Either a myth or fact. Activity based learning breaks the fear over science and add fun on learning it. Also when it's learned through doing it gives way for linking knowledge and boosts the application skills. 

I taught acids and base with simple ingredients that was mostly accessed from home kitchen. I made every student to identify the nature of given things using Litmus Paper. Even after years they remember the content beyond what they read in text. 

I ever wish to make science the simplest. It's not a subject belongs only to labs. It's not a subject studied to answer the questions asked in exams. It's what we should analyse, understand and reproduce the experience into fruitful application.