Amy Brown Science | Biology and Chemistry Teaching Resources for Middle and High School

Free Biology Curriculum Teacher Guide for High School Biology

2026-06-03T06:37:02.433-05:00

I have something brand new to share with you today, and I am very excited about it.

I recently created a complete Biology Curriculum Teacher Guide and Implementation System for my full year high school biology curriculum, and I have made the entire guide available as a free download.

This is not a small sample, a short preview, or a few selected pages. This is the exact 189-page Teacher Guide and Implementation System that is included with my High School Biology Curriculum Bundle.

If you have ever wondered how my full year biology curriculum is organized, how the 20 units fit together, how the labs are planned, or how the curriculum can be implemented across an entire school year, this free Teacher Guide will let you see exactly how it works before purchasing.

Why I Made the Biology Curriculum Teacher Guide Free

Purchasing a full year biology curriculum is a huge decision. A complete curriculum is not something teachers choose lightly, and I understand that teachers want to know exactly what they are getting before they invest in a full year resource.

That is why I decided to make the complete Biology Curriculum Teacher Guide and Implementation System available for free.

I want teachers to be able to look inside the curriculum before purchasing. I want you to see how the resources are organized, how the units are sequenced, how the labs are supported, and how the curriculum can be planned across a school year.

The free Teacher Guide gives you a clear look at the structure behind the full curriculum. Even if you never purchase the full bundle, the planning and organization ideas in the guide may still be useful as you think through your own biology course.

This Is Not Just a Teacher Guide

The Biology Curriculum Teacher Guide and Implementation System is much more than a simple overview document.

It is a 189-page planning and implementation system designed to help teachers organize, plan, and teach a full year high school biology curriculum with more confidence.

Inside the guide, you will find curriculum setup support, yearlong pacing guidance, lab planning resources, materials and supplies planning, differentiation suggestions, and detailed unit planning support for all 20 biology units.

My goal was to create something that helps teachers see how the entire curriculum fits together. A full year curriculum can include a lot of resources, and I wanted teachers to have a clear roadmap for using them.

What Is Included in the Free Teacher Guide?

The free Biology Curriculum Teacher Guide includes the major planning documents that curriculum purchasers receive with the full bundle.

Inside the guide, you will find:

START HERE Curriculum Guide
Quick Start Curriculum Set Up and Organization Guide
Yearlong Pacing Guide
Lab Planning Guide
Biology Curriculum Materials and Supplies Guide
Differentiation and Honors Support
20 Unit Overview and Planning Guides
20 Unit Scope and Sequence Guides

These documents were created to help teachers move from simply owning curriculum resources to actually knowing how to organize and use them throughout the school year.

Organization Support for a Large Biology Curriculum

One of the first things teachers notice about the full biology curriculum is the size of it. The curriculum includes 231 downloadable resources organized into 20 complete biology units.

That is a tremendous amount of teaching material, but a large curriculum also needs a clear organization system.

The Quick Start Curriculum Set Up and Organization Guide helps teachers organize the curriculum from the beginning. It includes suggestions for setting up folders, organizing printable and digital resources, locating important planning documents, and creating a system that makes the curriculum easier to manage throughout the school year.

This is especially helpful for teachers who are implementing the curriculum for the first time and want to avoid feeling overwhelmed by hundreds of files.

Planning Support for Every Biology Unit

The Teacher Guide also includes planning support for each of the 20 curriculum units.

Each unit includes an overview and planning guide to help teachers understand the purpose of the unit, the major resources included, suggested labs and activities, assessments, planning notes, and implementation suggestions.

The guide also includes 20 Scope and Sequence Guides. These help teachers see how the unit is organized, how lessons and activities fit together, and where major resources fall within the unit plan.

This part of the Teacher Guide is especially helpful because it allows teachers to see the structure of each unit before instruction begins.

A Full Year Biology Curriculum With Teacher Support Built In

The free Teacher Guide was created to support my complete High School Biology Curriculum Bundle.

This curriculum includes 20 complete biology units, 231 downloadable resources, more than 6,400 pages and slides, 28 PowerPoint and notes sets, 47 laboratory investigations, 22 Jeopardy style review games, 24 crossword puzzles, 61 classroom activities and worksheets, 42 homework assignments, quizzes, tests, printable resources, digital resources, editable files, answer keys, and teacher support materials.

It was designed to provide a complete full year biology course while still giving teachers flexibility to adjust pacing, select activities, modify assignments, and adapt instruction for different classroom needs.

The Teacher Guide is one of the pieces that helps tie the entire curriculum together. It shows how the units are organized, how the resources can be managed, and how teachers can plan for the school year with more confidence.

Lab Planning Support for a Lab Centered Biology Course

One of the strongest parts of this biology curriculum is the lab program. The full curriculum includes 47 laboratory investigations that are integrated throughout the school year.

Because labs require planning, materials, preparation, and time, the Teacher Guide includes a Lab Planning Guide to help teachers think through laboratory instruction before the year begins and as each unit approaches.

The Lab Planning Guide helps teachers identify anchor labs, prioritize investigations when time is limited, organize materials, plan lab activities throughout the year, and make practical decisions about how to build meaningful hands-on experiences into the biology course.

What Units Are Included in the Full Biology Curriculum?

The full year curriculum includes 20 complete biology units designed to support a first year high school biology course.

The 20 units are:

Introduction to Biology
The Microscope
Biochemistry
Cell Structure and Function
Enzymes and the Chemical Reactions of the Cell
Photosynthesis
Cellular Respiration
Cell Division: Mitosis and Meiosis
DNA, RNA, and Protein Synthesis
Genetics
The History of Life on Earth
Evolution
Population Genetics and Speciation
Classification and Taxonomy
Introduction to Ecology
Population Ecology
Community Ecology
Ecosystems: Energy Flow and the Recycling of Matter
Ecosystems: Biomes of the World
Humans and the Environment

Together, these units provide a full year biology course with lessons, labs, activities, assessments, review materials, and teacher support resources.

Designed to Save Teachers Time

My goal in creating the full year Biology Curriculum Bundle was not simply to create more biology resources. My goal was to create a complete curriculum system that helps teachers feel prepared, organized, and supported throughout the school year.

Instead of writing PowerPoints from scratch, scrambling for labs, building assessments at the last minute, or wondering whether important content has been covered, teachers can start with a full year plan, built-in scope and sequencing, printable and digital options, and a Teacher Guide designed to support implementation.

The curriculum can be used by new biology teachers, experienced teachers who want a more organized curriculum, teachers managing multiple preps, teachers transitioning into biology, and schools looking for a full year biology course that can be implemented with confidence.

Download the Free Biology Curriculum Teacher Guide

If you are considering a full year biology curriculum, I would love for you to download the free Teacher Guide first.

You will be able to see exactly how the curriculum is organized, how the 20 units fit together, what planning support is included, and how the curriculum can be implemented throughout the school year.

Click here to download the FREE Biology Curriculum Teacher Guide and Implementation System.

Then, if the curriculum looks like a good fit for your classroom, you can explore the complete High School Biology Curriculum Bundle.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the free Teacher Guide the same guide included with the full curriculum?

Yes. The free download is the same Biology Curriculum Teacher Guide and Implementation System included with the High School Biology Curriculum Bundle.

How many pages are included in the Teacher Guide?

The Teacher Guide includes 189 pages of planning, organization, pacing, lab preparation, differentiation, and curriculum support.

What is included in the full Biology Curriculum Bundle?

The full curriculum includes 20 biology units, 231 downloadable resources, more than 6,400 pages and slides, 47 laboratory investigations, PowerPoints, notes, labs, activities, quizzes, tests, review games, digital resources, editable files, answer keys, and teacher support materials.

Can I use the Teacher Guide even if I do not purchase the curriculum?

Yes. The Teacher Guide was created to help teachers understand how the Amy Brown Science Biology Curriculum Bundle is organized, but many of the planning and organization ideas may also be useful as you think through your own biology course.

More Biology Curriculum Information

You can also read more about the full curriculum in this related blog post: High School Biology Curriculum for the Full Year.

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Food Chains and Food Webs Activity for Teaching Energy Flow in Ecosystems

2026-03-13T08:58:00.006-05:00

Understanding food chains and food webs is one of the most important concepts in ecology. Models of food chains and food webs help students see how energy moves through ecosystems and how living organisms depend on one another for survival.

However, many students struggle to visualize these relationships when they are only explained through lecture or textbook diagrams. A hands on activity can make these ecological relationships much easier to understand. This food web activity for high school students helps students build and analyze ecosystem relationships through hands-on learning.

In this lesson, students explore producers, consumers, trophic levels, energy pyramids, and energy flow through ecosystems while building their own food chains and food webs. Students also learn how energy flows through ecosystems and how trophic levels organize feeding relationships within a food web.

A Hands On Food Chains and Food Webs Activity

This activity helps students move beyond memorizing vocabulary terms and instead apply their knowledge to real ecological models. Students classify organisms, analyze food chain diagrams, construct food webs, and explore energy flow through ecosystems.

The lesson is designed for students in grades 8 through 10 and includes both printable worksheets and a digital version for Google Classroom.

The complete activity is available here: Food Chains and Food Webs Activity

Introducing Producers and Consumers

This part of the activity helps students develop a strong foundation in basic ecology vocabulary.

Students learn the definitions of important ecological terms such as:

producers
consumers
herbivores
carnivores
omnivores
decomposers

Students then apply their understanding by sorting organisms into these categories. This helps reinforce the concept that organisms occupy different roles within an ecosystem.

Building Food Chains from Different Ecosystems

Once students understand the roles organisms play in ecosystems, they begin constructing food chains.

Students are given sets of organisms and must arrange them into food chains that occur in different ecosystems including:

ocean
woodland
salt marsh
arctic
desert
freshwater pond

This section encourages students to think critically about feeding relationships and the order of trophic levels in an ecosystem.

Creating a Complex Food Web

Once students understand food chains, they are ready to build a food web.

Students cut out fifteen organisms and place them into a freshwater pond ecosystem. They then draw arrows between the organisms to represent feeding relationships.

Food webs help students understand that most ecosystems are not simple linear chains. Instead, they consist of many interconnected feeding relationships that form a complex network.

Energy Flow and Trophic Levels

The final section of the lesson introduces the concept of energy flow through ecosystems.

Students read about how energy moves from one trophic level to another and explore how only a portion of energy is transferred between levels.

Students also work with an energy pyramid diagram and calculate how many Calories of energy are passed from one trophic level to the next.

This helps students understand why ecosystems can support fewer organisms at higher trophic levels.

What Is Included in this Activity

This no prep lesson includes everything needed to teach food chains and food webs in a clear and engaging way.

