Analogies
Idea 1: Understanding Electricity
Students often struggle with grasping the concept of current, resistance and (especially) voltage.
Sometimes, a simple cartoon helps a lot.
A similar example, using water flowing in pipes, to help them understand the relationship between these 3 quantities:
Another example that helps relate current and voltage to power.
Idea 2: Understanding the Cell
Cells - Analogy Groupwork.pdfStudents often have fun identifying different parts of the factory to relate them to various cell structures (based on their functions).
As an extension, challenge students to:
Build an actual model (with Lego or Plasticine) of the cell factory, and do a video recording / live presentation
Think of another analogy of their own (such as the school, or a corporate office, or their homes, etc as example), and explain it to their classmates
Other examples from the internet:
The cell as a... School
The cell as a... Ship
The cell as a... Handbag
TIP: These online examples may not seem perfect / completely accurate, thus when students are coming up with their own analogies, it is paramount that they:
Include justifications for each organelle (which will allow the teacher to identify misconceptions and address them promptly)
Realise no analogy is perfect (hence, an add-on activity could be for students to identify the limitations of their peers' analogy)
Idea 3: Understanding Kinetic Particle Theory
Solid
An impromptu idea of mine to help students grasp the arrangement + movement of particles easily.
TIP: Challenge them to think of other real-life scenarios involving people, and also draw their attention to the limitations of such analogies.
Liquid
Gas
Idea 4: Solubility VS Rate of Dissolving
(Students often are confused between the two, esp when they first learn this)
Fun idea gleaned from my online research:
Solubility = A Person's Appetite
Rate of Dissolving = How Fast Someone Is Eating
Idea 5: Factors affecting Solubility
Fun idea shared by a colleague of mine:
Type of Solvent = Single Vs Double-Decked Bus
Compare the number of passengers (i.e. solute) each can carry
Type of Solute = Wheelchair-Bound Adult VS Small Kids on a bus
Compare the speed at which they move about + the amount of space they occupy
Higher Temperature = Hot weather
Compare the speed at which passengers would get up an air-conditioned bus
Idea 6: Groups in the Periodic Table
Fun idea shared by a colleague of mine:
Important:
Challenge students to find alternative analogies; and always remember to probe further so students can find limitations of each analogy (which also serves as an indicator of their conceptual understanding)