Start your Science Class with a Routine

Middle school is a transformative period for students, marked by rapid developmental changes and increasing academic demands. Amidst these shifts, establishing predictable systems within the classroom is vital for fostering a stable and supportive learning environment. Predictable systems including consistent routines, clear expectations, and reliable procedures, help middle schoolers feel secure. Knowing what to expect reduces anxiety and helps students focus more on learning rather than worrying about what comes next.

Why use routines in middle school science classes?back to school

When students walk into a classroom where they understand the daily schedule and know the procedures for activities, they can transition smoothly from one task to another, thereby maximizing instructional time.

Secondly, predictable systems promote positive behavior. Clear and consistent expectations enable students to understand the consequences of their actions, both positive and negative. This clarity helps students make better decisions and fosters a respectful and cooperative classroom atmosphere. When students know that their efforts are recognized and that misbehaviors are addressed consistently, they are more likely to engage in productive behaviors and contribute to a positive classroom culture.

Additionally, predictable systems enhance academic performance. With established routines, students can develop effective study habits and time management skills. For example, a consistent homework routine helps students plan their after-school time efficiently, leading to better homework completion and improved understanding of the material. Moreover, predictable systems allow teachers to implement structured instructional strategies, such as regular review sessions and timed activities, which can significantly boost students’ academic success.

Predictable systems are essential in middle school classrooms for creating a stable, supportive, and effective learning environment. They help students feel secure, promote positive behavior, and enhance academic performance. By investing time in establishing and maintaining these systems, educators can ensure that their students are well-prepared to navigate the complexities of middle school and beyond.

How to start science class in middle school

A bellringer is an activity or small assignment that students complete when they first enter a classroom. They can be writing assignments, quick formative assessments, or partnered activities. Bellringers gives students an opportunity to transition from one class to another and mentally prepare. They help students by giving them time to get into an appropriate mindset for the class. Bellringers also provide formative data for teachers on student preparedness and basic skills.

The “Today in Science” resource that I created last year was a big hit for bellringers in my school this year. Every day, students received information regarding a scientific event that occurred on that day in history. There was an image of the event and a writing prompt to go along with it. Parents emailed me often that students were sharing what they learned at home and sparking dinner conversation about the space program or historical bridge building. Bundled in month-long resources, the Today in Science product line helped many middle school teachers establish routines in their science classrooms.

Try it out for a few days and let me know what you think. Click here to download free writing prompts for scientifically significant events that occurred on September 9, 10 and 11.

Classroom Helpers in Middle School

Elementary school teachers have a great system of rotating classroom jobs. A student might be the line leader, the paper passer, or, the most coveted job of all, the messenger. Kids love it – it gives them a sense of ownership of the classroom and builds community. Teachers love it – if there’s someone in charge of pushing in all the chairs today, that’s one less thing the teacher needs to do himself or herself. But for some reason, classroom helpers aren’t a thing in middle school.  I tried incorporating rotating jobs in my middle school classroom last year and here’s how it went.

What jobs can middle school classroom helpers do?

Middle schoolers that change classrooms won’t have elementary jobs like line leader, plant waterer, or the person in charge of feeding the classroom pet. But there are jobs that you can have students take responsibility for.

Some jobs that middle schoolers can do:

  • Supplies Coordinator – This person is in charge of ensuring that every table has colored pencils, scissors and glue sticks every day.
  • Notebook Ninja – I use composition notebooks for my interactive notebooks in my classroom and, most of the time, students leave their notebooks in a bin with their class period. The ninjas are in charge of distributing and collecting notebooks as needed.
  • Lab Assistant – This person distributes lab supplies and collects them after the experiments.
  • Paper Passer – This person is responsible for handing out papers as needed. I use a pick up station for students to pick up papers, so this wasn’t a useful job in my classroom. If you’re going to use a paper passer, be careful not to let students distribute graded items to protect student privacy!
  • Chair Czar – pushes chairs in at the end of the period.
  • Floor Monitor – picks up scraps on the floor at the end of the period.
  • DJ – During independent work, the DJ is in charge of selecting the (school appropriate) tunes for us all to enjoy.

Who got which job?