The resource includes:

9 page student worksheet with 50 questions
Colorful diagrams and illustrations
Cut and paste organism cards
Critical thinking questions
Energy pyramid calculations
9 page teacher guide with answer key
Printable version and digital Google Slides version

Students classify organisms, build food chains, construct food webs, and analyze energy flow through ecosystems in one complete lesson.

More Ecology Activities for Your Classroom

If you are teaching an ecology unit, you may also find these related blog posts helpful.

FREE Ecology Crossword Puzzles
These puzzles help students review important ecology vocabulary such as ecosystems, population ecology, and energy flow while reinforcing key concepts.

Ecology Warm Ups and Bell Ringers
These quick daily activities help reinforce ecological concepts and provide an easy way to begin each class period.

Backyard Ecology Freebie
This activity encourages students to explore ecosystems in their own environment.

Population Ecology Lab
In this lab, students estimate population size using a mark and recapture simulation and apply mathematical calculations to ecological data.

Food Chains and Food Webs Activity

If you are looking for a comprehensive lesson that helps students understand how energy moves through ecosystems, this activity is a great addition to your ecology unit.

Students classify organisms, build food chains, construct food webs, and analyze energy flow through ecosystems in one engaging lesson.

View the complete Food Chains and Food Webs Activity here: Food Chains and Food Webs Activity.

If you are teaching an ecology unit, you may also be interested in these related resources:

High School Biology Curriculum for the Full Year (20 Complete Units)

2026-03-11T10:45:00.003-05:00

Finding a complete high school biology curriculum can be one of the biggest challenges for science teachers. Planning a full year of lessons, labs, homework assignments, worksheets, assessments, and review activities takes an enormous amount of time.

Many teachers spend much of their time searching for resources, piecing together materials from different places, and trying to make everything fit into a coherent sequence.

If you are looking for a full year biology curriculum that is classroom tested, organized, and ready to teach, this post will walk you through what to look for and how a complete curriculum can simplify your planning.

📘 FREE RESOURCE FOR BIOLOGY TEACHERS

Before you continue, you may also want to download my Free Biology Curriculum Teacher Guide and Implementation System. This 189-page guide includes pacing guides, curriculum organization systems, lab planning support, differentiation strategies, and 20 unit scope and sequence guides. It is the exact Teacher Guide included with the High School Biology Curriculum Bundle and allows you to see exactly how the curriculum is organized before purchasing.

High School Biology Curriculum Overview

A high school biology curriculum typically includes core topics such as cell structure and function, biochemistry, genetics, evolution, and ecology. A well-designed curriculum also incorporates hands-on laboratory investigations, data analysis, and opportunities for students to apply scientific concepts in meaningful ways.

Many teachers look for a complete high school biology curriculum that includes a clear scope and sequence, engaging lessons, assessments, and both digital and printable resources to support different classroom environments.

What Should Be Included in a Full Year Biology Curriculum?

A strong high school biology curriculum should include far more than just a textbook or lecture slides. Students learn biology best when they are actively engaged in experiments, analyzing data, and applying scientific concepts.

An effective curriculum typically includes:

• hands on biology labs and investigations
• engaging PowerPoint or Google Slides lessons
• structured student notes and guided practice
• homework assignments and practice worksheets
• quizzes and unit tests
• review activities and games
• opportunities for students to analyze real data

When these resources are organized into a coherent unit sequence, teachers can spend less time planning and more time focusing on instruction and student learning.

A strong biology curriculum should also help students develop essential science skills such as analyzing data, designing experiments, and writing evidence-based explanations. In another post I discuss five essential science skills students need to master.

The Challenge of Planning a Full Year of Biology

Most biology teachers know that planning a full year curriculum is not simply about choosing topics.

You must also consider:

• the order in which concepts are introduced
• how labs connect to lecture topics
• how to review before assessments
• how to balance content knowledge with science skills

Without a clear scope and sequence, lessons can feel disconnected and students may struggle to see how topics relate to each other.

That is why many teachers prefer using a complete biology curriculum bundle that has already been organized and classroom tested.

A Complete High School Biology Curriculum

To help teachers simplify their planning, I created a Full Year Biology Curriculum Bundle that includes everything needed to teach an entire year of high school biology.

This curriculum contains:

20 complete biology units
more than 6,400 pages and slides of instructional materials
printable, editable, and digital resources
Google Slides lessons and Google Forms assessments for many of the included resources
teacher guides and scope and sequence planning

Each unit includes the materials teachers need for daily instruction, including a teaching PowerPoint, labs, notes, homework, quizzes, tests, review activities, and task cards.

The resources have been classroom tested over many years of teaching, so the lessons build logically from one topic to the next. I used these materials for many years in my own high school biology classroom, refining the units based on what worked best with students.

What Topics Are Included in the Biology Curriculum?

The curriculum covers the major concepts typically taught in a full year high school biology course.

The Full Year Biology Curriculum Bundle includes the following 20 units that cover the major topics typically taught in high school biology.

Unit 1: Introduction to Biology
Unit 2: The Microscope
Unit 3: Biochemistry
Unit 4: Cell Structure and Function
Unit 5: Enzymes and the Chemical Reactions of the Cell
Unit 6: Photosynthesis
Unit 7: Cellular Respiration
Unit 8: Cell Division: Mitosis and Meiosis
Unit 9: DNA, RNA, and Protein Synthesis
Unit 10: Genetics
Unit 11: The History of Life on Earth
Unit 12: Evolution
Unit 13: Population Genetics and Speciation
Unit 14: Classification and Taxonomy
Unit 15: Introduction to Ecology
Unit 16: Population Ecology
Unit 17: Community Ecology
Unit 18: Ecosystems - Energy Flow and the Recycling of Matter
Unit 19: Ecosystems - Biomes of the World
Unit 20: Humans and the Environment

Each unit includes a mixture of hands on investigations, structured lessons, and assessments that help students understand the concepts rather than simply memorizing vocabulary.

What Topics Are Taught in a High School Biology Curriculum?

When planning a high school biology course, teachers need to consider the key topics that students are expected to learn throughout the year. A well structured biology curriculum typically includes units on cell structure and function, biochemistry, enzymes, photosynthesis, cellular respiration, genetics, evolution, classification, and ecology.

In addition to covering core content, a strong curriculum also helps students develop important science skills such as analyzing data, designing experiments, interpreting results, and communicating scientific ideas clearly. Organizing these topics into a logical sequence helps teachers build student understanding over time while making lesson planning more manageable.

Digital and Printable Biology Teaching Resources

Many classrooms now use a mixture of traditional and digital learning tools. Because of this, the curriculum includes both printable and digital versions of many resources.

Teachers can choose to use:

• printable student handouts
• Google Slides presentations
• Google Forms assessments
• digital assignments for online or hybrid learning

This flexibility allows the curriculum to work well in traditional classrooms, 1:1 schools, and blended learning environments.

Why Teachers Use a Full Year Curriculum

One of the biggest benefits of a complete biology curriculum bundle is that it allows teachers to focus on teaching instead of constant planning.

With a full curriculum in place, teachers gain:

• a clear year long roadmap for instruction
• consistent structure across units
• ready to use labs and activities
• built in assessments and review materials

This saves hundreds of hours of preparation time while still allowing teachers to adapt lessons to fit their own classroom.

Helping students learn how to design and conduct experiments is an important part of any biology course. In this article I also explain how to teach students to design their own experiments.

Full Year Biology Curriculum Bundle

Teachers who want a ready to use high school biology curriculum for the entire school year often look for a complete bundle that includes lessons, labs, and assessments in one place. If you are looking for a complete high school biology curriculum, you can explore the full bundle here:

👉 Full Year Biology Curriculum Bundle on Teachers Pay Teachers

The bundle includes 20 complete units and more than 6,400 pages of resources, making it one of the most comprehensive biology curriculum packages available for high school teachers.

Frequently Asked Questions About High School Biology Curriculum

What topics should be included in a high school biology curriculum?

A typical high school biology curriculum includes topics such as scientific method, biochemistry, cell structure and function, enzymes, photosynthesis, cellular respiration, cell division, genetics, evolution, classification, and ecology. A complete curriculum should also include hands-on laboratory investigations, practice assignments, and assessments that help students apply what they learn.

How long does it take to teach a full year biology curriculum?

A full year high school biology curriculum is typically designed for a traditional school year of about 36 weeks. Most curricula divide the course into multiple units that build on each other so students develop a deeper understanding of biological concepts over time.

What should teachers look for in a biology curriculum bundle?

When choosing a biology curriculum bundle, teachers should look for resources that include a clear scope and sequence, hands-on labs, teaching presentations, student notes, homework assignments, quizzes, and unit tests. Many teachers also prefer curricula that include both printable and digital versions of materials so they can easily adapt lessons for traditional classrooms, 1:1 technology programs, or hybrid learning environments.

Final Thoughts

Planning an entire year of biology instruction can feel overwhelming, especially for new teachers or teachers who are updating their curriculum.

Using a complete high school biology curriculum can provide the structure, resources, and flexibility needed to create engaging lessons while saving an enormous amount of planning time.

If you would like to see the curriculum in more detail, you can preview the full bundle and explore the units included.

Many teachers also incorporate short daily review activities to reinforce key concepts throughout the year. If you are looking for ideas, you can read more about using biology warm ups and bell ringers to start class with meaningful review.

Before purchasing a full year curriculum, many teachers want to see how everything is organized behind the scenes. Download my Free Biology Curriculum Teacher Guide and Implementation System to explore the exact planning, pacing, organization, and implementation resources included with the High School Biology Curriculum Bundle.

5 Science Skills Your Students Are Missing (and Easy Ways to Teach Them in Class))

2025-10-29T12:16:00.021-05:00

Science skills for students go far beyond following directions in a lab. High school science students need opportunities to design experiments, analyze data, solve problems, and communicate evidence clearly. These science skills help students think like real scientists while building confidence across biology, chemistry, and physical science.

If your students can complete a lab but struggle to explain their thinking, interpret messy results, or design their own investigations, they may need more practice with core science skills. The good news is that you do not need to overhaul your curriculum to build these skills. A few targeted activities can make a big difference.

What science skills should students learn?

Science students need more than content knowledge. They need skills that help them think, analyze, and communicate like real scientists. The most important science skills include:
• Designing experiments
• Interpreting data and graphs
• Writing evidence-based explanations
• Solving quantitative problems
• Communicating scientific ideas

These science skills, often referred to as science process skills, are the difference between students who memorize content and students who truly understand how science works.

What Are Science Skills?

Science skills are the thinking, reasoning, problem solving, and communication skills students use to investigate questions and make sense of evidence. These include skills such as designing experiments, interpreting graphs, writing evidence based explanations, solving quantitative problems, and communicating scientific ideas clearly.

These are the same kinds of skills students use when they create a hypothesis, identify variables, analyze a data table, explain a trend on a graph, or defend a conclusion with evidence. If you want a broader look at essential science process skills, you may also like my post on 17 essential science skills all students need.

