Most kids are visual learners. The Ann Arbor Hands on Museum comes to schools and provides hands-on activities for lower elementary students. The Hands on Museum helps students prepare for life.It gives the students fun, hands-on activities that are different than what they learn in their classes and taught in a totally different way.
The Ann Arbor Hands on Museum is a museum where students can go to learn using hands on activities. Laura, a staff member at the museum, states, “We have over 250 exhibits. I think it gives kids a way to interact with science that’s different from the experience they get in their classrooms.”
According to an article by Scholastic, “Hands-On is Minds-On”, hands-on activities activate kid’s brains. A first grader named Mahdi Salaemh, stated, ”Today, I learned to flip coins and how to measure dinosaurs.” He had stacked tiny sponges horizontally and vertically to measure the size of multiple large toy animals. This was an activity that taught the students that you can measure with anything, not just with a ruler, inches, or centimeters.
Mrs. Stipanovich, a first grade teacher, says, “I think this experience will introduce new things to the students.” The students will learn many new things that would have been much harder to learn using paper and pencil.
Aya Mansoor, a first grader who really enjoyed the activities, said, “I really liked playing with the toy animals.” Her wide smile and laughter proves that learning can be fun. Many teachers around the world are teaching students using hands-on activities.
Hands-on activities teach children to think critically. The Ann Arbor Museum lets students explore at their own pace, which allows them to learn better. Laura also states, “It also gives them a chance to explore at their own pace and give more attention to things they find interesting.”
Ayman Gailan, also a first grader, said, ”My favorite part was sorting animals into groups.” That proves that he actually learned how to sort animals. If he was given a worksheet and a pencil, he would probably not have been able to sort the animals into groups very well.
Sara Chamas said, “Today I learned about animal groups.” That activity seemed to be a favorite. It took everyday toys that every kid loves, and made them into an educational lesson that the students will remember for sure. Using things that kids like, such as toys, can be an amazing way to teach them.
Most kids learn the best when they are taught visually. Hands-on activities are an effective way for kids to learn, which are fun, easy, and interesting. The Ann Arbor Hands on Museum comes to schools to provide hands-on activities for lower elementary students, which helps the students learn a lot better.
Zahraa Elghoul
Middle School Journalist