1. Teaching Approaches
and Strategies for
Science

2. A. The Inquiry Approach
Characteristics and Steps
1. Effectiveness
• Motivates students to undertake learning
activities through their own learning styles
• Intended to satisfy the innate curiosity of
the young
• The habitual use of scientific processes such as
classifying, measuring, analyzing, and others
are important in weighing evidences, enhances
their critical thinking ability

3. • Experiences gained in successful inquiries
develop a creative way of seeking knowledge
and information rather than follow traditional
modes or other peoples’ view
• Students develop a feeling of self-confidence and
a deep sense of responsibility for their own
learning
• Can be labeled “discovery approach” where the
students are figures out for themselves how to
attack the problem/question and to arrive at the
conclusion considering their own discovery
• Students are observed to be genuinely interested
since the procedures are being employed are of
their own choices.

4. • Being honest and objective in their informationresearch, they become skilled in problem solving
and decision-making
2. Pointers
Suggestions on how to facilitate inquiry teaching:
• The teacher must be good in asking questions
that are of the what-why-how type.
• The teacher and the students must be consistent
in following the steps in the procedure as well as
in applying appropriate investigate processes to
ensure the attainment of the right conclusion or
decision.

5. • There should be minimal coaching in order
for the students to originate their own way
of inferring, hypothesizing, and interpreting
data.
• A conductive learning environment must be
provided
• Recognition of successful classroom
activities that are inquiry-oriented can
strengthen the feelings and attitude
students have developed

6. • The teacher should act as a guide,
facilitator and motivator rather than the
usual authority
• At the end of the activity, the teacher may
ask the students to evaluate their own
performance in order for them to know their
success or failure.
B. Problem Solving- is a way of teaching that
is patterned after the way a scientist
responds to a puzzling situations

7. Basic Steps in Problem-Solving:
a.Sensing and defining the problem clearly
b.Formulating a tentative guess, termed a
hypothesis
c.Choosing and testing the likely hypothesis
by employing some appropriate science
processes and procedures
d.Organizing, interpreting, and evaluationg
collected data
e.Formulating conclusion

8. 1. Effectiveness
• The students develop the skill in employing
the science processes such as observing,
measuring, analyzing and interpreting data
• The strategy promotes a systematic and
orderly way of following a procedure similar
to the five steps enumerated in Lesson 3.
• It guarantees the development of higher
order thinking skills such as inferential,
critical and creative thinking skills

9. • The investigate and inquisitive nature of the
learning activities cultivate curiosity,
objectivity and open mindedness
• With continued experience of success they
become adept at wise decision-making and
independent problem solving
• The students become responsible,
resourceful and persistent in pursuing the
lesson objectives and in the end, their own
goals in life

10. 2. Pointers
• Make sure that the problem they solve fits
their age, interest and abilities
• Provide sufficient practice in sensing and
stating the problem in a manner that is well
understood, otherwise the following steps
may not be automatically undertaken
• To ensure the correct sequencing of
activities, vigilance and tactful questioning
can lead the students to the right direction
without dictating them on what to do next

11. • All the tools and materials that will be needed,
especially if an experiment will be performed,
must be prepared and made accessible ahead
of time in order not to disrupt the procedure.
• Every student, if in groups or in class, must be
actively involved from the planning stage to
the formulation of conclusions
• Be ready with the alternative steps or
directions in case of snags
• An evaluation of the whole procedure including
the detailed steps will be of great help in
perfecting this methodology

12. C. Experimenting
1.Effectiveness
• Setting up an experiment is a learning
activity that needs much care and
readiness to undertake every step planned
• Students learn by doing
• It guarantees the inculcation of higher
order thinking skills such as inferential,
critical and creative thinking skills

13. • Consistent practice in following the
methodical procedure is internalized and
becomes part of students’ habitual
response to instant inquiries met
• The scientific attitudes of objectivity, open
mindedness and originality are
strengthened
• Completing an experiment can serve as an
impelling force that sustains the interest in
similar pursuits

14. D. Demonstration
1.Effectiveness
• It is a direct approach which follows a
definite systematic procedure
• It is better panned ahead of time due to the
accuracy of the steps to be demonstrated
• It makes use of expensive equipment and
measuring instruments that could obtain
the desired data and evidence

15. • Observers are seen to be keenly following
every step and in the end appear satisfied and
well informed
• Leadership qualities and a strong feeling of
confidence could be developed among the
demonstrators
2. Pointers
• Operating the equipment must be tried
beforehand and several times if needed
• The use of appropriate materials including the
amount must be determined and prepared
before the demonstration

16. • Make sure the demonstrator knows the
whole procedure and is confident about the
task
• The length of time needed must be
determined in order to avoid incomplete
demonstrations, especially when attention
shall have been elicited
• Observers may be provide with guides or
pointers to avoid attention to irrelevant
changes
• Concentration is assured by avoiding too
much talk or noise in the surrounding

17. E. Projects
Constructing Projects is a teaching strategy
that involves gathering and organizing
information about a concept and presenting
it in a concrete form
1.Effectiveness
• Constructing projects gives the students
the opportunity to show how a principle, law
or theory works

18. • It is a self directed study and therefore
serves as a good test of one’s understanding
of a particular concept or idea
• It develops the skill in designing and
constructing a concrete product that can be
understood by the viewers
• Manipulative skill, resourcefulness and
originality are exhibited by capable students
• The project is an evidence of what has been
learned or what have yet to be learned

19. • A finished project adds to their feeling of
accomplishment and satisfaction
• The values of industriousness, hard work
and enterprising spirit are worth emulating.
2. Pointers
• Make sure that the objective and criteria
that will be used in evaluating the finished
product are clearly understood
• Select the material to be used for suitability
and durability

20. • Check the design or plan well before
starting and even during the construction
• Minimal supervision should be provided to
promote independence, initiative and
persistence in learning
• Outstanding projects can be displayed in
the classroom to serve as reminders of the
concepts they represent and at the same
time to make the class feel satisfied with
the learning objectives achieved.