Here are five important science skills for students that will help keep learners engaged, challenged, and growing all year long. These strategies are designed specifically for high school science students but can be adapted for middle school classrooms as well.

1. Designing Original Experiments

Many science students perform traditional labs perfectly but freeze when asked to create their own investigations. They have mastered following directions, but not designing experiments. Learning how to plan an investigation is one of the most important science skills students can develop.

How to challenge them:

Let students redesign one of your favorite labs by changing one variable.
Have them identify independent, dependent, and controlled variables.
Ask students to write their own hypothesis, procedure, and data table.
If time allows, add a peer review round before anyone begins the lab.

Students quickly discover that experimental design requires both creativity and critical thinking. If you want more ideas for teaching this skill, you might also like Teach the Skills, Please and applying scientific methods in class.

💡 Ready made help: Try my Scientific Method and Experimental Design Lab, a scaffolded activity that walks students through the process of planning their own experiment from scratch. It is editable, printable, and includes a full teacher guide and answer key.

2. Interpreting Complex Data and Graphs

Science students often learn how to make neat graphs, but many still struggle to interpret what the data actually means. They may miss trends, overlook anomalies, or have trouble explaining possible sources of error. Interpreting data is one of the most valuable scientific skills for students because real science is rarely neat and tidy.

How to challenge them:

Present messy data sets from real world studies or classroom experiments.
Ask students to identify trends, outliers, and possible sources of error.
Have them explain what might happen if one variable changed.
Encourage students to support their observations with evidence from the graph or table.

This strengthens scientific reasoning and helps students move beyond simply making graphs. For more practice with comparing and interpreting observations, you may also like science skills for comparing and classifying.

💡 Ready made help: My Graphing and Data Analysis Worksheets and Quiz make a great bridge between basic graphing and higher level interpretation. They are fully editable and perfect for differentiating within one class period.

3. Writing Evidence Based Explanations

Even strong students sometimes write weak conclusions. They summarize what happened in the lab, but skip the reasoning behind the results. Writing evidence based explanations helps students connect observations to scientific ideas, which is a skill they will use in every science course.

How to challenge them:

Use the CER model, which stands for Claim, Evidence, and Reasoning, to structure student thinking.
Show examples of both strong and weak lab conclusions for students to critique.
Have students revise a weak paragraph using evidence drawn directly from their data.
Ask students to explain not just what happened, but why it happened.

These practices strengthen communication and clarity while helping students think more deeply about the science. Strong scientific writing also supports success in other content areas and on assessments.

💡 Ready made help: My Scientific Writing and Analysis Worksheets help students craft well supported explanations and practice scientific writing step by step.

4. Quantitative Problem Solving

Quantitative problem solving is another key science skill for students. When students use numbers to explain real phenomena, science becomes more meaningful. Whether students are calculating moles, density, percent composition, or changes in mass during osmosis, math helps them see the evidence behind the concept.

How to challenge them:

Embed calculations within engaging, real life examples.
Ask students to explain in words what each number means.
Use examples such as density, percent composition, mole conversions, or membrane transport data.
End with a what if question that changes one part of the problem.

If your students need more support with the math side of science, you may also want to read Unlock Success in Science by Mastering Math Skills.

💡 Ready made help: Chemistry teachers can check out my Mole Chat Lab Station Activity. Biology teachers may prefer my Cellular Membrane Transport Lab.

5. Communicating Like a Scientist

Science is not just about getting correct results. Students also need to communicate their ideas clearly and accurately. When students can explain vocabulary, defend a conclusion, present data, and summarize a process for others, they are demonstrating real mastery.

How to challenge them:

Have students present lab findings and conclusions to classmates.
Use peer review checklists to give structured feedback on clarity and accuracy.
Ask students to create an infographic, slide, or visual summary of an investigation.
Encourage students to explain scientific vocabulary in language non experts can understand.

Communicating science effectively builds confidence and helps students transfer their learning to other classes and real life situations.

If you want students to strengthen communication while applying science concepts, this is another area where skill based instruction really pays off.

💡 Ready made help: My Evolution Lab, Making Coacervates includes a student designed experiment and opportunities for students to communicate findings in a written lab report or by sharing their experiment orally with classmates.

Final Thoughts

Challenging students in science does not mean assigning more work. It means giving them better opportunities to think, reason, solve problems, and communicate like scientists. Focusing on core science skills helps students succeed not only in science class, but across disciplines.

What are science skills?

Science skills are the abilities students use to think, analyze, experiment, and communicate like scientists. These skills include experimental design, data analysis, scientific writing, and problem-solving.

Why are science skills important for students?

Science skills help students move beyond memorization and develop critical thinking, communication, and analytical abilities that can be used across many subjects.

What are science process skills?

Science process skills are the tools students use during scientific investigations, including observing, measuring, hypothesizing, interpreting data, and drawing conclusions.

How can teachers improve science skills in the classroom?

Teachers can improve science skills by using inquiry labs, graphing activities, CER writing, student-designed experiments, and collaborative scientific discussions.

If you are looking for more ways to strengthen science skills in your classroom, you may also like these related posts:

💡 Ready made help: Explore my Science Skills Mega Bundle filled with labs, notes, quizzes, and digital activities to make skill building seamless and fun.

Making the Mole Concept Click and Stick: Lab Stations That Bring Avogadro’s Number to Life

2025-10-06T12:39:00.009-05:00

Looking for a mole lab activity for high school chemistry that helps students actually understand the mole concept, mass and mole conversions, and Avogadro's number? This hands on chemistry activity is designed to make one of the hardest chemistry topics more concrete, more interactive, and much easier for students to understand.

If you’ve ever taught high school chemistry, you know that the mole concept is one of the most important concepts we teach. The mole concept is likely a brand new idea to most students in your class. The idea of a mole and Avogadro’s number of atoms and molecules involves numbers so large that students can’t visualize them. The year of chemistry is going to involve endless conversions between mass, moles, and molecules. Students need to grasp this concept quickly because the truth is, the mole is the backbone of chemistry. Without a strong foundation in this concept, everything from stoichiometry to chemical reactions becomes a stumbling block.

That’s exactly why I created my Mole Chat Lab Stations. Instead of another worksheet packed with endless conversion problems, this activity gets students up, moving, and experimenting. It is obvious to us teachers that students retain significantly more information when they engage in hands on scientific activities, rather than solely performing calculations on paper.

👉 TL;DR? Check out the Mole Chat Lab Stations here.

What Is the Mole Concept in Chemistry?

The mole is a counting unit in chemistry. Just as a dozen means 12 items, a mole represents a very large number of particles. That number is Avogadro’s number, which is 6.02 x 10²³ particles. Students use the mole to connect tiny particles such as atoms and molecules to measurable amounts such as grams.

This is exactly why the mole concept can feel so difficult at first. Students are being asked to connect a microscopic world they cannot see with real quantities they can measure in the lab. A strong mole concept activity or mole lab can make that connection much more understandable.

If your students need more practice applying mole conversions to a full activity, you might also like this post on how big is a mole in chemistry.

Why Is the Mole Concept So Difficult for Students?

Many students struggle with the mole concept because it combines very large numbers, abstract particles they cannot see, and multiple types of conversions. Students must connect atoms and molecules to grams and measurable lab data, and that takes practice. A good mole lab activity helps students visualize the concept, talk through their thinking, and apply mole conversions in a way that feels more concrete.

That is why hands on activities are so helpful during a mole unit. Instead of only solving problems on paper, students can interact with real materials and begin to see how the mole connects chemistry calculations to the real world.

Why the Mole Concept Matters

The mole is the great connector in chemistry. It connects the microscopic world of trillions and trillions of atoms and molecules with the tangible grams and liters students actually measure in the lab. Mastering mole conversions means students can confidently answer questions like:

How many water molecules are in a single drop?
What mass of sucrose is found in a soft drink?
How much CO₂ is released from an Alka Seltzer tablet?

When students understand the mole concept, chemistry becomes logical rather than mysterious and confusing. Take the time to make sure all students have mastered this concept. The time spent practicing and reviewing mole conversions will benefit our students all year long.

Many chemistry topics become easier once students understand the mole. If you are building a full chemistry sequence, related lessons like composition of a hydrate and percent composition also depend on students being comfortable with mole thinking and chemical calculations.

Lab Stations Are a Better Way to Practice

Traditional worksheets have their place in our chemistry classes. There are often times that a calculation needs to be practiced and there is not enough time to turn it into a game or lab. Honestly, relying on a practice problem worksheet is not a bad thing. But, if the opportunity arises where the problems can be practiced using a lab activity, great! This kind of mole lab gives students a more meaningful way to practice than a worksheet alone.

With the Mole Chat Lab Stations, students rotate through 8 different mini experiments, each designed to spark curiosity and connect calculations to real world objects and data. In the Mole Chat Lab Stations, students will

Determine the number of molecules of chalk it takes to write their name.
Determine the number of moles of carbon dioxide given off when they create a mini volcano in a beaker.
Determine the number of moles and molecules of sucrose contained in a pack of M&M candies.

Each station reinforces the key skills students need, but in a way that keeps them engaged, interested, and collaborating. It transforms a tough topic into an active, hands on learning experience.

🧪 What This Looks Like in Your Classroom

This mole lab activity for high school chemistry works well when students need meaningful practice with mass, moles, molecules, and Avogadro’s number without sitting through another full period of paper and pencil problems. Students move from station to station, interact with materials, discuss ideas with partners, and apply chemistry calculations in a setting that feels much more concrete. Because this mole lab activity is built around movement, discussion, and short tasks, students stay engaged while practicing difficult chemistry concepts.

It can be used while teaching the mole concept for the first time, as review before an assessment, or later in the year when students need a refresher before moving into more advanced chemistry topics. Because students are doing short tasks and mini experiments, the activity keeps energy up while still reinforcing core chemistry skills.

Why Teachers Love Mole Chat

Low prep, high impact: No fancy materials or supplies are needed, all the lab station signs and worksheets are ready to be copied and passed out to students, and the setup time is minimal.

Versatile use: Perfect for review before an assessment, as a practice activity while teaching the mole unit, or as a fun refresher later in the year.

Confidence boost: Even your most reluctant students will walk away feeling like they finally understand Avogadro’s number.

For teachers looking for a hands on mole activity, mole concept lab, or Avogadro’s number activity that does more than a worksheet alone, this resource gives students a chance to practice, talk through their thinking, and make the chemistry feel more real.

Final Thoughts

The mole doesn’t have to be the hardest unit of the year. With the Mole Chat Lab Stations, you can swap worksheets for meaningful mini experiments that help the concept click and stick. Your students will be talking about these activities long after they leave class. You’ll love seeing those “aha” moments when everything clicks. If you have been searching for a mole lab for high school chemistry, this activity gives students the practice they need in a format they will actually remember.

👉 Grab the Mole Chat Lab Stations here and make mole conversions fun.

