Nicole recounts a day this summer when she was teaching summer school. She planned a simple observation activity and was surprised that her students struggled with simple observation skills. Around the same time, a listener asked how to improve observation…
This episode comes from a listener’s question about science notebooks. Lindsay from New Mexico asked the following question. “I would love to learn more about incorporating interactive notebooks into the NGSS classroom. Do you follow [the] left/right side [structure]? How…
Your district adopted a science curriculum. You hoped it would be well aligned with the NGSS. But, after reviewing it, you realized it wasn’t built for 3D learning. You aren’t alone. This week we answer this question from Kim in…
Traditional classrooms put teachers as tellers front and center. But, transitioning to the Next Generation Science Standards and a more student-driven approach to science instruction moves the work of students to the main stage. Incorporating science stations is one way to create a classroom that values and emphasizes active learning. Also, it shifts ownership and responsibility for student work where it belongs: to your students!
The CER is a framework that was created to help students with the practice of engaging in an argument using evidence. It helps them understand the difference between parts of an argument. However, it is often confusing for them to…
Most often, we think of the back-to-school time as the best time to rethink your classroom management plan. However, it’s never a bad time to rethink your strategy in the classroom. Arguably, this school year was the most difficult one…
Teaching science in a three-dimensional learning environment often feels overwhelming. Many teachers ask us where to start. Here’s our answer: It depends. We give you two options here so you can choose your own adventure.
In this episode, we answer a listener Joana’s question: “When is the best time to start your NGSS Storyline?” Joana wanted to know if it is okay to start your storyline in the middle of the unit. Erin and Nicole offer two different approaches depending on your specific needs.
In this episode, Nicole interviews high school Earth Science Teacher Alyssa Weisenstein. Alyssa is the creator behind Teacher On A Trip, a blog about using National Parks as Earth Science phenomena. Alyssa loves to travel and brings this enthusiasm into…
Recent Comments