Wow your students with these 21 science classroom decorating ideas. These science lab door decoration ideas are perfect for elementary science teachers!
How do nocturnal animals hunt? What animal is the smartest? What would happen if worms didn't decompose dead things? These are just a few of the questions that my third graders came up with. As a teacher I love it when my students are using their curiosity and asking good questions
Ideas and inspiration for your middle or high school science classroom! In this blog post, I'm sharing 16 of my favorite organization hacks.
Pool noodles provide great learning opportunities!
For this science fair project, kids will learn how to make a lemon battery. They can conduct this classic experiment using readily available materials.
Videos, hands-on experiments, printables, and more.
Helping K-2 Teachers Like You Save Time, Grow Instructional Skills, and Teach With Confidence!
I just love this color changing flowers science experiment! It is really easy to do and the kids love watching the flowers change color. We think it is the perfect science activity for spring! I even created printable recording sheets that kids in preschool and early elementary can use to show their observations.
Words on walls are a great way to display important vocabulary words in your science classroom. Not only will it help your students learn...
How can you stand on a paper cup without breaking it? The secret is in how you place the cups. Paper cup STEM Challenge for kids.
Because seeing is believing, especially when it comes to science.
Science videos for kids to use in a primary classroom. My favorite YouTube Science channels to find educational videos for kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd grade!
A lot of us are still nostalgic for the good old days when the only things we’d have to worry about were getting to class on time and doing our homework. When you finish school, you might start to realize just how awesome some of your teachers were. They’re the authority figures who always put in extra effort when explaining topics to you. They’re the everyday superheroes who’d give you life advice. They’re the artistic souls who would spend hours on colorful signs and charts just to make learning more fun.
Cool experiments to pique kids' interest in science.
These 40+ free STEM websites: science, technology, engineering, and mathematics are for grades 6-12; middle school and high school. Hands on science
If you look on Pinterest you are sure to see a lack of science classroom decoration ideas. I want to share with you my...
Biome in a bottle, ecosystem in an envelope, habitat in a handbag…what on earth? No seriously…what on EARTH are you going to create?! Think about where you live – the organisms that surround you and the environment they live in and get started on this interactive in-classroom habitat! WHAT'S INCLUDED in this 2 WEEK LESSON: • 12 page NON-EDITABLE PDF handout with student and teacher directions • Answer key • DIGITAL GOOGLE CLASSROOM links to all items listed above which can be easily converted to Microsoft School with directions provided or altered to fit your school’s personal learning management system STUDENTS WILL: • Research local aquatic and terrestrial biomes and their characteristics. • Choose a local aquatic/terrestrial biome and then research the requirements of the plants and organisms that live in those biomes. • Create a closed or open local aquatic and terrestrial biome to see how living things within your area interact with one another and how materials are cycled within their ecosystem. • Maintain their ecosystem over a number of weeks • Measure changes in the ecosystem conditions over the weeks • Answer extension questions MATERIALS LIST (most items are student supplied): - Newspaper or tablecloths for mess - 1-2 CLEAR (not tinted) and clean two-liter bottles - labels removed - 4 unbleached Coffee filters - Thick absorbent string/yarn with a knot tied on one end - Local plants (include roots), seedlings, and seeds - Local water sample - Local organisms – consumers/decomposers (land and water) - Local soil samples of various kinds – clay, gravel, sand, etc. - Abiotic components – wood, shells, etc THIS LESSON IS ALSO INCLUDED IN OUR: - Ecology Bundled Unit which includes 7-9 weeks worth of materials in our 260+ slide PowerPoint and 100+ pages of handouts! YOU MAY ALSO LIKE OUR: - Ecology Think Tickets: Task Cards for Science Exploration - Ecology Visual Word Wall - Ecology Interactive Notebook Activities Click this link to find out how this lesson fits with your NGSS, TEKS or GSE Science Classroom Getting Nerdy's Terms of Use (TOU): - Purchase of the product is for single classroom use by the purchaser only. It is a violation for individuals, schools, and districts to redistribute, edit, sell, or post this item on the Internet or to other individuals. Disregarding the copyright is a violation of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act and subject to legal action. -By purchasing this product you acknowledge that you have read and understood the Terms of Use. Biome in a Bottle Ecosystem Model by © 2012-present Getting Nerdy, LLC
Use these six classroom management strategies in your science classroom on the first day of school. Back to school for new science teachers.
