Bell work… Bell ringers… Do-nows… Warm ups. Whatever you call them, it is important to have some sort of routine at the beginning of the class period. Your day will run so much smoother when students walk into class and know what to begin working on without being told. I
I’m a big fan of changing out bulletin board decor with each unit. It can be as simple as changing out some anchor charts or reference posters to match what you are currently teaching. But if you want to take it one step further, try making your bulletin boards interactive!
Are you teaching a new science class for the first time? Are you overwhelmed with what lab supplies you will need and how to spend (or save) your budget? I’ve taught biology for many years, and compiled a list of 20 must-have items to get you started. Some materials can
Protein synthesis is not one of my favorite biology topics to teach. It can be a big enough struggle to get students understanding all those A’s, U’s, C’s, and G’s, and then even MORE of a struggle to get them understanding the bigger picture on how that code translates to
As a scientist and person who greatly appreciates the natural world, I love visiting national parks. They are spectacular places! You can weave them into science units such as: Biomes Population dynamics (How are population sizes naturally regulated in areas with no hunting? Yellowstone wolves are a great example!) Landforms
When you were a kid did you ever read the “choose your own ending” books? You would read and then it would give you two scenarios and you could choose how you wanted the story to continue? I always liken those to dichotomous keys when introducing them to students. You
While I’m not a fan of making students memorize anything on the periodic table, the more familiar they are with it the easier it is for them to use. Do I expect them to know the atomic number of carbon is 6? No, but it’s helpful if they know the
As we near the end of the school year, it’s fun to change up the way you assess students. Students’ brains are fried from state exams- lets give them some other ways to demonstrate their learning other than a multiple choice assessment! Here are some ideas to get your juices
I LOVE looking at and collecting fossils. It’s fun to try and picture what the organism looked like and what type of fossil it is. Students love them too! One tip from experience: Students enjoy them A LOT more if they have bigger samples to look at. I know what
Teaching about human impacts on ecosystems and future climate change projections can leave you and your students feeling hopeless and depressed. While I think it’s important to teach the facts and not sugarcoat what is happening to our planet, we can also find ways to give students hope for the
2 liter bottles are one of the most versatile lab supplies you can get your hands on. There are SO MANY ways to use them! While I’m a soda drinker, I prefer cans, so I ask students to bring them in if they have any at home. Here is a
It doesn’t matter if you’re a headstrong toddler, adult, or somewhere in between…. we all like to do things our own way. Our own opinions matter! Sometimes we forget the importance of providing students opportunities to have choice in how they learn or how they want to be assessed. Some