Mystery Science: Our top choice overall for teaching science to kids

Written By Madeline Goldsmith

Mystery Science is an engaging, hands-on tool used by teachers to get K-5 students excited about science. Genuinely exciting kids about subjects is really important and integral to their educational growth which is why we recommend Mystery Science. Mystery Science utilizes hands-on projects made from easily accessible items to keep kids engaged and also allows them to physically work with the concept they're learning about. It adds a unique aspect of creativity and tactility to learning. It was inspired by the goal of teaching children complicated or semi-complicated topics without losing their interest and engagement. It's so successful that Mystery Science actually rivals some popular kid's TV shows. A science-related mystery is presented at the beginning of the lesson, facilitated by a teacher, which leads into a hands-on activity that solves the mystery and teaches the concept in a fun, engaging manner. The videos are extremely engaging and colorful. It also allows children to learn at their own pace and is organized very concisely. The units rotate/cycle out, so a lesson available one month may not be accessible the following month.

Grades: K-5

Cost: Homeschool memberships are $99/year.

OTHER DETAILS

Key features

Type of Tool: Website

Time required: The lessons are typically pretty short and consist of hands on activities that take roughly an hour or less to complete.

Special Needs:

Literacy Requirement (does a child need to know how to read):

Screens

Screens:  Yes, an electronic device is required

Online requirement:

Time

Parent/Caregiver Involvement: No, parent/teacher/caregiver involvement is necessary

Prep Time:  Minimal prep time

Other characteristics

Modality: Audio, Visual, Audiovisual, Multimedia, Hands-on/kinesthetic

Adaptive:

Educational Philosophy:

Other characteristics:   Hands-on, STEM, Fun and entertaining

Accountability

Assessment: Yes, there are built in assessment tools

State Standards: Yes

Teacher Accounts:

Read Reviews: https://www.edsurge.com/product-reviews/mystery-science-product/educator-reviews

Purchase:  https://mysteryscience.com/start

Madeline Goldsmith

Madeline Goldsmith is a rising junior at a high school in Northern California. She has worked with the San Ramon Valley Education Foundation Summer Program to co-teach students interested in STEM fields and is a tutor at her high school. Due to shelter-in-place restrictions, she has first-hand experience with the boredom students can face when stuck at home, so she is excited to provide parents with additional resources to keep their children engaged in learning.

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