As I grow the science program for the time we have, I'll begin each group with a focus on teamwork.
The room set up will include a supply table, question board, and share areas.
Then we'll branch out to a routine for our experiments/investigations:
Collect Lab Books and Folders
Students arrive and bring or collect their lab books and folders.
Lab Review
Review the lab questions, steps which are written in a open lab report format.
Lab Table Set-Up
Morph work tables into lab tables by moving all supplies to a comfy chair, covering the table with table cloths.
Team Prep
Student teams assign roles.
Supplies
Resource managers collect supplies from science supply table.
Experiment/Investigate
Student teams conduct the experiments/investigations.
Clean-up/Complete Lab Reports
Students clean up their table area, return supplies, and finish lab reports.
Share
The results are shared. Learning objectives reviewed. Next steps and questions reviewed.