Classroom Helpers in Middle School

I posted “Help Wanted” signs with job descriptions during week 1 last year. Then, I distributed a Google form asking students if they would or would not be interested in each of the jobs.

If you’d like a copy of the Google form I used last year, click here! [Note: The link will prompt you to make a copy of the Google Sheets collection of responses. To view, edit, or share the Google form, click Tools > Manage Form > Edit form.]

Finally, I assigned one interested person to each job. This was tricky. Some classes had 20 volunteers to be the DJ and zero volunteers to be the floor monitor (the least favorite job last year).

Because I only had 7 jobs, I had students switch jobs each marking period. I wound up created a giant (headache of a) spreadsheet and assigning every student 2 jobs throughout the year. If there were no volunteers for a particular job in one class, then that class didn’t have a person doing that job and everyone had to do it (Floor Monitor and Chair Czar became communal jobs).

I hung a poster in the front of the room with each of the jobs listed and the name of the person in charge for each class period. This helped subs follow along with the system.

What did students think?

In short, kids loved it. The favorite job was the Notebook Ninja – by the end of the year, everyone was clamoring to be the Ninja. The least favorite jobs were the Floor Monitor and Chair Czars – no one wanted to do that any more. But, overall, kids loved it. They felt more connected to their classroom and took some ownership of the space we shared.

What will I do differently next year?

I’m going to eliminate Floor Monitor and Chair Czar and make those communal jobs from the start. It wasn’t worth it to try to coerce a reluctant student to pick up after his or her peers.

I’m also eliminating Paper Passer and depending more heavily on the pick up station. I like that this will help build student responsibility in a low risk situation.

The biggest change I’m going to add is a job application that’s more detailed. Instead of letting me know “yes” or “no” to a particular job, I’m going to ask students what skills they’re bringing to the position if they’re hired. I’m also considering some sort of class economy that would give them a reward (Jolly Rancher or sit with a friend or homework pass) for doing the job correctly for the entire marking period.

Summer Science Activities for Middle Schoolers

When summer arrives, classrooms give way to playing fields, and textbooks are swapped for sports gear. But the science learning doesn’t stop, as summer is filled with opportunities for summer science activities for middle schoolers.

Incorporating summer sports into physics lessons not only makes the subject more accessible but also shows students the real-world applications of the principles they learn in class. From the arc of a basketball shot to the velocity of a swimmer diving into the pool, physics is at play in every sport. In this blog post, we’ll explore creative ways to teach physics through popular summer sports, providing students with a dynamic and enjoyable learning experience that they can relate to their own summer activities.

Bicycle Helmetssummer science activities for middle schoolers

Have students use household materials to protect an egg from a fall. Use the opportunity to discuss the importance of wearing a bicycle helmet!

Veggie Go Karts

Take advantage of the summer garden harvest to build go karts from vegetables – I provide 2 skewers for axels and let students pick the veggies. Build a ramp and test out your creations!

Lung Capacitysummer science activities for middle schoolers

Test your lung capacity, and practice measurement, by blowing bubbles and measuring the diameters of the circles they leave behind on your picnic table. See who can blow the biggest bubble!

Hydrodynamics

Pull spherical, circular, rectangular, or irregularly shaped objects through a swimming pool. Use a spring scale to measure the force to pull each object and test the effect of shape on drag.

Nature Walk

Take a walk in the park and see how many different types of living things you can find. Or, get up close and in person and use a magnifying glass to really see what’s in the soil between the blades of grass. Use a field guide to identify birds, insects, or trees.

 

Your middle schooler’s science education doesn’t end just because it’s summer!

Sunscreen Science for Middle Schoolers

Sunscreen Science for Middle Schoolers

Through fun and interactive experiments, middle school students can learn about UV radiation and the importance of sunscreen. Understanding the science behind sunscreen involves learning about the nature of UV radiation and the implications for skin health.

UV Radiation and Skin Damagesunscreen science for middle schoolers

The sun emits a spectrum of electromagnetic radiation, including visible light, infrared light, and ultraviolet (UV) light. UV light is divided into three types: UVA, UVB, and UVC. UVC rays are mostly absorbed by the Earth’s atmosphere and don’t reach the surface. However, UVA and UVB rays penetrate the atmosphere and can cause significant damage to the skin.

