Math and science teaches students how to use evidence to further their arguments, which requires careful observation and analysis. Teachers can give science or math problems to students and then ask them to decide what evidence is relevant and to interpret the meaning of such evidence. Students can practice using evidence during any classroom activity that requires collecting, sorting, analyzing and interpreting evidence.
Teachers should encourage active participation in math and science activities to engage students in the learning process. One of the most fundamental activities is measurement activities. Students must learn how to use measuring instruments, determine what to measure and then check the correctness of their measurements. Other engaging activities include various forms of collecting, observing and graphing.
The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) suggests that teachers should present new scientific and mathematical material in its historical context. Showing students the growth of real scientific ideas helps them to understand the role played by investigators and researchers in solving real problems. This helps students see the breadth and diversity of math and science problems.
Students learn many new concepts in math and science that are specific to these subjects and not used in other areas of life. It is important to define the new concepts and then encourage students to use them for asking questions, seeking explanations and answering questions. Ask students to use the math and science concepts in classroom discussions to gain practice and fluency with the ideas.