Explosive Science Class Vocabulary in Spanish
Giving a science class in Spanish as part of your homeschooling curriculum is a fantastic idea. You’re not only teaching science, but also boosting your child’s Spanish language skills.
Interdisciplinary teaching is the way to go. Take advantage of any Spanish knowledge your student already has and introduce science vocabulary in Spanish.
Teaching science words works best in context (I’ll explain more about that later).
Read this post to get equipped with the basic terms that young scientists need to know for their science classes in Spanish.
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Spanish Vocabulary for Science Class
The subject we refer to as “science” in elementary school includes multiple areas and topics.
In this post, I focus on 3 natural sciences:
- Life Science (Biology)
- Physical Science (Chemistry and Physics)
- Earth and Space Science
Review this table to learn what to call these disciplines in your science class in Spanish.
English | Spanish |
Natural science | Las ciencias naturales / ciencias de la naturaleza |
Life science | Las ciencias de la Vida |
Physical science | Las ciencias físicas |
Earth science | Las ciencias de la Tierra |
Atmospheric sciences | Las ciencias atmósfericas |
Geology | La geología |
Oceanography | La oceanografía |
Space science | La ciencia espacial |
Astronomy | La astronomía |
Biology | La biología |
Physics | La física |
Chemistry | La química |
People in Science
It’s motivating for kids to see that what they’re learning is useful in real life and that one of these fields of science could be their future career.
Check out these science-related jobs:
English | Spanish |
astronomer | el astrónomo / la astrónoma |
biologist | el biólogo / la bióloga |
chemist | el químico / la químico, la química |
ecologist | el ecólogo / la ecóloga |
geographer | el geógrafo / la geógrafa |
geologist | el geólogo / la geóloga |
inventor | el inventor / la inventora |
oceanographer | el oceanógrafo / la oceanógrafa |
paleontologist | el paleontólogo / la paleontóloga |
physician | el médico / la médica |
physicist | el físico / la física |
To bring this vocabulary to life, print out pictures of famous scientists and have your child label each one with the correct profession.
Science Class in Spanish: Equipment
Before watching or doing a science experiment, it’s essential to teach kids about the scientific equipment they’ll be using and to review key safety rules.
Older students could make a safety poster or simply draw the science lab equipment. Visuals are a great help for your science class in Spanish that make abstract vocabulary easier to learn.
English | Spanish |
apron | el delantal |
balance scales | la balanza de equilibrio |
beaker | el cubilete |
Bunsen burner | el mechero Bunsen |
dissecting set | el conjunto de disección |
Erlenmeyer flask | el matraz Erlenmeyer |
eye dropper | el cuentagotas |
florence flask | el frasco de Florencia |
graduated cylinder | el cilindro graduado |
magnifier | la lupa |
microscope | el microscopio |
pipettes | las pipetas |
reagent bottle | la botella de reactivo |
safety goggles | las gafas de seguridad |
telescope | el telescopio |
test tube | el tubo de ensayos |
test tube holder | el titular tubo de ensayo |
test tube rack | la gradilla |
thermometer | el termómetro |
tong | las tenazas |
Science Class in Spanish: Verbs
These basic science-related verbs are worth teaching.
English | Spanish |
to add | agregar |
to apply | aplicar |
to calculate | calcular |
to decrease | disminuir |
to determine | determinar |
to discover, to find out | descubrir |
to research | investigar |
to experiment | experimentar |
to estimate | estimar |
to increase | aumentar |
to lower | reducir |
to measure | medir |
to mix | mezclar |
to observe | observar |
to prove | probar |
to reduce | reducir |
to test | probar |
to weigh | pesar |
Example Spanish Sentences
No te olvides de agregar agua.
Don’t forget to add water.
Podemos medir la cantidad.
We can measure the quantity.
Tenemos que investigarlo.
We have to research it.
Tenía que observarlo durante dos semanas.
I had to observe it for two weeks.
Primero, tienes que pesar los ingredientes.
First, you have to weigh the ingredients.
Reduce el fuego.
Reduce the flame.
Tienes que probar la hipótesis.
You have to prove the hypothesis.
Science Project Vocabulary
Kids love to do projects for a science class in Spanish. Here are the key words they’ll need to do a science experiment or prepare for a science fair.
English | Spanish |
conclusion | la conclusión |
controls | los controles |
data | los datos |
dependent variable | la variable dependiente |
display | la tablilla de anuncios / el póster |
experiment | el experimento |
hypothesis | la hipótesis |
independent variable | la variable independiente |
logbook | el registro científico / el reporte de la investigación |
materials | los materiales |
observations, notes | las observaciones |
procedure | el procedimiento |
question | la pregunta |
research | la investigación |
result | el resultado |
scientific method | el método científico |
summary | el resumen |
How to Use Science Vocabulary in Spanish
Interdisciplinary teaching is effective because it broadens students’ horizons and opens new perspectives.
Helpful teaching aids for science vocabulary include posters, flashcards, songs, and memory games. Keep in mind that the best way for kids to learn new vocabulary is to see it used and to use it themselves.
Do you know the Netflix show, “Emily’s Wonder Lab”? In Spanish, it’s called El Fascinante Laboratorio de Emily. It talks about science in a fun and comprehensible way. Consider switching the language to Spanish and turning on the Spanish subtitles.
Check out Language Learning with Netflix: How to Use the Chrome Extension to learn how to use the show to learn new vocabulary.
Depending on your child’s Spanish level, you could repeat the experiments from the show and describe them in Spanish or make drawings with the experiment stages and label them in Spanish.
On Youtube, the Smile and Learn Channel in Spanish has an interesting playlist with science videos. Choose a topic that interests your kids and watch the show during a science class in Spanish. It’s an ideal way to see vocabulary in action while helping your child improve their Spanish comprehension skills.
Empower Your Learner to Speak Spanish
Working on your child’s Spanish is a potent investment in their future. Spanish is an important subject that many kids start learning in elementary school. In high school, they could even take AP or SAT Spanish subject exams. Preparing for these exams will be less stressful with strong Spanish foundations. And taking science classes in Spanish will help them on their way to fluency.
Sign your child or student up for a free Spanish class with one of our professional, native Spanish-speaking teachers from Guatemala. See for yourself how quickly your child can use their newly learned science vocabulary in Spanish and start speaking in their very first class.
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