Teaching science with art has so many benefits. Without fail, several students come into my classroom each year with a self defeating attitude about science. They mistakenly believe they can't learn science, or they aren't GOOD at science. Maybe in the past their science education has been confined to the pages of textbooks or worksheets.… Continue reading Teaching Science with Art: Animal Adaptations for Kids
We are all guilty at times of becoming stuck in our ways. Many moons ago when I started teaching science, I started a bad habit. It was time to grade my first set of benchmarks. I knew it was impractical to grade the answer sheet one letter at a time, so I wanted to make… Continue reading Grading Multiple Choice Answer Sheets Quickly
By the time my students reach sixth grade, they have been practicing classifying objects by physical properties for YEARS. Shape, color, smell, texture, mass, density, magnetism, luster...We actively sort things into categories based on similar characteristics as a means of identification. However, without FAIL, when we begin learning about the classification of life, my students… Continue reading Classifying Organisms: Teaching Taxonomic Classification
One of the first things I wanted to do as a new science teacher was acquire a class pet. None of my teachers in school ever had one, and I always thought it was the best idea ever. I think in some way, I secretly hoped it would give me a "cool" factor to help… Continue reading Class Pets in Science: Pros and Cons
My budget has been somewhat limited (non-existent) this year, forcing me to get a bit more creative than usual. As with all things, I simply took it is a challenge to push myself and my students a little further. This week, using leftover lab materials from years past (plus about $15 worth of Dollar Tree… Continue reading What’s in the Lab? ExCELLent Eukaryotic Cell Models
In Houston, everyone knows there is a funky little section of town that contains the infamous “Beer Can” house. Upon further investigation, it turns out one man behind resurrecting the movement, Dan Phillips, is a major proponent of using recycled materials and providing affordable home ownership opportunities to the disadvantaged. As a new teacher, I… Continue reading Going Green: The Recycled Home Project
A collection of great iPad science apps for your elementary and middle school classroom. We live in a technology driven society, and as a result, most educators across the country now utilize digital resources, computers, tablets, phones and apps to enhance their instructional quality. Finding relevant science apps for elementary and middle school science can… Continue reading 20+ Science Apps for Elementary and Middle School
I must admit, being a science teacher is one of the coolest jobs in the world. It’s not always easy, but teaching students to question and explore their world is the most fulfilling work I could ever imagine doing. I love getting messy with the kids on lab days and watching how excited they get… Continue reading Pasta Rocks! A Sedimentary Rock Formation Lab.
I originally created this lab to spice up my mixtures and solutions unit a few years ago. It has evolved into what I HOPE is a thoughtful activity that incorporates mixtures, solutions, density, magnetism, environmental factors, conservation, team building and budgeting skills. I like this lab because it is versatile enough to be used in… Continue reading What’s in the Lab? Reversing Water Pollution
Earth science is one of my favorite units. (Mainly because most of the labs are edible.) No, in all seriousness, it is fascinating to see how many light bulb moments my students have when we really delve into the inner workings of our planet. Students have a hard time understanding slow changes because it isn't… Continue reading What’s in the Lab? Graham Cracker Plate Tectonics
Sockmonkey Science 