Creating an EPIC Forensics course doesn't have to be hard! Learn my 5 "must try" strategies that are guarenteed to get your students excited about learning!
Hands-on experimenting.
Virtual dissections can be a huge help in teaching science, biology, physiology and anatomy. Here are some of the best resources for your lessons and labs.
What a chemistry activity for kids? Learn the Periodic Table of Elements with kids in a fun way by playing the Periodic Table Battleship game!
Hi teacher friends, Are your elementary students studying Earth Science this year? I’ve always dreaded trying to hunt down lab supplies and equipment for science activities, but during the last few years I’ve been able to come up with little-to-no prep activities to teach Earth Science! These hands-on activities allow students to experiment and learn
As teachers, we are always on a budget. Decorating classrooms can get pricey. When I first started teaching I was spending a fortune online and at teaching supply stores to buy science posters so my walls weren’t so drab. Since then, I’ve been creating my own science posters that the library will print for me ... Read more
Chemical change happens every day. This lab is easy for teaching middle school chemistry because it demonstrates chemical change with basic household items.
When rainy weather hits and you're stuck inside this simple science experiment is perfect for teaching little learners how clouds make rain.
If you look on Pinterest you are sure to see a lack of science classroom decoration ideas. I want to share with you my...
As a middle school science teacher, I always love teaching the scientific method to my students. There are so many routes you can take with teaching it, and I’ve tried many of them. If you’re gearing up to teach the scientific method, then you might benefit from reading this post. (See what I did there?) You probably have many questions. When should I teach the scientific method? What all should I include in my unit? What order should I teach the topics of the scientific method? How do I go about teaching the scientific method? In this post I’ll share what’s worked for me. Plus, you’ll find some links to FREE resources to help get you started. When Should I Teach the Scientific Method? I want my students to have a good handle on lab safety before getting started with the scientific method because it involves labs, tools, and sometimes harmful chemicals. The scientific method is important for studying science in general, so I teach it as early in the year as possible. It is my second unit (right after lab safety). I bring the scientific method up throughout the year, whenever we have labs. After winter break I have a week-long review to brush up on the more difficult aspects of the scientific method. What Should I Include in My Scientific Method Unit? In What Order Should I Teach the Topics? Obviously, all groups of students are different. My seventh graders always come in with very, very little experience with the scientific method. Knowing that, I start with the basics and go over everything I think they need to know to successfully use the scientific method. I recommend giving your students a preassessment before the unit to gauge what topics you can skip and which you need to hammer into your students’ skulls. Here are the topics I always include in my scientific method unit and the general order in which I teach them: The Steps of the Scientific Method Independent and Dependent Variables Scientific Questions Hypotheses Observations and Inferences Research and Procedures Constants/Controlled Variables Analyzing Data/Graphs Scientific Conclusions How Do I Go About Teaching the Scientific Method? In my class, each of the nine topics listed above starts with interactive notebook notes in combination with a PowerPoint. (See the video below of the interactive science notebook pages I use. They're all available in my store and you can get the INB pages in my Scientific Method Interactive Notebook Pages Bundle.) After introducing the topic via notes and a PowerPoint, the students get practice in the form of stations, activities, and/or worksheets. Lastly, I assess each topic with an exit ticket to determine if we need to keep working on the current topic or if we’re ready to move on to the next. The single most important scientific method resource I have is my Scientific Method Stations. I use them at least three times in the unit because they’re so versatile. They give students practice identifying variables, writing good hypotheses, designing procedures etc. I just post them around the room at the beginning of the unit and they stay there until the day of the unit test. I truly believe they are a great resource for the middle school science classroom. They are one of my most loved and best selling resources, so I decided to make a second set. I added my Scientific Method Stations V2 to my store in September 2023! But Really, What Do You Do for Each Topic? The Steps of the Scientific Method: I go over what the scientific method is, what it’s used for, the order of the steps, and what each step might look like. Independent and