  • UVA rays have a longer wavelength and penetrate deeper into the skin, contributing to aging and long-term skin damage. They can cause wrinkles and reduce skin elasticity by breaking down collagen and elastin fibers in the dermis.
  • UVB rays have a shorter wavelength and are primarily responsible for sunburn. They damage the skin’s outer layers and can directly cause DNA mutations, leading to skin cancer.

How Sunscreen Works

Sunscreens contain ingredients that protect the skin by either absorbing, reflecting, or scattering UV radiation. These ingredients are classified into two main types: chemical (organic) filters and physical (inorganic) filters.

  • Chemical Filters: These include compounds like avobenzone, oxybenzone, and octinoxate. Chemical sunscreens absorb UV radiation and convert it into heat, which is then released from the skin. These filters are effective and can provide broad-spectrum protection (against both UVA and UVB rays) when combined appropriately.
  • Physical Filters: These include minerals like zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. Physical sunscreens work by reflecting and scattering UV radiation away from the skin. They provide broad-spectrum protection and are often recommended for people with sensitive skin because they are less likely to cause irritation.

SPF and Broad-Spectrum Protection

The Sun Protection Factor (SPF) measures the level of protection a sunscreen offers against UVB rays. For instance, an SPF 30 sunscreen theoretically allows a person to stay in the sun 30 times longer without getting sunburned compared to unprotected skin. However, SPF does not measure protection against UVA rays, which is why “broad-spectrum” sunscreens are important. Broad-spectrum sunscreens protect against both UVA and UVB radiation, providing comprehensive skin protection.

Health Implications

Regular use of sunscreen can prevent sunburn, reduce the risk of skin cancer, and prevent premature aging. Skin cancer, including melanoma, basal cell carcinoma, and squamous cell carcinoma, is primarily caused by UV radiation. By blocking these harmful rays, sunscreen helps to protect the skin at the cellular level, preventing DNA damage and the subsequent development of cancerous cells.

Experiment Using UV Beads

Objective: Demonstrate how sunscreen blocks UV radiation.

Materials:

Procedure:

  1. Divide UV beads into several groups and place each group into a clear plastic bag.
  2. Apply different SPF sunscreens to the bags, leaving one bag without sunscreen as a control.
  3. Expose the bags to sunlight for a fixed amount of time (e.g., 5 minutes).
  4. Observe and compare the color changes in the beads.

Explanation: UV-sensitive beads change color when exposed to UV radiation. The beads in the bags with higher SPF sunscreen should show less color change, demonstrating the sunscreen’s effectiveness in blocking UV rays.

Experiments Using UV Sensitive Paper

Objective: Investigate the blocking power of sunscreen on UV-sensitive paper.

Materials:

  • Sunprint paper
  • Various SPF sunscreens
  • Paper
  • Clear plastic wrap
  • Timer

Procedure:

  1. Cut pieces of sunprint paper and cover them with clear plastic wrap.
  2. Apply different SPF sunscreens on top of the plastic wrap in separate sections.
  3. Cut the paper into an interesting shape – maybe a heart or your initials – and place it on top of the sunprint paper.
  4. Expose the paper to sunlight for the recommended time (usually a few minutes).
  5. Rinse the paper with water and observe the differences in the developed images.

Explanation: Sunprint paper reacts to UV light, creating a blueprint. Areas covered by sunscreen will have a lighter image, showing how effectively each SPF blocks UV rays.

 

Teaching your middle school students about sunscreen now will hopefully save them from problems when they’re older!

 

Click here for some more summer science experiments for your middle schoolers!

Balancing Work and Life: Tips for Middle School Science Teachers

Teaching is not just a job; it’s a calling, a passion that ignites a desire to inspire and nurture young minds. Yet, as educators, we often find ourselves walking a tightrope between our dedication to our students and the need to maintain a healthy work-life balance.

Not too long ago I felt completely unbalanced. The marking period had just ended and grades were due but I had a pile of last minute lab reports I had to grade. I was buried under a mountain and there was little time for myself or my loved ones. Sure, we’ve all had to power through certain situations, but it was during that period of imbalance that I realized the importance of prioritizing self-care and finding equilibrium between my professional responsibilities and personal well-being.

