It’s time to think about the different science activities to do during testing week or month! The kids are so focused on doing well on their tests and most are staring at a computer screen for hours each day. They will be craving social time. I believe our Science class is in the best position to offer them that structured social and learning time they need. So let’s talk about different science activities to do during testing week!

In this post

We will go over a variety of activities that you can have your students do during testing week(s). None will require a computer or watching a video. And you can use new content or review what they’ve already learned.

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Fun activities to do during testing week

There are many things we can have our kids do during testing week. I personally prefer to keep them off the computers during my class. They’ve already spent most of the day on a screen taking a test. If we do a project, there might be a day where they have to research, which might require a computer. If that’s the case, I would do that on a day when they are not actually testing.

I prefer to stay on track with our current unit. You can also introduce new learning or review material. Let’s look at ways we can stay on track with our current topic or introduce new learning by using different science activities.

Projects

Science projects are a great activity to do during testing week. Students can complete a culminating project on something they’ve learned or this can be new learning.

Let’s use this Human Body Research Project as an example of how this could be used in your classroom. This can be an opening to your human body unit by assigning two body systems to groups of students and they research to find out its main parts, how it functions, and how the systems work together.

If this is a culminating project, you could use this project or use the You’re the Doctor project. In this one, each group of students is assigned a health condition and they have to treat the patient. They research the condition, how it affects the body systems, and give a treatment plan and suggestions on how to stay healthy.

cover for Human Body systems projects bundle resource

Human Body Projects

Read all about the routines needed to plan, prepare, manage, and share projects in your class.

Here are projects your students will enjoy!

Science Experiments and Labs

What would science be without an experiment or lab? You could have them complete a lab that goes along with your current unit or do something just for fun (and new learning)!

Some ideas include elephant toothpaste, testing the distance a car travels with ramps, creating electrical circuits, looking through microscopes, and more.

Here are two blog posts about planning, preparing, and managing labs.

3 Must-Dos to Run Your Science Lab Day with Science Lab Safety in Mind In this blog post, I go over the routines that need to be put in place before lab day and managing students on lab day.

What is a Science Lab and How Do I Manage it Effectively? In this blog post, I talk about preparing a lab and the lab day procedures you’ll go through with students.

Be sure to check out the labs I have in my TpT store.

Stations or Choice Boards

Stations or choice boards are similar, yet run differently. I like using both.

You can use stations before they learn material or as practice after learning it. Stations are one of my favorite ways to give students deliberate practice with any science unit plan. I always have a Vocabulary Station, a Reading Station, Make a Model Station, and a Sorting station. Other stations I often have are a Math in Science Station, a Computer Station, and a Task Card Station.

For new material, be sure to have a vocabulary, reading, and computer or experiment station. That way students can learn about the concept you will be teaching.

You could also set up different stations with materials you want them to explore. For example, if you are teaching mixtures and solutions, put out different samples of mixtures and solutions. Have them observe and explain how they might separate the materials.

Be sure to read this blog post about planning, preparing, and managing stations in your classroom.

Use these station signs so students know what to do at each station.

cover image of Science Station signs resource

Choice boards are a great way to offer them just that! You can put anything on a choice board or create a choice menu. This can be set up like stations, only students have a choice of which activities they want to complete.

When I make a choice board, I like to think of their learning preferences and offer a variety of ways for them to show what they learned. I always have two writing choices (creative and informational), an artistic choice (comic book or a poster), a math choice, a choice that they can act out, and a make a model choice (3D or 2D).

Color by number

Something you can do in one class period is a color by number worksheet. These are great to unwind while learning or reviewing information. For new information, set out resources they can use to find the answers.

Concept posters

Students enjoy creating concept posters. This takes them at least two class periods to complete. Give them a list of terms and examples you want them to put on their poster. I have students do this individually. I typically offer it as a choice on a choice board or as an assignment to help review material.

If you are using it as a way to introduce a topic, have them read or watch a video. Then they create a portion of their poster using what they learned.

Scavenger hunts

Getting students up and moving around the room is important during testing week. You can use scavenger hunts to introduce material or reviewing material.

Here are scavenger hunts you can use for introducing material. It can also be used to review material. In these scavenger hunts, students read information on different cards. They are looking to answer a question on a different card by finding keywords.

I make at least two sets of these and put them on the walls around the room. I divide the class so they are working on opposite sides of the room.

image of Scavenger hunt - mission, 10 cards, and code word recording sheet for students

This Rock Cycle Scramble is a great one for reviewing the rock cycle. Students have to find the missing process or product and they collect letters to form words.

Outdoor activities

Another fun activity to do during testing week is taking kids outside for science!

If you are in a forces and motion unit, they can conduct labs outside using themselves (running or walking). Cars can roll down ramps along the sidewalk. They can use different balls (tennis, basketball, etc) to see how high they bounce or how far they roll.

They could also use their observation skills. Perhaps you are going to teach them about plants- have them look at different plants around campus. Tell them to draw and describe their observations.

If you are starting a weather unit, you could have them observe the atmosphere and clouds.

For physics, you can take them outside with prisms and show them rainbows.

Wrap Up

We talked about many different types of science activities to do during testing week. During testing week, it is important for students to be able to interact with each other. Science class offers them that opportunity. Students can work on projects and science experiments and labs. Stations or choice boards are a great way to engage students. Creative activities include color by numbers and concept posters. Scavenger hunts are fun to have them move around the room. You can complete activities outdoors.