Dependent Variables: I go over the definitions of independent and dependent variables and how to identify them in an experiment. Then we practice. And practice. And practice some more. Eventually it clicks and then my students HAVE GOT IT DOWN. Scientific Questions: Students learn about what a good scientific question needs to have. We review variables again while examining good and bad scientific questions. Group work and games can be fun with this. Hypotheses: Students learn what a hypothesis is and how to write a good hypothesis. Even my best students need to learn the If/then version of writing a hypothesis because they have only been taught the “I think blah blah blah will happen” version. Hypotheses typically need a lot of practice. Here is a free coloring worksheet to help your students write good hypotheses and identify independent and dependent variables. Observations and Inferences: Students learn the definitions of qualitative and quantitative observations and how to use those to make inferences. Here is a free observation activity you can use in your class. Research and Procedures: Research is straightforward so we briefly discuss where to find accurate information. For procedure, we learn what it is, why it’s important, and what happens if a procedure is poorly written. Constants/Controlled Variables: This is hands down the hardest part of the scientific method for my students. We go over what constants are, why they are important, and how to identify them in experiments. Students need TONS of practice with this. Here is a free exit ticket to check if your students have mastered constants. Analyzing Data/Graphs: I go over where independent and dependent variables go on graphs, what good graphs include, and types of graphs. Then we practice interpreting graphs. I try to include as much data analysis throughout the year as possible because my students always need practice with this. Here is a free data analysis worksheet and a free data analysis Boom Deck. Scientific Conclusions: Students learn what should be included in a good conclusion and practice writing a good conclusion using a data table and graph from an experiment. I hope this post gives you a good starting point for planning your scientific method unit. I love teaching the scientific method and have created many resources for my students. You can find my scientific method resources here, including interactive notebook pages, activities, worksheets, and assessments. If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to post a question below or message me. Thanks for reading and have a great school year! You can get another free scientific method resource just for signing up for my newsletter. Sign up for my newsletter here. I added an option in my store to get all of my scientific method resources in one discounted bundle: Scientific Method HUGE Bundle.
Bulletin Boards and More! Fabulous ways to add some science decor to your classroom! Includes poster ideas and board ideas!
Inspire kids & teens will these FUN chemistry experiments that can be done at home! Favorites include glow-in-the-dark experiments, chemistry activities using fire and vortex experiments!
Over the summer I had time to really think about my classroom and reflect on the things I wanted to (or needed to) change, as well as the things I wanted to keep the same. Below, you will find the …
Working on addition? Try making a post-it math activity as a great alternative to worksheets! An easy number sense activity for math facts.
Learn the five ocean layers & which sea animals live in each zone with this colorful science experiment and habitat project for kids, tweens & teens!
Hello Everyone! A couple of weeks ago we had the opportunity to go to a little science workshop. Thanks to our science instructional specialist, we learned some ways to "fit it all in." An emphasis was made to incorporate and organize vocabulary into our science/reading lessons. We also learned a fun way to store science items. Well, I got busy and reorganized my science notebook pages, beginning of the year set up lessons, and vocabulary. I also took the storage idea and made it fit with the notebooks. I can't wait to share with the kiddos! Here are a few pics from the 60+ page unit! Student science notebook cover. Science Saver- to store vocabulary cards and other treasures! Over 100 vocabulary words included If you are at all interested in this little set up unit for science notebooks, you simple need to click here!! :) I hope this helps you in your quest to organize your science curriculum and student notebooks. Let me know what you think, or if there is something I need to fix. I do read all the comments, and try hard (not always successful) to get back to you if you have questions. I hope you're having a great week! Thanks for stopping by for a peek! Joyfully! Nancy
The last couple of years I taught, I did an elaborate science demo day for Halloween. This is one of those experiences that students will remember when
Words on walls are a great way to display important vocabulary words in your science classroom. Not only will it help your students learn...
