The Sunrise Science Classroom Blog
Hey teacher friend! This blog is your go-to spot for creative ways to teach science with clarity and confidence. I’m sharing ideas, classroom-tested tips, and meaningful strategies to help you keep things rigorous and engaging... because science class should be anything but boring! ☀️
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Teaching Science Morphemes with the Science Word Lab
The Science Vocabulary Struggle Is Real (and This Fix Actually Works) If you’ve ever watched a middle schooler stop mid-sentence because the word photosynthesis looked “too long and suspicious,” you’re not alone. Science vocabulary can feel overwhelming for students—packed with […]
How to Teach Newton’s Laws in Middle School
Teaching Newton’s Laws of Motion doesn’t have to feel like pushing a boulder uphill (though that would make a great force diagram). If you’ve ever watched your middle schoolers glaze over at the words “inertia” or “net force,” you’re not […]
Ditch the Notebooks: A Bellwork System That Actually Works
Let’s be honest— “Do Now” notebooks can be a nightmare. Pages get torn, lost, or mysteriously vanish into lockers. Trying to grade them? That’s a whole different headache. Flipping through spiral-bound chaos or collecting stacks of papers just to check […]
Low Prep Resources for Teaching Minerals, Rocks, and the Rock Cycle!
Middle school students are naturally curious about the world around them, and geology offers a perfect opportunity to tap into that curiosity. Teaching about minerals, rocks, and the rock cycle doesn’t have to be a snooze! With the right resources, […]
Tips for Using Google Form Assessments
I used to give the old “Word”-formatted paper-based tests and quizzes. Believe it or not, when Google Forms was released and my students had 1:1 Chromebooks, I never even considered giving students a unit test as a Google Form on […]
Geologic History Activities and Resources
In this post, I’m sharing activities and resources for teaching one of my very favorite topics — Geologic History! This includes the rock record, geologic time scale, mass extinction events, and how we can piece together the Earth’s extremely long […]
Grading Tips for Science Teachers
Overwhelmed by grading?! I have lots of grading tips for you! Grading student work can be a daunting task for any teacher. As a young science teacher, I embarked on a grading adventure that turned into a misadventure with […]
A Digital Brown Bag Biography Activity for Back to School
At the beginning of a school year in middle school, it’s important to get to know your students on a deeper level than just asking what is their favorite color or favorite animal. I designed this activity for when I […]
Teaching about Plastic in the Ocean
Plastic in the ocean is a growing problem. It’s essential for science teachers to educate their students about the issue. Approximately nine million tons of plastic waste end up in the ocean each year. As a teacher in a coastal […]
Science Projects to End the School Year
As the school year draws to a close, it’s time to wrap up your science curriculum with a BANG! You middle school science students have put in a lot of hard work and learned so much, so let’s celebrate! And […]