The importance of self-care

Times when there’s a lot on your plate can feel like pushing a boulder up a hill – it’s exhausting, relentless, and often leaves you feeling drained. While perseverance and dedication are commendable traits, neglecting self-care in favor of pushing through can lead to burnout and diminished productivity.

On the other hand, taking time to care for yourself is like stopping to refuel along the journey. It’s replenishing your energy, recharging your motivation, and ensuring you have the stamina to tackle whatever challenges come your way. Just as a car needs regular maintenance to keep running smoothly, prioritizing self-care allows you to perform at your best and navigate the demands of your job with resilience and clarity.

work life balance

How to find a healthy work-life balance

Like most things, managing stress at work doesn’t have a one-size-fits-all solution. Try these suggestions to find your own equilibrium:

  • Set boundaries. Some teachers set an alarm and leave school exactly one hour after student dismissal, even when there’s unfinished work on their desks. Other teachers allow themselves a two hour window on Saturday mornings to catch up. What’s important is that you decide when you’ll do work and when you won’t, and stick to those boundaries.
  • Say no. You don’t have to volunteer for every activity at school. Other people can take a turn chaperoning or running a committee.
  • Prioritize tasks. I have a friend who lives by the Post-It rule and limits her to-do list to a single Post-It. This helps her identify the most important one or two items to get done every day. It also gives her a sense of accomplishment when her to-do list gets thrown away at the end of the day, compared to those of us who have long lists that never get completely crossed off.
  • Create a support system. Forge relationships with people both at home and at work that can help you by offering encouragement, advice, and just letting you vent.
  • Practice time management. I use the Pomodoro Technique by working for 20 minutes and then taking a 5 minute walk around the building. Set a timer to allow yourself short bursts of productivity and avoid burnout.
  • Schedule downtime. Plan regular periods of relaxation to allow you to unwind.
  • Utilize technology wisely. Find the task management software that works for you. Try Sunsama or Freedom.
  • Practice self-care. Take a walk, meditate, practice a hobby, or spend time with loved ones.
  • Set realistic expectations. Recognize your limitations and set realistic goals for what you can actually achieve. Note to self: It’s unreasonable to grade 92 lab reports in an hour.

I love a good productive day as much as the next person, but I also love a nice relaxing day too. The key, I think, is to get a little productivity and a little relaxation in every day.

9 Ways to Save Time Grading

For years, I was the type of teacher who stayed late every day to catch up on my grading and planning and calling parents and decorating my classroom and so on and so on. But I’ve tried to maintain some semblance of work-life balance and I’ve started leaving school at the end of the day, not when everything’s done. (Let’s face it, it’s never ALL done, is it?) So I’m working fewer hours and still getting all of my papers graded and planning done and bulletin boards decorated while managing to find time for my family, friends, and even some me time. How? I save time grading papers using a few simple tricks that have saved me hours and hours every week.

How to save time grading

save time grading papers

  • Use rubrics for lab reports. Rubrics can help you save time grading by providing a checklist of criteria. Skim lab reports instead of poring over every word and mark the rubric as you go. Boss Level: Use Doctopus  and save even more time!
  • Use well designed multiple choice questions. The standardized tests in science are mostly multiple choice questions but they’re not rote memorization questions. Design your multiple choice questions so that they test application skills. For example,  “Your rover on Mars encountered an area with a lot of seismic activity but no volcanic activity. What kind of boundary is it?”
  • Limit the length of the assignments. “Write 70-100 words to answer this question…”
  • Remember your job is to grade, not to edit. In science, I grade students on the quality of their answers, not on their writing ability. I may circle misspelled words or grammar, but I don’t belabor it.
  • Use self-grading assessments. Google Forms is amazing. Set them up to calculate the grade for you. When everyone is done with the assignment, open the spreadsheet and copy the grades into your grade book. Done. Here’s a free assessment on Google Forms you can try out.
  • If you’re grading digitally, keep a file of commonly used comments. For all written assignments or lab reports, I compose a doc for myself that contains the comments I anticipate using. “Use your data to support your conclusion,” is one I use a lot! Today, I used “Tension at a normal fault causes the hanging wall to move downward compared to the foot wall” about 30 times. Then, when a student makes an error, you don’t have to type your comment all over again – just copy and paste.
  • Decide how long you will grade for before you take a break. I’m usually in the 20-30 minute range, then I take a 5 minute break and then go back at it until the end of the period.
  • Focus on Key Areas: Prioritize grading key aspects of assignments that align with learning objectives or skills being assessed, rather than trying to provide feedback on every detail. Perhaps analysis question #2 was the only really significant question you need assessed on this lab report. Skip the others.
  • Batch Grading: Grade papers in batches rather than one at a time, allowing for a more efficient workflow and minimizing context-switching between different tasks.