Discover my three NO-FAIL strategies for motivating your middle and high school students.
Discover hands-on beginning of the year science activities that will excite your students and build the foundation for future science lessons!
You can reuse these recycling anchor charts year after year!
Science Bulletin Boards! Templates for four boards with great ideas for elementary science displays and projects for classroom teachers. Images are included to customize your boards by printing letters and designing your own displays. Easy and fun ideas to add a science bulletin board to your classroom!
Try this Balloon Air Pressure Experiment! Balloon and glass experiment explanation for kids is perfect for science fair air experiment.
Getting started with coding in the classroom doesn’t have to be scary or intimidating! You don’t have to have a background in computer science to teach it, and you don’t even need expensive robots or technology to get started! WHY Teach Coding?
This past summer, like all the summers before in our homeschooling journey, the kids and I spent our days exploring one part of God's creation. Since we live in the tundra for nearly nine months of the year, our ability to investigate nature is limited to summer time. (This post contains affiliate links. Please see my disclosure policy for full details.) Using some delight-directed planning, we usually choose one nature topic to investigate all summer long. This year, the children unanimously voted to learn about WEATHER. Here are a few things we included in our three-month-long unit... Books National Geographic Kids Everything Weather: Facts, Photos, and Fun that Will Blow You Away Weather (Eye Wonder) The Kids' Book of Weather Forecasting (Williamson Kids Can! Series) Clouds (Weather) 100 Things You Should Know About Weather The Usborne Book of Weather Facts: Records, Lists, Facts, Comparisons Weather (Usborne Spotter's Guide) Science With Weather (Usborne Science Activities) Projects Cloud/Temperature Calendar Every day through the month of July, we tracked the high and low temps as well as determined the type of cloud formation that was prevalent throughout the majority of the afternoon. We documented our findings on a calendar printable and glued these into our nature journals. Weather Fact Fans We put together a simple fact fan and designated a page for each major type of weather occurrence. As we learned about each topic, the children did a small notebook journal entry onto that particular card in their fact fans. Water Cycle Demo Bag After learning about the water cycle, we each drew a sketch of the process onto a ziplock bag. We poured about a cup of water into the bag, taped it to a window on a sunny side of the house, and waited. Within a day or two, we were able to see the water evaporating, condensing, and precipitating on the side of the bag. Rain Gauge Using the bottom half of a pop bottle, we made a simple rain gauge. We set it outside and checked it after each rain. We just happened to have an unusually wet summer this year, so there was a lot of action each week in our gauge. Air Scale To demonstrate the fact that air has weight, we made a simple air scale. We blew up two equal-sized balloons to two different sizes and taped them each to opposite ends of a ruler. We tied a string to the center of the ruler and held the entire contraption up by the string. Just like on a traditional scale, the ruler tipped towards the end with the heavier balloon showing that air does, in fact, have weight...the balloon with the most air weighed more. Simple Barometer A barometer is used to measure air pressure. While our homemade version did not tell us an exact measurement of pressure, it was able to clearly show CHANGES in pressure. You will need: a glass with a wide mouth a balloon a rubber band scissors a drinking straw tape a piece of paper or cardstock and a pen Directions: Cut the mouth piece off of the balloon and discard. Stretch the balloon over the mouth of the glass. Secure with a rubber band. Using the tape, secure the straw to the top of the balloon. The straw should be placed as close to the middle of the balloon as possible. Use the paper or cardstock to mark the place where the end of the straw naturally rests. Check the placement of the straw end each day and mark any changes. You should be able to see that the air pressure raises or lowers the balloon which in turn moves the end of the straw up or down. Videos What is a Tornado? by Monkey See What is a Hurricane? by Monkey See Reading Rainbow: Come a Tide- an elementary-appropriate look at dangerous weather
Have you been looking for a way to incorporate scientists names into your classroom? If so, then read about how...
