percent likelihood of landing on "heads," and it is even possible that the results will not even approximate 50 percent.
Before beginning any type of experiment, ask the class to come up with a hypothesis. If you are flipping coins, ask them what they think the likelihood is of landing on "heads" per 100 coin flips. Once the experiment is done, have them chart, graph or write about their results. If any variables led to a discrepancy between the expected and actual results, the students should discuss them in their conclusion. For younger students, most of this process can be done out loud for the whole class; older students may be able to analyze the experiment on their own and present their conclusions to the class.
When performing science experiments in the classroom, keep in mind the ability of your students. Keep young kids away from fire sources and chemicals. Always insist upon the proper use of safety equipment, such as goggles, lab jackets and gloves, where appropriate. Keep a close eye on your students to be sure they are following all recommended precautions. Even high school students may need reminders.