What are your best tips for science teachers to save time grading?

Learn to speak Gen-Alpha

You’ll know it when you hear them. These Generation Alphas that inhabit my classroom have a language all their own.

gen alpha slangWho are Gen Alphas?

Generation Alphas are sometimes called Screenagers or Generation Glass because they’re so attached to their devices.  The mere mention of taking their phones away from them can cause mass hysteria. One report claims that students aged 8-12 spend almost 5 hours on their screens excluding the time they spend doing schoolwork!  Thirteen to 18 year olds spend nearly 7 1/2 hours on their screens strictly for entertainment. So it’s no surprise that these screenagers have developed their own language and behaviors that are largely internet borne.

A primer on Gen Alpha Slang

I’m sure you’ve heard (and rolled your eyes) at most of these terms, but here’s a quick primer on what your students are actually saying to you:

ATE – Means that something is impressive or outstanding.

BASIC – Term to describe something that is mainstream or boring

BUSSIN’ – Something that is bussin’ is very good.

CAP – If a student tells you “No cap,” they mean they’re not lying.

CHEUGY – Cheugy things are outdated, used most often to describe clothes.

DRIP – Drip refers to someone’s look or style.

FANUM TAX – A social media influencer named Fanum started this term to indicate sharing your food with someone else, or stealing a french fry from someone else’s plate.

GOAT – References the “greatest of all time.” When one person gets beaten by someone else in a competition, they get “goated.” The goat emoji means the same thing.

GYAT – As an acronym for “Girl your a** thicc”, GYAT is meant as a compliment to admire a girl’s bottom.

IT’S GIVING – Gen Alphas use this to describes the vibes they’re getting from something.

LORE – Students asking for the lore means they want to know the story behind something.

MEW – Students trace their chins with their fingers. They call this mewing and it means to put your tongue on the roof of your mouth to make your jawline appear sharper.

OHIO – This term started with a trend of sharing strange images and captioning them “Only in Ohio.” Now, the term is used to mean anything weird.

PULL UP – When someone is going to pull up, they’re arriving where you are.

RATIO’D – When someone posts something dumb on social media, they may receive more replies than they do likes or shares. This is called being ratio’d.

RIZZ – This term is short for charisma and references a person with charm or attractiveness.

SIGMA – Originally, sigma means a person who gets it done without help, a lone wolf, but some Alphas use it to mean “the best.”

SKIBIDI TOILET – Rooted in a series of TikToks with singing human heads coming out of toilets, Skibidi Toilet is a punchline that kids repeat to get laughs.  It sometimes means that something is odd.

SUS – This term is short for “suspicious” and started with the game Among Us.

YEET – To yeet something means to throw it enthusiastically.

Now you know.

Although, to be honest, I kind of enjoyed being sigma and not knowing the lore behind why skibidi toilet was so sus.

 

How to combat Decision Fatigue

In the depths of daily choices, some mundane and some consequential, I find myself navigating a complex web of decisions. Starting with deciding whether to drink my coffee at home or in the car, I make nonstop choices all day. Do I stop the behavior that’s interrupting my lesson or keep going? Should I send the coughing student to the nurse or ignore it? Middle school teachers make a minimum of 1500 decisions every day, according to Education Week. That’s 3 per minute over an 8 hour day. No wonder educators experience decision fatigue.

decision fatigueWhat is decision fatigue?

Decision fatigue is a term used to describe the deteriorating quality of decisions made by an individual after a long session of decision making. In other words, the more decisions a person has to make in a short period of time, the lower our ability to make decisions.

Teachers experiencing decision fatigue report an increase in impulsive decision making. As your ability to make well thought-out decision decreases, the likelihood of making impulsive decisions increases.

