Creating Work Life Balance as a Science Teacher
Before I set some boundaries around the time I spent working, I was frazzled, anxious and grumpy. The time I was investing wasn’t paying off. Find out what changes I made.
5 New Ideas for Improving the Practice of Engaging in an Argument from Evidence
Argumentation helps scientists to understand the world around them. Also, it is a tool that we use in our everyday lives to improve our understanding of a subject. However, argumentation was absent in previous versions of the standards. Here is…
How to Create Engaging Next Generation Storylines One Step at a Time
I have gotten several messages from people over the last few weeks about how I create Next Generation Storylines. Honestly, it is a difficult question to answer, because I am not a linear planner. But, I’ve come up with a…
Interactive Notebooks in the Science Classroom Made Simple
I have been using interactive notebooks in my science classroom for over 10 years. I have made countless changes to my notebooks since I started using them all of those years ago. Below, I will tell you everything that I…
6 Common Mistakes Teachers Make with the NGSS Crosscutting Concepts
The NGSS Crosscutting Concepts are one of the three dimensions of the standards. There are many uses for them in your science classroom. However, teachers often underutilize them. Below I explain what the Crosscutting Concepts are and how to use…
How to Use the Science and Engineering Practices
Science and Engineering Practices are one of the three dimensions of the NGSS. They represent a significant change in science education because they empower students to take the lead in their own education. And, they represent a shift away from…
3 Easy NGSS Correlation and Causal Relationship Examples
Get correlation and causal relationship examples and see what these terms mean in the Next Generation Science classroom. Correlation and Causal Relationship Examples When you look at the NSTA Matrix of the Crosscutting Concepts, it states that relationships can be…
3 Back to School Science Activities to Avoid
For years, I started the year in my science classroom in essentially the same way. Why? Because it was what I had always done AND it seemed like the other science teachers around me were doing the same thing. But,…
Everything You Need to Know About 3-Dimensional Learning
The 3 dimensions of the NGSS are at the heart of the instructional shifts that come with these standards. 3D learning in the NGSS represents a move away from the memorization of unrelated facts. Instead, they require a move toward…
3 Things to Consider When Setting Up Your Science Classroom
The setup of your science classroom is very important in how the classroom will run. Here are important things to consider when setting up your science classroom for the year. What things should you consider when you set up your…