FAQ About Teaching the Mole Concept

What is a mole in chemistry?
A mole is a counting unit chemists use to represent 6.02 x 10<sup>23</sup> particles. It helps students connect atoms and molecules to measurable amounts such as grams.

Why is the mole concept difficult for students?
The mole concept is difficult because students must connect invisible particles, very large numbers, and multiple conversion steps. Hands on practice helps make the idea more understandable.

What is a good way to teach mole conversions?
A good way to teach mole conversions is to combine direct instruction with a hands on mole lab or station activity so students can apply calculations in a more concrete setting.

More Chemistry Lab Activities

If you are teaching mole calculations and related chemistry concepts, these blog posts may also be helpful:

End of Year Biology Activity: Fun Science Project for Middle and High School

2025-05-16T14:41:00.006-05:00

Looking for an end of year biology activity that is fun, creative, and still academically meaningful? This end of year science project gives middle school and high school students the chance to research unusual plants and animals, create a Planet Earth Award, and present their work to the class. If you need an engaging biology project for the last week of school, an Earth Day activity, or even a first week icebreaker, this resource is a flexible option that students genuinely enjoy.

My Mother Nature Planet Earth Awards combine science research, creativity, and presentation skills in a way that feels more like fun than just another assignment. Students choose a unique plant or animal, research its traits and habitat, decide what award it deserves, and then create their own award slide or poster to share with the class.

This activity works especially well at the end of the year when students need something fresh and engaging, but it also fits beautifully into a biology or life science classroom any time you want a creative organism research project.

What Is the Planet Earth Awards Biology Project?

This end of year biology project includes a set of colorful Mother Nature Award slides that highlight unusual living things on Earth, along with a student research activity that lets students create their own award-winning organism project. The organisms featured in the slides are strange, amazing, and memorable, which makes this an easy way to spark curiosity in a biology or life science class.

Students can research plants or animals and answer questions about classification, habitat, range, nutrition, interesting facts, and conservation status. They then use that research to design a Planet Earth Award for their organism. The finished product can be a PowerPoint slide or a poster, so it is easy to adapt for your class and your schedule.

This is one reason the activity works so well as both an end of year science activity and a fun high school biology project. It gives students structure, but it also gives them room to be creative.

Why This Works So Well at the End of the Year

By the last week of school, many students are ready for something different. Teachers still want meaningful work, but it helps if that work feels fresh, visual, and hands-on. This activity checks all of those boxes.

Because students are researching unusual organisms and creating their own awards, this activity feels fun and open-ended while still reinforcing science content. It's a great way to keep students engaged, especially at times of the year when traditional lessons are harder to keep going. It also works well when you need something that can fill a few class periods without a lot of prep.

If you teach both middle school and high school students, this project is flexible enough for either level. The topic is accessible, the directions are clear, and students can go deeper or keep things simpler depending on their age and ability level.

What Is Included in This End of Year Science Activity?

This resource includes everything needed to make the project easy to use in your classroom:

20 colorful Mother Nature Award slides featuring unusual plants and animals
Two versions of the student worksheet
A teacher guide
An editable grading rubric

The two student worksheet versions are especially helpful because they give you flexibility. One version guides students through the research and presentation piece, while the second version works well if you want students to focus only on the research. That makes this a strong differentiated biology project for a variety of classroom needs.

The award slides can also stand alone as a quick biology brain break, an Earth Day science activity, or a bulletin board display. After using the slides in class, I love printing and displaying them because students keep going back to read them.

How You Can Use This Biology Activity in Your Classroom

One of my favorite things about this resource is how flexible it is. You can use it in several different ways depending on the time of year and what your students need.

End of year biology activity: Use it as a creative research and presentation project during the last week of school.
Earth Day science activity: Let students celebrate biodiversity by researching amazing organisms.
Beginning of the year icebreaker: The slides are a fun way to hook students early. If you need another creative beginning-of-the-year idea, take a look at my Science Chat first day of school activity.
Bulletin board display: Print the award slides and create a colorful life science display that students will keep reading.
Extra credit or enrichment: Have students create their own award-winning organism project individually or with partners.

This project also pairs nicely with organism and classification units. If your students are studying how living things are grouped, you might also like this post about teaching classification and taxonomy in a fun way.

Why Students Enjoy This Organism Research Project

Students love this project because they get to choose something weird, surprising, or impressive from the natural world. They are not just filling out a worksheet. They are creating something to share, and that gives the assignment a completely different feel.

There is always a lot of curiosity as students try to find the organism with the strangest trait, the wildest adaptation, or the most unusual survival strategy. That mix of research, creativity, and presentation is what makes this activity feel so different from a typical assignment.

If your students are also preparing for end-of-course testing, you may want to pair this project with a more direct review activity. This biology review post is another strong option for that time of year: biology students love to review with this activity.

A Fun End of Year Biology Project for Middle and High School

If you are looking for an end of year biology activity that is creative, flexible, and easy to implement, the Mother Nature Planet Earth Awards is a great fit. It works as a middle school life science activity, a high school biology project, an Earth Day activity, or a fun research assignment any time of year.

You can see the full resource here: End of Year Science Biology Activity Project on TpT

This is one of those activities that helps students celebrate the incredible diversity of life on Earth while giving you a meaningful, engaging project that fits beautifully into a busy school year.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a good end of year biology activity?
If you need an engaging end of year biology activity, a student research project like the Mother Nature Awards is a fun way to keep students learning while giving them creative freedom.

What can students do during the last week of school in biology?
Students can research unusual plants and animals, create their own science award, and present their project to the class.

What is a fun biology project for middle school or high school?
A biology research project that lets students explore amazing organisms and create their own award presentation is a fun option for both middle school and high school.

Biology Review Activities Students Love: Hidden Picture Games

2025-03-13T13:16:00.010-05:00

If you are looking for a biology review activity that is more engaging than a traditional worksheet, these Google Sheets hidden picture games are a fun and effective option for high school biology students. This digital biology review format gives students instant feedback while keeping them actively involved in the review process.

These biology review activities work well for digital review days, stations, bell ringers, early finishers, homework, and test review in high school biology classrooms.

These self-grading review activities are interactive and easy to assign. As students answer questions correctly, part of a hidden picture is revealed. That built in feedback keeps students motivated and helps them immediately recognize when they need to try again.

Try one for free here: Free Metric System Hidden Picture Activity

How do Google Sheets hidden picture activities work?

Students type answers into the sheet. Each correct answer reveals part of a hidden picture. Incorrect answers do not reveal anything, giving students immediate feedback.

Take a quick look at how these hidden picture review activities work in action:

Why these activities work so well

Instant feedback: Students immediately know if they are correct.

Engaging: Students stay motivated to reveal the image.

Easy to use: Works for bell ringers, review, homework, or stations.

Hidden picture activities by topic

Click any topic below to view the activity:

General Science

Genetics

Cell Biology

Molecular Biology

Science Skills

Chemistry

Frequently Asked Questions About Biology Review Activities

What is a hidden picture review activity?
A hidden picture review activity is a self-checking digital activity where students answer questions to reveal parts of an image. Each correct answer uncovers part of the picture, giving students immediate feedback.

Are these biology review activities self-grading?
Yes. These Google Sheets activities are designed to be self-grading, so students receive instant feedback as they work through the questions.

What topics are covered in these biology review activities?
These activities cover a wide range of topics including genetics, cell biology, DNA and protein synthesis, biochemistry, and general science skills.

How can I use hidden picture activities in my classroom?
They work well as bell ringers, review assignments, homework, stations, or independent practice activities in both digital and traditional classrooms.

Are these activities good for high school biology students?
Yes. These activities are designed specifically for high school biology but can also be used for advanced middle school students.

More biology review activities:

If you are looking for more traditional, hands-on biology review activities, these posts feature classic classroom review games that work well alongside digital hidden picture activities. These options are great for mixing up your review strategies and keeping students engaged in different ways.

Cell Organelles Review
Biology Vocabulary Review
Classification Review

Biology Bell Ringers and Warm Ups

Unlock Success in Science: Master the Math Skills Early in the Year

2024-07-21T16:30:00.002-05:00

As the new school year approaches, the foundation you lay in the first few weeks is crucial for student success in any science class. What can you do to prepare your science students to be successful in your class?

There are few things about teaching during the first few weeks of school that I am more passionate about. We must, must, must re-teach, review, practice, and reinforce the math skills that our students will be using all year long. Providing students with the essential skills they need not only to excel in science but also in other aspects of life is time well-spent. My Chemistry Math comprehensive unit covers scientific measurements, graphing, calculations, critical thinking, and problem-solving. These skills equip students with the tools they need for academic and real-world success.

Why These Skills Are Essential

Mastering math skills in science early in the year is crucial for several reasons:

Foundation for Advanced Topics: Scientific measurements and calculations are the building blocks of more complex concepts in chemistry and other sciences. Without a solid grasp of these basics, students may struggle with advanced topics later on.
Lifelong Application: The ability to measure accurately, perform calculations, and solve problems is not just limited to the classroom. These skills are valuable in everyday life and many careers, from engineering to healthcare.
Boosts Confidence and Performance: Early mastery of these fundamental skills can boost students' confidence, leading to better performance in subsequent, more challenging topics.

The Importance of Mastery

Developing proficiency in scientific measurements, calculations, and problem-solving sets students up for success in several ways:

Accuracy and Precision in Experiments: Ensures reliable and repeatable results in laboratory settings.
Critical Thinking: Enhances the ability to approach problems methodically and think critically about solutions.
Academic Success: Provides a strong foundation for tackling more complex scientific concepts and experiments throughout the school year and beyond.

What’s Included in the Bundle?

Chemistry Math - Measurements, Calculations, and Problem Solving in Chemistry Bundle is not just for Chemistry teachers! Physical Science teachers will find this extremely beneficial and life science teachers can benefit as well.

In this Math Skills Bundle, you will cover the following:

Scientific Notation
Accuracy, Precision, and Percentage Error
Significant Figures
The Metric System
Density
Dimensional Analysis
Graphing and Data Analysis

All of the above skills are covered in the 138-Slide PowerPoint Presentation. Each of the above topics is thoroughly covered in the slides and notes. Students will LOVE the guided notes they fill in as you teach the lesson. There are LOADS and LOADS of practice problems. Both the PowerPoint and the notes are very easily editable so that you can cover just the topics you need. I have included digital formats as well.

To supplement the teaching PowerPoint, I have included rock-solid supporting materials to ensure your students master the concepts. Each topic in the PowerPoint is reinforced with a separate practice problem worksheet. Once practice is complete, you can use the short quizzes to check for student mastery.

And what about labs? Well, there are 6 labs included in this bundle. In addition, there is a final unit test. The following are included in this bundle.