Some teachers avoid making decisions or feel decision paralysis, an inability to make decisions, when it gets to be too much. I plan my dinner menus for the week every Sunday because I simply can’t make a decision by the end of the day.

Combating Decision Fatigue in Middle School Teachersdecision fatigue

Here are some tips and tricks you can try to reduce your decision fatigue:

  • Establish routines. Creating predictable routines and structures reduces the number of decisions you have to make in a given day by automating certain aspects of your workflow.
  • Prioritize tasks. Identify those items which absolutely require your attention and do them first. Focus on what’s important and leave the rest for later.
  • Set limits. Conserve your mental energy by limit the number of times you check your email or handle routine administrative tasks.
  • Seek support. Collaborate with your colleagues to distribute decision making responsibilities. You pick the lab for the week and let your coworker choose the assessment.
  • Let your students make some decisions. Would they prefer their desks in rows or tables? Should they clean up the lab or work on the analysis questions first? Not everything has to be in your brain.
  • Practice self care. Establish clear work-home boundaries and make sure you get your down time.

In conclusion, understanding and recognizing decision fatigue can be a game-changer in our daily lives. From choosing what to wear in the morning to making critical decisions in our professional roles, we all experience the effects of decision fatigue. By implementing strategies like establishing routines, setting limits, and prioritizing tasks, we can navigate through decision-making challenges more effectively. Remember, it’s okay to take breaks, seek support, and prioritize self-care to recharge our mental batteries. So, the next time you feel overwhelmed by a barrage of choices, take a moment to pause, breathe, and simplify. Your future self will thank you for it!

Weather Unit Plans for Middle School Science

As a middle school science teacher, I understand the time constraints and pressures of the classroom, especially when it comes to engaging students in learning about complex topics like weather. Exciting weather phenomona might engage students but actually learning the ins and outs of reading a weather map or practicing the vocabulary are less exciting. Here are some low prep tools and tricks I’ve used in my seventh and eighth grade classrooms to helps students.

Weather Unit Plans

Day 1

A great introduction to your middle school weather unit is the weather stations scavenger hunt. Students travel to 10 stations where they will find 10 questions. The answers to each question are in short paragraphs on different stations. This allows students lots of movement around the classroom and the opportunity to read the 10 short paragraphs about weather several times.

Use a slide show to guide a discussion about the evolution of the earth’s atmosphere.

Day 2

A fun lab or demo to do this day is calculating the percentage of oxygen in the air. To do this, measure the volume of water in a test tube. This will tell you the volume of air in the test tube when it’s empty. (Let’s imagine the volume is 100 mL.)

Then, fill a shallow pan with water and place a candle in the center of the pan. Light the candle.

Invert the empty test tube over the candle in such a way that the lip of the test tube goes under the water.

The candle will go out when the oxygen in the test tube is used up and water will rise to replace the used up oxygen. Use a wax pencil to mark the place on the test tube where the water rises.

Then, fill the test tube with water up to the line you just drew. (Let’s imagine the volume is 70 mL.) This represents the volume in the test tube that wasn’t consumed by the fire. In other words, that volume of water is the same as the volume of gases in the atmosphere that aren’t oxygen (primarily nitrogen).

If you subtract the volume of nitrogen (70 mL) from the total volume of the test tube (100 mL), you’ll find the volume of oxygen. Simple calculations will show you the percentage of the atmosphere that is oxygen.

Day 3

Use a slide show to guide a discussion about the layers of the earth’s atmosphere.

This is a great day in your weather unit to introduce a long term data collection project. In this activity, students collect weather data for several weeks and then analyze the data,  identify patterns, and use what they learn to predict the weather.

Introduce students to weather data by looking at some weather graphs worksheets. This is a great way to get familiar with the vocabulary before learning definitions.

Day 4

A great lab to include today is the Ice Cream phase change lab.

While students are mixing their ice cream, use a slide show to introduce students to the topics of energy transfer in the atmosphere.

End the class by eating your ice cream!

Day 5

Even though students have been collecting weather data for a few days already, here’s a good place to learn what the weather terms mean. Use a slide show to guide students through terms such as air pressure, wind, air masses, and fronts.

