The key ingredient of a successful hands-on science lesson is to start with a great science activity. I think as teacher educators, it is easy to underestimate how difficult it is for preservice students to find and evaluate science activities. In my “Physics for Teachers” class, students teach a hands-on science physics lesson. But before they turn in a lesson plan and teach a lesson, they are required to submit the activities they strongly considered and two activities they tested out and that they determined to be excellent. I then make the selection of which activity they will teach, helping to ensure that they are successful and that our class enjoys vibrant, relevant hands-on experiences. I am attaching the template my students use for this assignment.
Click Here for Physics Activity Template

References:
Ewbank, A. (2008).  Physics for Teachers Library Page. http://libguides.asu.edu/content.php?pid=3104&sid=235078

Rillero, P., & Gallegos, B. (1998). Databases: A Gateway to Literature in Science and Mathematics Education. In J. E. Malone, W. Atweh, & J. Northfield (Eds.), Research and Supervision in Mathematics and Science Education (pp. 323-349). New York: Lawrence Erlbaum and Associates (Hardcover edition: ISBN# 0-8058-2968-7, paperback edition ISBN# 0-8058-2969-5)

About the Image

The picture shows two toy cars and is from Adaptive Curriculum’s Activity Object entitled “Newton’s Third Law of Motion.”