Investing time in mastering the basics of scientific measurements, calculations, and problem-solving at the beginning of the year is an investment in your students' long-term success. This Chemistry Math Unit Bundle offers the perfect combination of resources to help your students build these crucial skills. Set your students on the path to success in science and beyond with our comprehensive and engaging unit bundle.

Tips for Teaching Cells

2023-09-27T14:15:00.008-05:00

I get a lot of questions about teaching cell structure and cell organelles, so I thought I would take this opportunity to offer up some tips and suggestions for teaching a GREAT unit on cells. In many of the questions I get, teachers admit to being bored when teaching their cell unit. I absolutely LOVE teaching about cells, and that brings me to my first tip.

Tip #1: Be Excited About Teaching Cells!

We know that our students are hyper-clued in to what we teachers are feeling. If you feel bored teaching your cell unit, the students are guaranteed to be bored as well. This video (just 3 minutes!) is an exciting way to start your unit. Be sure to turn up the volume!

Tip #2: Cover the basics, but stress the relationship between structure and function.

Basic concepts (cell theory, prokaryotic vs eukaryotic, etc.) have to be covered, but when teaching the organelles, keep it simple and stress the relationship between structure and function. For example, show students how the two parts of the ribosome fit together around mRNA during translation. Show how the structure of the Golgi allows proteins to enter, be modified, then packaged for secretion. At this point, you can keep the function fairly simple, which leads me to Tip #3.

(Check out Cell Organelle Card Sort Game.)

Tip #3: Re-introduce organelles all year long.

Students are not going to fully understand the functioning of the chloroplast until you get to your unit on photosynthesis. With each new unit you teach, circle back and teach a more in depth lesson on the organelle associated with the unit.

Tip #4: Get out your microscopes!

Kids love microscope work! You want to get students excited about your Cell unit? Give them plenty of microscope time. There is no substitute for seeing a variety of cell types under the microscope.

(Check out: Variation in Cell Structure Lab.)

Tip #5: Make use of engaging online resources.

There are all sorts of online sites that offer interactive experiences on cell organelles. One of my favorites is Cells Alive!

(Check out: Cell Structure Google Hidden Picture Games.)

Tip #6: Make it a hands-on experience.

Like many topics we teach in our science classes, concepts about cell structure and function can be rather abstract to many of our students. Anything we teachers can do to create “hands-on” learning will ensure that students gain a greater mastery of the subject matter content.

(Check out: Cell Chat Lab Stations.)

Tip #7: Make it fun!

Let's face it … kids love to play games, especially competitive games! As you near the end of your unit, look for ways to review the content that involve game play. I hate to say that we teachers have to trick our students into participating in a review, but it's true!

(Check out: Biology Buzz Words: 17 Vocabulary Games for Cell Structure and Function.)

Tip #8: Review and reinforcement is essential.
A cell unit is dense in terms of new vocabulary and concepts. The old saying “Practice Makes Perfect!” should certainly be a part of your cell unit. Increase student interaction between terms and definitions as often as possible to ensure that the vocabulary has been committed to memory.

(Check out: Cell Structure Acrostic Vocabulary Puzzle.)

The most important component of improving your Cell Structure and Function Unit is .... YOU! If you are having fun and engaging with your students, your unit will be a success!

👉 Looking for fun things to do with microscopes? Check this blog post for activities that are an easy way to get students engaged in lab and excited about biology.

👉 If you are teaching microscope skills, you can read more about why they are important here: 7 Reasons Why Microscope Skills are Important Science Skills.

Teaching Students to Read Science Informational Text

2023-02-17T10:54:00.005-06:00

Science surrounds us every single day. From shopping at the grocery store for probiotic yogurts and organically grown produce to news stories on earthquakes, climate change, vaccines, and toxic chemical clouds produced from a train derailment. As a result, it is more important than ever that we teach our science students how to read "science informational text."

In today’s world, students must be able to read, comprehend, and analyze science informational reading passages!

The science students of today will be the decisions-makers of tomorrow.
Students must be able to function in a technical world.
It is increasingly important that students be able to discern fact from fiction, and fact from opinion.
The reading of "science informational text" helps students develop critical-thinking and problem-solving skills.
Reading scientific text can help students develop the language and vocabulary necessary to communicate effectively about scientific topics.
Reading and comprehending scientific text is a fundamental skill required for students to score well on college admission tests, such as the ACT.
Basic life decisions depend on the ability to read and understand science informational text. For example, "What are the pros and cons of purchasing an electric vehicle?"

The face of science teaching is changing. Common Core Science Standards, as well as the Next Generation Science Standards, are asking teachers to emphasis scientific concepts, rather than the memorization of large amounts of factual data.

Click any image to view in my TPT store.

For many science teachers, the thought of having to teach students "how to read science" can be overwhelming. However, it's actually a lot easier than you might think. After all, we are already asking our science students to read the textbook, lab handouts, etc. With a few simple tools (Try my Science Reading Task Cards!) and a little planning, you can easily teach your students how to be better readers of science informational passages.

Students need to practice the skill of reading in science. When students are reading, they need to be given prompts on what to look for in the reading. To accomplish this, I developed a set of 75 Science Reading Task Cards that can be used with ANY type of science reading material. These task cards can be used in all science classes and with students in Grades 6 - 12.

Each task card asks students to pull out specific information from the material they are reading. The task cards focus student attention and help them to determine the main idea, the purpose of an experiment, how to read a chart or graph, or whether the reading passage is based on fact or opinion.

Start by using a reading passage that we science teachers already use every day .... the TEXTBOOK! Ask the students to read a short section from their textbook. Provide 3 to 4 task cards to go along with the reading and ask students to write out answers for each task card question.

Tired of trying to get your students to read the lab handouts before lab day? Ten of the task cards from the set are designed just for this purpose. By answering these ten task card questions, students must read the lab handouts to write a hypothesis, identify variables, and make predictions about the outcome.

Once your students become familiar with using the task cards while reading their textbook and lab handouts, start adding in an occasional current event article from a newspaper or magazine. You might even work up to assigning a book such as "The Double Helix" or "The Hot Zone."

The set of "Science Reading Task Cards" is available in my TPT store. Additional information about the task cards includes:

The set contains 75 task cards.
There are different formats included: (1) Printable and editable version, (2) PowerPoint version to use with your classroom projection system, (3) Google Slides version with included text boxes for students to write in answers, (4) Google Forms version.
The cards can be used with any type of science reading material.
The cards are appropriate for Grades 6 - 12.
PLEASE NOTE: Science reading passages are NOT included. The teacher must find and choose appropriate reading passages to use.
The set includes a detailed Teacher Guide as well as correlation to Common Core (CCSS) Standards.

Looking for ideas on using science graphic organizers in your classroom? Read my blog post about science graphic organizers for reading, writing, and analyzing scientific information.

Looking for a simple way to strengthen science vocabulary? My Biology Prefixes and Suffixes activity helps students decode unfamiliar scientific terms by breaking words into meaningful parts.

How to Teach Science Vocabulary Using Prefixes and Suffixes

Periodic Table Review Game

2022-12-03T15:40:00.004-06:00

You've just finished teaching the Periodic Table to your chemistry or physical science students. You know you did an awesome job teaching periods, families, the periodic trends of electronegativity, atomic radius, and metallic character. You have no doubt that students know about the alkali metals, the halogens, and the noble gases. You are convinced that all the students will ace the unit test.

Then you notice a few glazed-over looks on the faces of the students. A review of the Periodic Table is needed!

If you really want to know if students understand particular concepts, the ultimate test is to have them apply their knowledge to a new situation. I give you The Periodic Table of the Lost Civilization.

Click any image or red text to view this resource in my TpT Store.

Here's the Story:

A long lost civilization has been found buried beneath many feet of lava from an ancient volcanic eruption. The population consisted of many scientists who were in the early stages of discovering and identifying the elements of the natural world. Unfortunately, a volcanic eruption destroyed the civilization before the periodic table was complete. The ancient civilization had different names and symbols for the elements than those used on the modern day periodic table. Students will read 28 statements that describe 34 elements from long ago. The statements give the element names, symbols, and information about the chemical and physical properties of the elements. Students must decipher the descriptions of the elements and place the elements in the correct position on the periodic table.

Some examples of the clues include:

The following elements are known to be unreactive: Scansio (S), Lumen (Lu), Graviter (Gr), Piger (Pi) and Respiro (Rp). The element Scansio (S) has 2 valence electrons.
Flavus (Fa) is the most reactive of the nonmetals.
The atomic radius of Lumen (Lu) is much smaller than the atomic radius of Respiro (Rp).
Piger (Pi) has valence electrons in the third energy level.

The students will work through the 28 clues and decide where to place the 34 elements on the periodic table of the lost civilization.

As stated above, the ultimate test to determine if students have mastered a concept is to see if they can apply their knowledge to a new situation. If students can arrange the 34 elements on the ancient period table, then they have a really good understanding of how the periodic table works.

But, since this is a review activity, a 4-Page set of handouts is included with additional critical-thinking and analysis questions.

Putting pencil to paper is my preferred method of teaching, but if a digital version is needed, one is included. Students will "drag and drop" the element squares onto the ancient periodic table in Google Slides.

Students will always be more engaged and enthusiastic about reviewing for a test when the review is in a game format. This activity is highly engaging and fun for students. It's a blast to watch the light bulbs go on when students realize they have correctly identified the ancient elements. I hope your students will enjoy this activity as much as mine.

Have fun teaching!

17 Essential Science Skills All Students Should Master

2022-08-13T12:43:00.006-05:00

Do your students ask you questions like these?

Which one of these things is the graduated cylinder?
How do I convert from decimeters to decameters?
I can't do scientific notation on my calculator.
What are independent and dependent variables and how do I put them on a graph?
You wanted the graph to be on graph paper?
I did measure exactly 5 grams of salt on my balance! ( ... with salt in a beaker that wasn't massed.)
What do I do next?

Sound familiar? If you teach middle or high school science, these are probably questions you’ve heard a thousand times. And if you’re anything like me, you're always looking for ways to build essential science skills early in the year—so your students are more confident, independent, and lab-ready.

That’s exactly why I created these 17 Essential Science Skills Stations—hands-on, low-prep, and perfect for reinforcing key science lab skills across biology, chemistry, physical science, or general science classes.

🧪 “I used these during the first two weeks of school, and my students were so much more confident during our first full lab! Total game-changer.” – Melissa B., HS Biology Teacher

What are the essential science skills?

In the first days and weeks of a new school year, I need my students to be proficient in the following:

Metric measurement
Identification of pieces of lab equipment
Scientific method
Use of basic pieces of lab equipment such as the graduated cylinder, Celsius thermometer, laboratory balance, and metric ruler.
Tabling, graphing, and analyzing data.
Math skills: Scientific notation, dimensional analysis, significant digits

To accomplish this goal of proficiency of science skills, I have developed Science Skills Chat! -- a set of 17 Lab Stations to address 17 essential science skills all science students should know. I use the word "chat" to emphasize to my students that they are to work together and have a productive discussion at each station in order to maximize their understanding and mastery of the concepts being covered.