To practice, have students look at weather maps and identify what types of fronts are pictured and what types of weather each location on the map is going to have.

Day 6

Another hands on learning day, Day 6 is the perfect day to allow students to build their own weather devices.

Day 7

weather task cardsYou’ve already tackled a lot of vocabulary in this unit and here’s a good place to stop and review.

Task cards are a versatile tool for engaging middle school students in science.  Distribute the cards to students individually or in small groups, allowing them to work through the tasks at their own pace.  Digital task cards like Boom cards help students practice their skills independently with immediately feedback.

A tarsia puzzle is another great practice activity. Students cut out triangles and match up words with definitions. This is fun to glue into an interactive notebook or onto a separate sheet of paper.

Day 8
weather self checking worksheet
Self-checking worksheets provide a valuable tool for middle school students to practice vocabulary in an independent and engaging manner and receive immediate feedback.
Day 9
A great way to wrap up the atmosphere vocab is with is a color by number worksheet. Students color a picture according to the colors corresponding to the correct answers.
Activities like this allow the teacher time to provide extra support to struggling students.
Day 10

After all that vocab review, this is a good time to collect some summative data with a quiz.

By now, students have learned enough vocabulary that they’re ready to learn about storm formation. Start with thunderstorms and use your slide show to guide students through storm formation.

Day 11

Students can work independently to complete the hurricane workbook. This activity walks them through hurricane formation and hurricane tracking.

Day 12

Practice what you learned in the weather unit about hurricanes today by mapping a historically famous hurricane. This activity tracks the path of Hurricane Laura which hit Louisiana on August 27, 2020, in a record breaking hurricane year. In this activity, students will map the path of Hurricane Laura using real data and make decisions about issuing warnings for the storm.

4 Enrichment Activities

  • There are always students who are super excited to learn about severe weather. This book, geared for 5th-7th graders, is a more detailed exploration of severe weather including hail, flash floods, blizzards, and tornadoes.
  • Photograph weather events to create a bulletin board. If your students have cell phones or access to cell phones, challenge them to take a picture of each type of cloud before the unit is over. Have a photo contest to see who can represent the most kinds of weather in a collage.
  • Have students research weather phenomena. Most students will know how rainbows are formed, but do they know about sun dogs or lenticular clouds or dust devils? Ask students to find an image and create a slide show. Use this opportunity to teach citation skills and check two things off your list! Make the project even more engaging by filming the weather reports using green screen technology. WeVideo.com is one inexpensive digital editing tool students can easily learn to use. There’s even a free version.
  • Try this free digital escape activity. Students practice and review weather vocabulary to find clues and solve puzzles. 

I hope your students enjoy learning about weather as much as mine do!

Teacher Appreciation Gifts

It’s Teacher Appreciation Week! Here are a few of the billions of reasons why your community appreciates you:

  • the compassion you show your students when they’re having a bad day
  • the enthusiasm with which you celebrate your students’ success
  • the email reminders you send when there’s a project almost due
  • the time you watched your neighbor’s class because she needed to use the bathroom
  • the after school help you offered even though it was your birthday and your family was waiting for you at home
  • the frantic student emails you reply to over the weekend
  • all of the ways you let your students know that you’re happy to see them
  • the time you stopped by your students’ softball/basketball/baseball/football/soccer/lacrosse game to cheer them on
  • the time you went to your student’s art show/play/orchestra performance/choral performance to cheer them on
  • the way you remember every students’ birthday
  • the evenings you spent planning something new and fun for the next day
  • the hundreds of times you repeated the directions without losing your temper
  • the extra days of review you scheduled
  • the letters of recommendation you’ve written

My favorite Teacher Appreciation gifts, in order:

  • notes from students
  • time off (extra prep, opportunity to skip a faculty meeting or duty, even letting me leave a few minutes early)
  • gift cards

My least favorite Teacher Appreciation gifts:

  • everything else

I don’t mean to sound ungrateful. The granola box in my mailbox will be a nice treat later and the ice cream cone during the faculty meeting was delish. But, to be honest,  I can buy myself granola and ice cream.

Here are teacher appreciation week freebies and discounts I found for you for 2024:

I hope you get lots of notes of appreciation from your students, and I hope you get time to put your feet up and relax. You absolutely deserve it!