Department of Science Education - CSU, Chico

Hands-On Lab

The Hands-On Lab is a unique facility administered by the Department of Science Education which offers undergraduate students an opportunity to give teaching a try. Each week, classes of elementary school children in grades 4, 5, and 6 come to the lab to learn about topics ranging from plate tectonics to electricity to photosynthesis. Their “teachers” are undergraduate students enrolled in NSCI 489A, internship in science teaching. This demonstration laboratory offers a one-of-a-kind opportunity to work with children in an instructional capacity at an early point in your career and to receive feedback from an experienced mentor. The lab has served tens of thousands of students over the years, and is now a central feature of CSU, Chico’s distinctive approach to science education.

Video of students learning in Hands-On Lab

Kids at a Hands On lab Kids at a Hands On lab Kids at a Hands On lab