Peer tutoring is a powerful learning tool!

Click on red text or any image to view Science Skills Chat in my TpT store.

What are the 17 Essential Science Skills?

Metric Units
Identification of Lab Equipment
Scientific Notation
Dimensional Analysis
Significant Digits
The Scientific Method
Tabling, Graphing, and Analyzing Data
The Graduated Cylinder
The Metric Ruler
The Laboratory Balance
The Celsius Thermometer
The Bunsen Burner
Determining the Volume of Solids
Separating a Mixture
Determining Density
Accuracy, Precision, and Percentage Error
Scientific Drawings

Don't try to complete all 17 lab stations at once. Choose a set of skills (perhaps 4 or 5 lab stations) to be completed during the first week of school. Choose the skills that are of immediate concern to you. Remember, some students may already be proficient in these skills, but other students will be struggling. No matter the ability level, ALL students will benefit from this review and reinforcement.

Click on red text or any image to view Science Skills Chat in my TpT store.

Once your students have mastered the first set of skills that you deem most important, set up another lab station day to work on skills that students will soon need to know.

I like the idea of having "Science Skills Friday" where you choose 4 or 5 lab stations to complete. The information in a fewer number of lab stations is not overwhelming, and it is a fun and different way to end the week. There are enough lab stations in Science Skills Chat to create several "Science Skills Friday" sessions.

Click on red text or any image to view Science Skills Chat in my TpT store.

Ten of the lab stations require some sort of lab equipment, but the other 7 skills are perfect activities to leave in your substitute teacher folder. In an emergency, your sub can grab a few of these and create a VERY quality lesson in your absence.

It may seem like you are spending a lot of time at the beginning of the year to cover these 17 science skills, but I guarantee that it is time well spent. As your school year progresses, you will spend far less time repeating and re-teaching skills that your students should already know.

And, how nice would it be to reduce the number of questions you get every time you go to the lab?

P.S. I have 11 Chat Lab Station Activities on a variety of topics. You can view them all here:

👉 If you want a full overview of teaching science skills, read this post on essential science skills.

Looking for a simple way to strengthen science vocabulary? My Biology Prefixes and Suffixes activity helps students decode unfamiliar scientific terms by breaking words into meaningful parts.

Technology Chat: Make Sure Your Students Are Ready for Digital Learning

2020-07-23T07:43:00.000-05:00

Returning to school after summer break is stressful in the best of times. I think we can all agree that this is pretty much the WORST of times and that this year's return to teaching will be unlike any other. We teachers have faced many challenges before, but the challenges before us now are unprecedented. Whether you will be teaching virtually, in-person, or somewhere in between, you will find yourself in need of digital resources to support your curriculum. The reality of teaching in the days of COVID-19 means that student absenteeism will fluctuate wildly, many parents may opt to keep their kids at home, or schools may be forced to close altogether. This puts you in the challenging position of not only teaching your core science material, but also teaching students about your chosen (or chosen for you ...) method of virtual instruction. This can be overwhelming. You need activities that support the technical instruction of your students as well as their science instruction.

When students arrive in your classroom this fall, either in person or virtually, will they all have the same set of skills in using Google Apps?

The short answer is ... No. On the first day of class, just as our students have different graphing skills, or math skills, or writing skills, they will cover the spectrum in their ability to use Google Apps.

On that note, I am very excited to introduce a new tool in your teaching arsenal: Technology Chat for Google Apps! If you plan on utilizing Google DriveTM or Google ClassroomTM this fall, this is a fantastic activity to set your students up for success by teaching them a basic set of skills for the Google Apps. Your students will learn how to create and share Docs, Slides, and Sheets as well as many of the features used to complete assignments in Google Apps.

If you are not familiar with my other "Chat" activities, they are highly collaborative in nature and allow students to work together while mastering new material. This activity is a little different in that students can complete it remotely, in-person, or in pairs. If you are meeting students face-to-face, I highly recommend using the activity in cooperative learning groups. Peer help and instruction is a valuable learning tool. Whatever your teaching situation, Technology Chat is an extremely flexible activity that will fit with any teaching situation.

While this activity won't cover everything Google has to offer, it is a great tool to create a baseline of knowledge in your classroom and hopefully give your students enough technical know-how to start the year off right.

Teachers always rise to face new challenges, and this school year will be no different. In these unprecedented times, I am excited to see the amazing ways our community serves our students and the highly innovative new solutions we put into place in our classrooms. I hope this activity is a helpful addition to your back-to-school instructional plan. I wish you all the very best of luck this fall.

Going Digital in the Age of Distance Learning

2020-03-31T14:26:00.004-05:00

Hello everyone! Wow, in just a few short weeks our teaching world has been rocked to the core. If you had told me months ago that we would be in this shape today, I would have thought you had lost your mind. Unprecedented school closures have all of us scratching our heads and trying to figure out how to get through just one day at a time. Both teachers and parents are scrambling to look for resources for our students that can be used digitally for distance learning. Since it looks like schools are going to closed for some time, it's "all hands on deck" as we deal with the problems of educating children remotely.

So let me get right to it. The purpose of this post is to let you know about resources that are available for both teachers and parents in the world of "distance learning." The rest of this post will consist of clickable links to resources you might find helpful.

First, I am working to convert the resources in my TpT store over to digital formats for use in Goggle Drive, Google Classroom, and/or Microsoft OneDrive. As resources are updated with the digital version, I will add them to the "already posted" printable listing on TpT. In short, this means that if you have purchased a resource from my TpT store, you will be able to download the resource again, at no extra cost, to receive the digital version if one becomes available. Full disclosure: Converting items to digital resources is time-consuming and tedious work. My resources will not magically appear in digital format overnight, but I will add them as fast as I am able.

Just a reminder: Do you know how to determine if a resource you have purchased on TpT has been updated? You will not get email notifications from TpT when resources are updated. You'll need to navigate to your "My Purchases" page on TpT and look for notifications that appear with any resources that have been updated.

What items at Amy Brown Science have been updated with new digital formats?
I started with my free resources. The following resources have been updated. Each includes a detailed Teacher Guide to help you navigate the world of Google Drive. I have also included a QuickStart Guide for the experienced users. Click the images or red text below to grab these free distance learning resources:

Backyard Ecology: This ecology activity is perfect for laying the groundwork prior to your ecology unit. The questionnaire will get your students thinking about the ecology and environmental issues of your local community.

Monohybrid Mice! is great for Punnett Square practice. These problems are on a beginner level and a perfect way to introduce one-factor genetics problems to your students.

DNA Informational Text Reading: This reading is based on Watson and Crick's famous one-page article published in 1953 in Nature magazine, announcing their discovery of the structure of the DNA molecule. It comes with graphic organizers to help your students read and understand this classic scientific paper.

Compare and Contrast Graphic Organizer: This very simple, two-page graphic organizer has become one of the best study and review techniques that I use in my science classes. It forces students to think deeply about two topics or concepts as they search to find the similarities and differences between them.

Cell Respiration Word Game Review: This review activity is designed to help your students master the difficult vocabulary in a cell respiration unit.

I have also created a new custom category in my TpT store called "Digital / Google Apps" where you can find all of my digital resources. Clicking the link to this custom category will sort my store to show all of my digital resources. This is a great link to save. It will allow you to see if any of the resources you have previously purchased have been updated for Google Apps.

Let me ask a favor of you: Please respect my copyright by NOT posting my resources on a public web site where my resources can be accessed by a Google search and the public world. You are welcome to post to your own password-protected class site as long as only your students have access. Thanks so much for your understanding.

One more thing before I move on to other suggestions for resources: Signing up for my free newsletter is a good way to receive notifications for updates, exclusive freebies, promotions, sales, and news. Click this link if you are interested in my newsletter.

Okay, now I am going to post links to all sorts of things that I have seen over the last few weeks that I think might be helpful to you.

From the TpT Blog: Distance Learning - Tips for Supporting Parents and Families
From the TpT Blog: Getting Started With Distance Learning
TpT School Access is a subscription-based service offered to schools. TpT is currently making School Access available for free (through June 30, 2020) to all schools impacted by the CoronaVirus. Click red link for more information.
Have you tried Boom Learning? Boom Cards are digital task cards, and a fantastic way to keep you students reviewing important content. Boom Learning is currently offering free memberships through June 30, 2020. You can find all of my Boom Card listings here.
Check out The Cornell Lab: Science and Nature for Cooped Up Kids. You can sign up to receive weekly activities that you can do at home with your kids.
You can always find great resources at Discovery Education!
Free memberships are currently being offered on Kahoot!
Distance learning for lab activities: Check out these Virtual Labs and Virtual Dissections.
And, this article provides you with 200+ Online Learning Resources.
Check out this Pinterest Board from my good friend Utah Roots. This board contains links to videos for teaching science.
You cannot go wrong with National Geographic Education.

Please note: All online learning sites should be throughly vetted by teachers and parents before allowing access to your students.

I hope that this post gives you some places to start as you begin your journey into distance learning. Good luck to you, and please stay well!

P.S. The adorable "Dot Dudes" in the heading image are the copyrighted work of Sarah Pecorino Illustration.

Food Testing Lab for Organic Compounds in High School Biology

2019-12-07T14:18:00.003-06:00

A biochemistry lab that tests foods for organic compounds is one of the most effective ways to help students understand macromolecules in a real classroom setting. In this food testing lab, students identify sugars, starches, proteins, lipids, and vitamin C by using common indicator tests such as Benedict’s solution, iodine, Biuret reagent, and indophenol.

If you are looking for a high school biology lab that combines hands on investigation with clear, visual results, this activity helps students connect abstract chemistry concepts to the foods they eat every day while reinforcing your biochemistry curriculum.

What Is a Food Testing Lab for Organic Compounds?

This lab is best used during your biochemistry unit when students are learning about carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids. Teaching the characteristics of macromolecules can sometimes feel dry and abstract, so this lab is a great way to break up direct instruction and give students a practical application of the concepts you are teaching.

This lab activity is a two part activity. First, students learn the indicator tests for sugars, starches, proteins, fats, vitamin C, and salt using known solutions. Once students understand how to complete these tests and recognize the results, they test a wide variety of foods to determine which compounds are present.

Tests for Organic Compounds in Food

Before any testing of foods is carried out, students need to practice each indicator test. For example, in order to determine whether milk contains simple sugars, students must first know how to carry out the test for simple sugars and what a positive result looks like. This first part of the lab gives students that practice and helps them interpret their results correctly when they move on to testing foods.

Students learn the positive and negative tests for the following:

Students test for starch using iodine.
Students test for simple sugars using Benedict's solution.
Students test for proteins using Biuret reagent.
Students test for lipids using the brown paper test.
Students test for the presence of vitamin C using indophenol.
Students test for salt using silver nitrate.

