EDUCATION METHODS ENHANCING PUPILS’ MOTIVATION AND INTEREST IN NATURAL SCIENCES

By LAIMA NORKUVIENĖ,

Senior biology teacher at the Dotnuva Basic School, Kėdainiai district

SUMMARY

In this era of information technologies, young people prefer to spend more time in front of computers than in the nature, and it is increasingly difficult to arouse their interest in biology both during lessons and after-school activities. Surveys show that only 3-5 % of pupils are interested in biology. Therefore, it is very important that the teacher succeed in fostering children interest in science sufficient for their being at least naturalists in life. With regard to this objective, I employ the following active methods in lessons and after-school activities.

Lessons in the nature. "The Passport of the Tree that Grows in the School-yard " is an integrated lesson including Lithuanian language, fine arts and mathematics. Pupils draw the crown of the tree but also calculate its height from their own shadow and that of the tree, write a story on how it was planted. "Flowering plants on X day in the school-yard" is a lesson when pupils identify species of flowering plants by using a plant atlas while senior-class pupils establish a more detailed taxonomy and find out data about the use of those plants. "Molluscs of Dotnuvėlė-river" is a lesson for gathering of mollusc shells on the riverside, identifying of species, its importance for the ecosystem, evaluating of water pollution level. "Fossils found in Dotnuva" is a lesson during which pupils look for fossils in piles of stone in fields, identify the findings and, when back in the class, form a collection of fossils. "Tracks of animals" is a lesson conducted on the riverside where we look for tracks left on mud or snow and identify the species of animals.

Models. “The human skeleton”: pupils construct from the cardboard a skeleton of their height, which they use not only in biology lessons but also in lessons of art and healthy way of life and during the disguising on the day for commemorating the dead. “The Sun family”: pupils create a model, usually mobile, of the Sun system (everybody may disclose his creative individuality).

Performances. A paper-puppet show, scenarios for which write the pupil themselves focusing on some ecological problems and suggesting solutions.

Camps. One-day or travel camps and walking tours for consolidating of the group relations, training of observation skills, learning to perceive the beauty of nature, disclosing of inclinations (botanical, zoological, ecological), and, subsequently, possible including of pupils into the research work. During travel camps pupils have the opportunity to meet interesting people, widen their vision of the world and improve communication skills.

Research work. “Effects of dental pastes on the hardness of the egg-shell (enamel of dents) in interaction with food": pupils investigate which pastes provide the best protection against the carries.

“Observations of the dynamics of bats colonies in the town (district) of Kėdainiai”: pupils not only get knowing new techniques of observation (ultrasound detectors) of animals but also acquire new information on bats, get rid of unfounded fear, and even family members get interested and drawn in to participate in the observation.

“Effects of detergents on the mud in water purification plants”: pupils acquire practical skills that they may use at home.

Pupils to pupils. Pupils of higher classes deliver lectures to the younger ones on particular subject matters. Afternoon projects such as “Around the world from the perspective of the naturalist”.

Such active methods and other educational techniques are useful in arousing in pupils the interest in biology, directing their attention to ecological problems in our district, in Lithuania and whole world.