Structured Program Assists Students in Completing Online Work As more classrooms are becoming 1-to-1 with students and technology, two high school teachers chose to differentiate through tiering processes with the Canvas LMS system. The beginning of the year was the first time students at our school experienced Canvas LMS. The first few units were done […]
Category: Science
Science and Robotics Clubs
Afterschool Science Club Gives Students the Ability for More Hands-On Activities I started this program to get kids excited about science and learning. I send permission slips home with the fourth graders near the beginning of the school year. I make sure they know I will allow the first 30 students, that return their permission […]
The Egg Drop Project
Hands-On Activity Helps Students Integrate STEM Concepts with Content Writing 7th grade science, math, and English honors teachers at Southside Middle School developed a cross-curricular egg drop project to integrate STEM concepts with content writing. Student were challenged to design, create, test, and analyze a BESS (Better Egg Shipping System) that would protect a dropped […]
Game Based Learning in Science Classes
In-Class Games Help Students Apply Key Concepts In my high school science classes I attempt to keep lecture time down per each one hour class. The remainder of the time is spent applying the class concepts to various content related problems. I break students into groups every class for collaborative learning. In an effort to […]
Growing a STEM program with Rube Goldberg Machines
After School Program Allows Students to Excel in an International Event to Promote the STEM Field The Rube Goldberg Machine Contest originally began as a competition against Purdue engineering organization. Today, it has grown into an international event that inspires all students to design, build, problem solve, and present. In recent years, Science, Technology, Engineering, […]
Use of Quarter Courses to Increase Curriculum Diversity for High Ability High School Students
Quarter Length Courses Allow Students the Choice Between Multiple Narrowly Focused Subject Matters Throughout the Semester Quarter courses were developed to increase the diversity of courses available to high ability students. Courses last for half a semester and are usually developed in pairs taught by the same instructor. Topics for quarter courses are usually more narrowly […]
Integrating Science into Physical Education
Teaching Students About the Connections Between Physical Education and Science Helps Them to be Actively Engaged I focused on integrating science into our physical education program throughout the year. My goal is for students to be actively engaged in physical activity while learning about science. This year, the students had a chance to learn how […]
Making Science A Priority In Today’s Classroom
Activities Help Students Learn to Foster an Appreciation for Science Using STEM activities; along with detailed lab manuals, will help you to foster an appreciation for science with your students. Students need the opportunity to manipulate materials, trial and error, and use verbal and written communication to describe how things work. STEM activities are great […]
Hands-On Projects in AP Physics
Students Apply Concepts Learned in Class to a Real World Environment Each project was implemented to provide students opportunities to directly test physics concepts in a real world environment. Egg-Drop Ships – This is a first semester project given to students after a discussion on kinematics and forces. Students are given a specific material list […]
Interactive Science Notebooks
Use of Interactive Science Notebooks Enhance Students Organizational Skills A study source to enable you to be a creative, independent thinker and learner! Your Interactive Science Notebook (INB) will increase your understanding of science by: Using writing as a process for discovery and synthesis of inquiry; Modeling many enduring functions of scientists- recording information, data, […]
Simple & Compound Machines
Using Science in Daily Life Through our unit on simple & compound machines students will “explore the significance of science in their lives”, have “hands-on inquiry that involves a series of steps with Questioning, Observation, Organizing Data, Explanation, Reflection, Taking Action,” and they will “integrate reading, writing, speaking, and math.” These objectives are listed as […]
Solar House Activity
Construction of a Solar House Promotes Sustainability Education This is a Solar House construction activity originally from Wendy Van Norton developed for College Board AP Environmental Science but can be used at both Middle School and High School levels successfully. The activity engages teams of students in the design and construction of a passive solar […]
Aluminum Can Recycling
Children Learning About Recycling as They Help the Ronald McDonald House Our 4/5s preschool class collects, crushes and recycles aluminum cans. Can crushing is an active center in our classroom each day. Our children learn to work together to achieve a common goal, and take pride in their accomplishments. Learning to recycle and care for their environment […]
Utilizing Expeditionary Learning
Expeditionary Learning Creates Positive Changes Utilizing Expeditionary Learning as the structure of my teaching has achieved incredible results. In an Expeditionary Learning model, each semester, the teacher creates and executes an expedition. The expedition is standards-based, hands-on, and community focused. It is grounded in either science or social studies standards and acts as the integrated […]
Mini-assessments for High School Biology
Assessments Help Teachers Improve Students Biology Knowledge Starting in the summer of 2013 the biology teachers at Anderson High School in an effort to get ahead of the day when biology may become a graduation requirement. As coordinator leader of this project to the the goal was to be simple: a. Develop a common calendar […]
The Language of Anatomy
Creation of a Life-Size Body Helps Students Learn Anatomy A comprehensive, semester long project creating a life-size shell of the anatomy student from the inside out! Issues this Best Practice Addresses: Practice leading to student achievement and student performance Major Challenges to Implementation: The only major challenge is the initial cost of the supplies. Benefits […]
Bottledome!
Student Driven Activity Sparks Learning About an Ecosystem Building a little ecosystem in a bottle! Issues this Best Practice Addresses: Inquiry-based instruction/ Ecosystem concepts and standards Major Challenges to Implementation: This does take several days to implement the project and then requires daily observations and journaling. Benefits Derived from Implementing this Best Practice: This project […]