Hands-On Learning: Let Kids Make a Mess
As teachers, our instinct is often to contain the mess. Yet, we know that learning is often best through doing. Sometimes a child’s fondest memories are the times when they were allowed to get dirty while exploring.
In K-2, the NGSS includes many standards specific to plants, water and soil. For example, students are expected to “Construct an argument supported by evidence for how plants and animals (including humans) can change the environment to meet their needs” (K-ESS2-2 Earth's Systems). Sometimes digging in the dirt and finding roots and insects is the best way to understand this standard.
I sell products on TPT that provide background information and writing activities. Yet, I think the the most engaging way to support student understanding is through hands-on exploration. Worksheets and writing activities are only one part of the equation. Reading and writing may help to integrate concepts, but the exploration is what cements the understanding.
My students had a blast making miniature tide pools. They worked in teams to create a model of their tide pool. Instead of keeping each model, which were slimy and messy by the end, I took pictures of each and allowed the kids to present their work to the class. It was a lesson with many facets, from collaboration struggles with the project itself to understanding how plants and animals thrive within their habitats.
What can be better than creating something for imaginative play? I used a GEMS guide from Berkeley (circa 1970s/80s I believe) to support kindergarten understanding around tree homes. We created a classroom tree using cardboard boxes and tubes. I let the kids paint it and glue paper leaves to it. This was a perfect example of letting them freely create and be messy, and how memorable it was!
Don’t be afraid to let kids get messy. I believe that learning can be messy, but it’s well worth it. For some kids, your permission to learn through doing, along with open-ended questions, can help them think deeper and more critically about the world around them.
