Do your seventh graders cast longing glances at each other, giggle without warning, and whisper in the halls? It’s almost Valentine’s Day, and, while love might not be on full display in the halls of my middle school, there’s a little bit of romance brewing here and there. I like to use whatever my studentsContinue reading “Valentine’s Day Science Activities for Middle Schoolers”
Category Archives: Uncategorized
Trivia games in middle school science
I love bar trivia. If you’ve never played, bar trivia is a popular form of entertainment where patrons gather at a bar or pub to participate in a trivia game. These games are typically hosted by a trivia master or DJ and consist of multiple rounds of questions covering a variety of topics such asContinue reading “Trivia games in middle school science”
How to teach CER in middle school science
I got an email from a language arts teacher/coworker last week. She said she was using the CER (Claim Evidence Reasoning) framework for persuasive essays and asked if there is any common ground between our curricula. I nearly jumped for joy! CER is a technique for writing a lab conclusion in which students state theirContinue reading “How to teach CER in middle school science”
Book Review: The Story of the Earth in 25 Rocks
Engaging kids is challenging. I love science, but not everyone finds it as interesting as I do. It’s so frustrating when I’ve crafted a lesson that I think is so interesting and it falls flat. It’s tough to engage middle schoolers in science. One of the quickest ways I’ve found to get kids interested in science,Continue reading “Book Review: The Story of the Earth in 25 Rocks”
Human Body Systems Resources for Middle School
Middle and high school students need a working knowledge of the parts of the human body and how they interact, yet often times science teachers are ill prepared to help students with this content. There are 12 systems of the human body, and for each system, teachers need a slide show and notes, a handsContinue reading “Human Body Systems Resources for Middle School”
Winter Fun
Here are some fun activities for your students this winter! Winter Crossword Winter Word Search Winter Spot the Difference
Cricut for Teachers
I’m not super crafty, and I don’t have a lot of time. So, obviously, I need a Cricut. Hubby bought me one for Christmas and I’m pretty excited to see what I can do with it! So far, I’ve managed to unbox it and set it up on a table in a spare bedroom. Continue reading “Cricut for Teachers”
Time Management for New Teachers
The teacher across the hall from me is in her classroom before me every day, head bend over her laptop. “Good morning!” I call into her door every day. When I leave at the end of the day, she’s still there, head bent over her laptop. “Have a good night!” I usually yell into herContinue reading “Time Management for New Teachers”
8 Test Prep Strategies that Work!
Life would be great if I could spend every day letting my students engage with phenomena and explore science concepts – aside from the relationships that build with students, it’s my favorite part of teaching. I love watching middle schoolers get curious, ask questions, and figure things out. I love the lightbulb moments. I betContinue reading “8 Test Prep Strategies that Work!”
Is Odd Better?
Dr. Seuss famously said ‘You have to be odd to be number 1.” Which brings up 2 important questions for me. First, is it important to be a student’s “favorite” teacher? Do students learn better from teachers they like? The second question Dr. Seuss’s quote brought up for me asks if odd teachers are betterContinue reading “Is Odd Better?”