Thinking spatially in the science classroom

•Spatial thinking is important in scientific thinking.•Spatial skills are malleable.•We can aim to foster spatial skills in children as we teach them.•We can also use spatial thinking tools in the science curriculum.

Much scientific thinking is spatial in nature, and even non-spatial information is often communicated using maps, diagrams, graphs, analogies and other forms of spatial communication. Students' spatial skills are correlated with their success in learning science, both concurrently and predictively. Given that spatial skills are malleable, can spatial thinking be used to improve science education? This article reviews two ways in which we might proceed. Strategy 1 is to enhance students' spatial skills early in life, or at least prior to instruction. Strategy 2 is to make more effective use of spatial teaching techniques that allow for spatial as well as verbal learning, even by students with weaker spatial skills. Recent evidence suggests optimism about both approaches.