Please note: Obviously, salt is not an organic compound. However, it is a fun test for students to carry out, and it provides interesting information about the foods we eat.

Materials Needed for a Food Testing Lab

This lab uses simple materials that are manageable in a classroom setting and easy to prepare ahead of time.

Test tubes and test tube racks
Glucose solution
Starch solution
Protein solution
Fat or oil
Iodine
Benedict’s solution
Biuret solution
Brown paper
Hot water bath
Vitamin C solution
Indophenol
NaCl solution
Silver nitrate
A variety of foods

How Students Analyze Results in This Lab

Once students know how to use the indicators, the real fun begins. You can choose a variety of foods for students to test. While you can theoretically use many different foods, some are easier to test than others. Dark purple grape juice, for example, can be frustrating because students may have difficulty seeing the color changes clearly.

I usually get the best results with foods such as milk, yogurt, egg whites, egg yolks, potatoes, celery, cereals, and an assortment of fruit juices. Liquid foods can be used straight from their containers. For solid foods, you will need to prepare a solution using a blender. Students then record observations, identify which compounds are present, and compare results across different foods. This is also a great opportunity for students to organize data tables or write lab reports about their findings.

Why This Biochemistry Lab Works So Well in the Classroom

First and foremost, it is just plain fun. When students love your lab activities, they are more excited about your class.
This lab reviews and reinforces the concepts you have been teaching. Facts about macromolecules are easier to learn and remember when students see a practical application of the information.
This lab teaches good lab techniques, how to organize data, and how to work cooperatively in groups.
Students are often surprised to learn that a food they thought was healthy may be mostly sugar and salt.
Working through detailed lab procedures teaches students to read, understand, and follow directions carefully.
Students use critical thinking and problem solving skills throughout the activity.

More Biochemistry Activities for Your Classroom

If you are planning a full biochemistry unit, these related blog posts can help reinforce key concepts and provide additional hands on experiences for your students:

Ready to Use Biochemistry Lab Activity

Above you can see the lab handouts that I use with my students. If you want a complete, ready to use version of this food testing lab with student worksheets, data tables, answer keys, and teacher directions, you can find it in my TpT store.

Click here to view the complete biochemistry lab activity

Frequently Asked Questions About Food Testing Labs

What are the main tests for organic compounds?
Benedict’s test for sugars, iodine for starch, Biuret for protein, and paper or Sudan test for lipids.

What foods work best for this lab?
Milk, yogurt, egg whites, egg yolks, potatoes, cereals, celery, and fruit juices typically produce clear results.

Why do the colors change during testing?
Each indicator reacts chemically with specific molecules, producing visible color changes that signal the presence of those compounds.

Is this lab appropriate for high school biology?
Yes. This lab is ideal for grades 9 to 12 and can be adapted for different ability levels.

Book Review and Giveaway: "Awesome Physics Experiments for Kids"

2019-02-19T16:59:00.001-06:00

It's not often that I do a product review. And since you are now reading a product review, that should tell you that I am super-excited about this product! Erica Colon (NittyGrittyScience.com) has written a fabulous set of experiments for young budding scientists, ages 10 to 13. But this is more than just another science experiment book. This is a book for parents and for families, and also a fantastic resource for science teachers.

Let's start with parents and families. All of the experiments in this book can be carried out with simple materials, and anyone can do them! No science background is required because Erica has included every single thing you need. Here's what you'll find with each experiment:

Title
Problem or Question
Level of Difficulty (Easy, Medium, Difficult)
Time Suggestion
Materials List
The Steps
Now Try This!
The Hows and Whys

All parents will be able to do these experiments with their kids. The procedural steps are clear and concise, and the final section is a life-saver if your background is not in science. "The Hows and Whys" section will ensure that you can discuss these concepts with your children.

Now, let me speak to science teachers: While these experiments were written for children of ages 10 to 13, these activities can easily be used as experiments and/or demonstrations from middle school classes up through high school physics classes. What a relief to find activities that don't require expensive lab equipment! And, if you love stem challenges, this book is perfect for you! And one more thing: The activities are aligned with NGSS standards.

Here's a sample experiment that you can start using right away:

In addition to 40 super science experiments, Erica has included a Glossary of terms, Measurement conversions, Resources for kids, Resources for teachers, Blank tables and graphing grids, and an Index.

The book is being released through Amazon. Click this link to view on Amazon.

Geologic Time Scale Worksheet and Activity for Teaching Evolution

2018-12-06T13:24:00.012-06:00

Teaching evolution and the history of life on Earth can feel overwhelming when class time is limited. This geologic time scale worksheet and classroom activity helps biology students visualize Earth’s history while reinforcing key concepts related to evolution, fossils, and major events in geologic time. Designed for upper middle school and high school science classes, this resource allows teachers to cover the geologic time scale efficiently without spending weeks on the topic.

If you are looking for a ready-to-use geologic time scale worksheet and classroom activity, you can find the resource I use with my students in my Teachers Pay Teachers store here.

Why Geologic Time Matters in Biology

The concept of geologic time and the appearance and evolution of life on Earth is VERY important to my class. One of my most favorite sayings, "Nothing in Biology makes sense except in the light of evolution" (Theodosius Dobzhansky, American Biology Teacher, 1973.) is a mantra in my classes. We can't teach cellular respiration without the concept of endosymbiosis, and we can't teach endosymbiosis until our students know the differences between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells, etc, etc, etc. The history of life on Earth is (or should be!) woven into every single lesson we teach in a Biology class.

Then "What's the problem?" you might be asking yourself. My problem is time. Not geologic time; just time to teach. It is a struggle to cover everything in a year that needs to be covered! My solution was to find a way to quickly cover the concepts of geologic time and the evolution of life on Earth, without taking weeks to do so.

Here are my goals. I want my students to:

Know what is meant by the term "geologic time scale."
Be able to visualize the enormity of geologic time.
Know when life first appeared on Earth.
Know the order in which various life forms appeared.
Know the importance of fossils, especially traditional fossils, to the study of evolution.
Understand how scientists are able to date fossils that are found in various rock strata.
Understand the relationship between mass extinctions and adaptive radiations.
Have a clear and concise understanding of what happens in each era of Earth's history.

I am extremely pleased with the Geologic Time Scale activity I put together to accomplish these goals. This resource can be used in conjunction with your other lessons and materials you use on this topic, OR, (and here is the best part!) it can be used as a stand-alone activity that quickly covers the above topics in just a couple of class periods. The printable worksheet is perfect for traditional classroom settings, and the resource is also available in a digital Google Slides version for 1:1 classrooms, distance learning, and Google Classroom use.

If you need to teach this fast, this is the activity for you!

How to Use This Geologic Time Scale Worksheet in the Classroom

Use the geologic time scale worksheet as a guided activity to reinforce the concepts of Earth’s history and the evolution of life.
Assign the worksheet as independent practice or small group work to reinforce the order of geologic eras and major evolutionary events.
Have students reference the included geologic time scale table to answer problem solving and analysis questions.
Use the activity as a review lesson before starting or assessing an evolution unit.

What concepts are covered in this resource?

Definition of the geologic time scale.
How the geologic time scale was developed by scientists.
Relative dating and radioactive dating.
Earth’s history is divided into 4 Eras which are subdivided into smaller periods.
How to read the information on the geologic time scale reference table.
Comparing lengths of geologic time.
The order of events in the evolution of life on Earth.
Transitional fossils.
Estimating the age of organisms based on relative dating.
Rock strata.

What will the students be doing?

Students complete a 6-page handout on the geologic time scale and complete a 2-page timeline of the history of life on Earth.
Students make a circle graph of the time spent in each era.
Students use the included Geologic Time Scale Reference Table to answer a series of 30 problem solving questions.
Students make a scale diagram showing the length of each era.
Students look at pictures to evaluate characteristics of certain organisms.
Students complete a relative dating cut and paste activity.
Students using relative dating to estimate the age of certain organisms.
Students complete a 2-page cut and paste timeline activity showing the evolution of life on Earth.
Students are guided through an exercise that allows them to compare all of Earth’s history to one calendar year.

As much as I love teaching these topics, there is a limit to what we can expect our students to absorb. We can't ask them to learn every event in every era, period, and epoch in geologic time. I have certain key events that I want my students to know, so I put together a one-page table outlining the most important events in Earth's history.

The beauty of this resource is that with this one-page reference table the activity can be used as a stand-alone lesson. The students don't need prior knowledge or prior teaching. This lesson can be completed in two 1-hour class periods right before you begin your units on evolution. I would suggest having a biology textbook handy if students are seeing this information for the first time. There may be a few vocabulary words that they would need to look up.

If you are in a big time crunch, let the students work in groups for one class period, and complete unfinished portions for homework.

You can find this activity in my TpT store by clicking this link, and here is what you can expect to find included:

6-Page printable and editable student worksheet set
1-Page Geologic Time Scale Reference Table
2-Page Timeline Worksheet
8-Page Teacher Guide and Answer Keys
All images needed for the "cut and paste" portions of the activity.
Paperless digital Google Slides version for use with Google Drive and Google Classroom.

Related Evolution Activities for Biology Students

If you are teaching evolution and the history of life on Earth, you may also find these related biology lessons helpful.

• If your students are learning about how evolutionary ideas developed, you might enjoy this Charles Darwin natural selection activity written as a diary from Darwin’s voyage. This activity helps students understand how Darwin’s observations led to the development of evolutionary theory.

• Many teachers also like to follow a lesson on evolution with activities that help students organize living organisms into groups. These classification and taxonomy activities for biology students introduce concepts such as Linnaean classification, dichotomous keys, and evolutionary relationships between organisms.

• Short daily review activities can also help reinforce evolution concepts throughout the unit. These evolution and classification warm ups and bell ringers provide quick activities that review natural selection, evolutionary relationships, and classification concepts while helping students settle quickly into learning at the beginning of class.

I hope this article has given you something to think about, and some new ideas on how to teach geologic time to your biology or life science students. Have fun teaching!

PS: If you are teaching the origin of life, you can also have students explore this concept with a hands-on lab. In this coacervates lab activity for high school biology, students create and observe coacervates, then design their own experiment to test different variables.

Returning to Your Lab After Summer Break: A "Must-Do" List of Chores

2018-08-23T11:23:00.002-05:00

Picture yourself at the end of the school year ... You are punch-drunk from having made it through end of course exams, posting final grades, collecting textbooks, and trying to get your classroom packed up for the summer. You are giddy with excitement about the much needed summer break. It's the last day of school and you just want to go home. Every teacher reading this knows this feeling. It is nearly impossible to have the will power to start preparing for NEXT school year on the last day of THIS school year.

