Choosing a few compelling ice-breakers and discussion starters for the first week of school may not be a priority right now, but it’s never too early to jot down a few good ideas. We’ve compiled 20 ideas to help you start some lively science conversations next year.
Each of these “raise-your-hand-if…” statements can be expanded or modified, depending upon the grade you teach. Your goal is to find ways to connect your students’ summer experiences with science topics.
Do you have any excellent discussion starter questions related to summer science? Share them with us in the comments below!
Raise your hand if this happened to you over the summer…
- You got “brain freeze” from eating or drinking something very cold
- You held a can of soda that formed condensation (water droplets) on the outside
- You got a sunburn
- You noticed an object (lawn chair, beach towel, book, flag…) slowly fade as a result of sun exposure
- Your skin became shriveled from being in the water too long
- You saw a flash of lightning or heard a thunderclap
- You spent time observing the shape of an ant hill, a bird’s nest or some other animal habitat
- You saw the moon or stars clearly at least once
- You got stung by an insect
- You found a seashell
- You noticed any signs of newborn animal or insect life (bugs, squirrels, fish, birds, frogs, etc.)
- You sweat as a result of being overheated OR your sweat evaporated as a result of being in a cool room
- You saw a rainbow
- You watched the moving arc of water created by a sprinkler
- Your ears popped when you swam into the deep end of a swimming pool
- You noticed how the roots of an old tree cracked through rocks or pushed up a sidewalk
- You caught or saw a firefly
- You observed the flames of a barbecue grill as burgers or hot dogs were cooking
- You blew off the top of a dandelion
- You built a sand castle