Hands-on laboratory activities for grade 9 biology students :theories and experiments -

Abstract

Research has shown that science hands-on laboratories improve the comprehension of science concepts and develop the desired practical and cognitive skills and the scientific attitudes among students. Additionally, hands-on laboratory work develops scientifically literate students by encouraging them to investigate and experiment. A hands-on laboratory is the context in which students observe, formulate hypothesis, decide on material to use, write a procedure, and draw out conclusions. Experimenting with laboratory equipment helps students understand facts, concepts, ideas, models, theories, laws, and principles. This situation creates the need for laboratory manuals as components of the science curricula. The general objectives of the Lebanese Science Curriculum emphasize the need to develop students’ investigative skills. However, these objectives have not been translated into classroom activities because of the absence of appropriately designed laboratory manuals. Consequently, the purpose of this project was to produce a biology laboratory manual for Grade 9 Biology classes. This laboratory manual provides experiments that help Grade 9 students to develop science process skills by involving them in inquiry activities that are different from the typical laboratory activities. Therefore, students discover concepts by following the scientific method for examining phenomena, acquiring new knowledge, or correcting and assimilating prior knowledge based on empirical evidence.