After I do the Gummy Bear Demo to pique their interest, I have found that this Mystery Solutions Puzzle is a great way to grab my students by their brains! I have used Flinn Scientific’s Mystery Solutions Activity for a few years, but this…
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Back to School Classroom Management Middle School Teacher LifeClassroom Prep Tips for Middle School Science
Even when you end one school year with exhaustion, inevitably the beginning of a new school year brings rejuvenation. You take out your beloved boxes of classroom decor and materials. You pop them open and feel the welling of excitement rise up once again!…
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Chemistry Resources Earth and Space Resources Life Science Resources NGSS Teaching Resources Physics Resources Teaching ScienceFree Websites for Finding NGSS Anchoring Phenomena
The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) ask us as science teachers to provide anchoring phenomena, opportunities for real-world application of concepts, and flexibility to allow students to follow their own curiosities while learning science. They are asking us to learn with our students and to…
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Chemistry Resources NGSS Teaching Resources Teaching ScienceSniffing for Patterns : Connecting Chemistry and Smells
How important is the sense of smell? Your sense of smell guards you from eating rotten foods, conjures up memories from the past, gives you a stronger sense of place, helps you to find a mate, connects you with a newborn baby or a pet,…
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Earth and Space Resources NGSS Teaching Resources Teaching ScienceHow to Teach a Brief History of Space Exploration
When I was in elementary school I was obsessed with the idea of space and astronauts. I remember consistently requesting permission from my 4th grade teacher for my best friend and me to be allowed to go to the library for recess instead of out…
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I started finding solace in podcasts on my hour-long commute to school across the state of New Jersey. My husband and I lived at the beach (#surfwifelife) and I would leave the house at 6 a.m. to arrive at school at least 15 minutes before…
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Escape games in education are all the craze these days! They are part imaginary story, part scavenger hunt, part competition, and part rigorous content review (which the students usually don’t even notice!). If you need to review science content, try an escape game! Imagine awaking…
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Teaching middle school is a wild ride! You’ve got the impulsiveness, the lack of hygiene, and the dirty minds to deal with each day. You’ve got the thirteen year olds who think they’re always right, the fringe students whose personal identities are in constant flux,…
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Chemistry Resources NGSS Teaching Resources Teaching ScienceMy Favorite Way to Introduce the Periodic Table
This sounds really nerdy but I absolutely love the Periodic Table. I think it’s one of the most fascinating tools in science and I love bringing it to life for my students. I have created a lot of resources around the Periodic Table because as…
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Middle School NGSS Teaching Resources Teaching Science5 Tips for Using Cornell Doodle Notes in your Science Class
I love teaching middle school science concepts with Cornell notes! I used Cornell notes in my class for three years and found great success with them in helping my students to understand complex concepts. Cornell notes provide a structured format for note-taking; they have a…