Fast forward ... Summer is over and you are heading back to school. What are the first, most important things you need to do when you return to your classroom and lab? Perhaps this check list of 18 Must-Do Chores will help get you started.

#1 Not a chore, but a directive! Go back to school a day or two before the other teachers. Head straight to the lab and get it ready for school. Your classroom decorations can wait.

#2 Assess the summer "damage." At my school, every single room is emptied over the summer so that the floors can be stripped, cleaned, and waxed. When the furniture and supplies are returned to the lab, they are never put back where they belong. Your first chore is simply organization. Get the tables, lab stools, boxes, etc., back where they belong.

#3 Assess the "real damage." Check the water faucets at every single lab station because some of them will be leaking. Check each and every gas jet because some students will have stuck their pencils in the end of them, breaking off the pencil tip inside. Set aside the stools and desks that are damaged. Check each electrical outlet. Make a list of everything that requires a fix and move on to #4 right now!

#4 Go find the custodian. In fact, when you arrive on this first day back, bring a plate of cookies for the custodian! We lab teachers require the help of the custodian more than the classroom teachers. Take your neatly written damage list and very sincerely ask for help in getting the repairs completed before students arrive.

#5 Clean, clean, and clean some more! Get your paper towels and cleaning supplies and get to work. Wipe down all lab tables and other surfaces. Check the drain of each sink to remove any debris caught in the drain. Leave paper towels and Windex/Lysol spray bottles at each station so that students will be able to clean at the end of their lab.

#6 Check your fire safety equipment. Is the fire extinguisher properly charged? Is the fire blanket in a handy location? Can you easily open the fire blanket container?

#7 Flush your eye wash station. How many of us are diligent about flushing the eye wash weekly, or even monthly? Check out this blog post on the eye wash fountain and safety shower for loads of information.

#8 Flush the safety shower. Read the above referenced blog post about how to properly maintain the safety shower.

#9 Check your fume hood. Click this link to view a great check list from OSHA about the lab fume hood.

#10 On to the safety goggles and sterilizer! How do you handle goggles? Do students have their own set, or do they share them with other students? How are they cleaned and sanitized? Goggles have to be worn, and they must be sterilized. Before students return, be sure to hand-wash all goggles and sanitize them in a properly functioning sterilizer. This blog post will provide you with additional details about lab safety goggles.

#11 Don't forget about the chemical storage area. Make sure that chemicals are stored properly and safely and organized according to the "rules." Not sure how your chemical storeroom should be organized? This article has everything you need to know about your chemical storeroom.

#12 Check your First Aid Kit! Take an inventory of the items in your first aid kit. Make a list of items such as band aids, ointments, alcohol wipes, etc., that need to be replaced.

#13 Clean out the lab refrigerator. I guarantee you that someone left their lunch there months ago.

#14 Make sure lab safety aprons are clean and easily accessible as students enter the lab.

#15 Prepare a basic set of lab equipment and store a set at each lab station. This will save you time all year long, and will prevent students from wandering all over the lab looking for equipment. Consider placing the following at each lab station: Bunsen burner and hose, ring stand and rings, wooden test tube rack, graduated cylinder, stirring rod, ruler, stopwatch. Include any other items that you frequently use.

#16 Identify designated areas and put up signs. Where will students place their backpacks as they enter the lab? Where should students place their dirty glassware? Where is chemical waste placed? Where should students wash their hands? Make clear instruction signs, laminate them, and place them in the best location for your lab.

#17 Make a list of supplies you need to order. Make sure that you have the latest catalogs. Throw away the old ones! Determine what supplies you need for the new school year, and get your lab order in to the purchasing department as quickly as possible. The early bird gets the worm!

#18 Plan your lab safety instruction unit. In the very first few days of school you need to teach a lab safety unit to your students. Students need handouts of all lab safety rules. You need to have each student fill out a medical emergency form and have parents sign a lab safety contract.

Once your lab is in good condition, what is the next step?

I remember my first few years of teaching … it was incredibly hard to come up with good, rock-solid labs. New teachers need quality labs, and seasoned teachers are always looking to improve upon their lab activity arsenal. These bundles of labs are sure to save you so much time and energy. They have been used with my own students for years with great success.

🧬 Biology Lab Bundle:
Cells, Mitosis, DNA, Genetics, Enzymes, Ecology + more
✅ Perfect for 9th and 10th grade Biology
✅ 100% classroom-ready. Just print, set up the lab, and go!
View Biology Lab Bundle →

⚗️ Chemistry Lab Bundle:
15 must-do labs covering key topics like density, chemical reactions, thermochemistry, periodic trends, flame tests, and more
✅ Ideal for high school chemistry
✅ Easy to prep, engaging to teach
View Chemistry Lab Bundle →

Super Science Back to School Giveaway

2018-08-12T13:17:00.001-05:00

Welcome Back to School Science Teachers!

18 Secondary Science Authors have teamed up for one ENORMOUS giveaway!!

Aug 12, 2018 through Aug 17, 2018

Awww, don't be sad. I know the summer is almost over (or already over if you live in the South!) but we can make "back to school" just a bit easier for you. I know you had a terrific summer, full of rest and relaxation, and quality time spent with family and friends. But now you have to get ready for school!

Well, eighteen teacher-authors from TpT are here to help you do just that! How about a chance to win one of FOUR $100 gift cards from TpT, plus chances to win hundreds of dollars of resources from our individual stores? We want to say "THANK YOU" for all you do for your students, and "WE HOPE YOU HAVE A GREAT SCHOOL YEAR" all in one huge giveaway.

Excited? Keep reading!

In addition to the big gift card giveaway, there are 18 more giveaways taking place on each of our individual blogs! That is a lot of prizes! If you are a science teacher in grades 6 and up, you are not going to want to miss out on these fantastic giveaways!

Please read carefully because there are TWO Giveaways below. In order to be eligible for all prizes, you'll need to enter in both places:

Group Giveaway Entry for four $100 TpT Gift Cards
Amy Brown Science Individual Giveaway.

Simply follow the instructions in each giveaway to enter multiple times. Each seller is hosting their own individual giveaway so be sure to hop from blog to blog and enter them all. Check out the linky at the bottom of the post for a list of all participating sellers.

OK, you know that the group is giving away FOUR $100 gift cards to TpT, but what is Amy Brown Science giving away? I am giving away FOUR of my complete unit bundles. If you win, you can choose any one you want, but it must be a bundle that is valued at $40 or less. There are over 35 bundles that are $40 or less in my TpT store that you can choose from. This link will show you all the bundles in my TpT store. Start deciding which you'll choose if you are one of the four winners!

Ready to enter?

Follow the directions below to win a prize in my individual giveaway.

I (well, KingSumo) will be picking four winners at random. If you win, I'll email you and ask you what bundle (valued at $40 or less) you would like from my store. When you let me know your choice, I'll get it right out to you.

By entering this giveaway, your email will be placed on my newsletter email list. You can unsubscribe at any time.

Follow the directions below to enter the group giveaway!

In addition to individual store giveaways, all of us have joined forces to put together one HUGE blog hop scavenger hunt, just for science teachers teaching grades 6-12: FOUR $100 TeachersPayTeachers gift cards! Each blog post has a secret code word and a number. The number tells you the word order in the secret sentence. Collect the words from each blog (links below), write them down in number order, and copy the secret sentence into the second rafflecopter giveaway. This rafflecopter form is the same on every blog, so you only need to enter once from any one of our blogs! (Please only enter if you are a science teacher!)

My code word is "knowledge" and it's the SIXTH word in the sentence.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Be sure to visit each of the blogs below to enter each individual giveaway and to collect the scavenger hunt words for the group giveaway! Thanks for participating, and from all of us...

Have a Great School Year!!

Giveaway ends August 17th, 2018 at 11:59 PM EST. Open to Residents of the earth only. Winners will be selected at random and be notified by email. Winners have 48 hours to confirm their email addresses and respond before a new winner is selected. The product offered for the giveaway is free of charge, no purchase necessary. My opinions are my own and were not influenced by any form of compensation. Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram are in no way associated with this giveaway. By providing your information in this form, you are providing your information to me and me alone. I do not share or sell information and will use any information only for the purpose of contacting the winner.

An InLinkz Link-up

Second Semester for Secondary Science: Tips and Strategies for Completing the School Year!

2018-01-01T17:05:00.001-06:00

LET'S FINISH THIS! As a high school biology and chemistry teacher, I always find this to be a very interesting point in the school year. After spending time with family and friends during the holidays, and feeling very rested and relaxed, it's time to start thinking about returning to school for the second semester of the school year. New Year's resolutions are running high, and the realization that the school year is half over brings both excitement and anxiety to teachers as they prepare to return to the classroom after the holiday break. The "excitement" comes in being able to see summer break on the horizon. The "anxiety" comes in the form of "Oh my gosh, I have so much to do before the end of the school year!"

We have to make a complete and total mind shift from first semester to second semester. The dynamics of the classroom, the way we carry out planning, and our classroom management strategies need to undergo a complete and thorough transition. First semester was spent getting to know our students. We learned their personalities, their strengths, their weaknesses, and all of their idiosyncrasies. We learned what worked and what didn't work as far as teaching strategies, and now it is time to take our "first semester game" to a new level for second semester. In short, we have to make a change from "getting started" to "getting finished."

To that end, I have a list of 11 tips and strategies for the successful completion of second semester in secondary science classrooms.

Tip #1: Organization and Planning is Essential.
Yes, I realize this tip is predictable and mundane, and not really a concrete strategy. Please stop your eye-rolling and consider this. Do not return to school after the holidays until you have thought through the entire semester and you have a plan of action. The first couple of weeks after the holidays are chaotic and can turn into a blur of indecision and wasted time if you are not careful. Know what you need to accomplish during the semester, and start your students down that path on the very first day they return to your classroom. Grab your student's attention, and don't give them time to settle into old routines. Start the first day with fresh ideas, fresh classroom management strategies, and a fresh look in your classroom. Having a clear vision and an action plan, and the implementation of it on the first day of the semester will send a definite message to your students: "We have a lot to do and we are not going to waste any time getting started on it."

Tip #2: Assess where you are in your curriculum.
Students in my state must take an end-of-course exam in biology and chemistry. I would assume that every state has a state mandated curriculum or framework of standards that must be covered in any given course. Where do you stand on covering all of the content that you are required to teach? Before you start second semester it is essential that you make a list of units and topics that you need to cover. Once you have a list of topics, determine how many days you can spend on each topic and still get them all covered before the end of the school year. Obtain a calendar grid for the months January through June and fill out the days and weeks with the topics you must cover. Keep this on your desk or wall, and stick to it!

Tip #3: Make changes to your Classroom Management Plan.
Now that you have spent an entire semester with your students, you have a pretty good idea of what works and what doesn't work in terms of managing your classroom and the behavior of your students. This is the perfect time to tweak your management system and make changes to ensure your daily routine is a well-oiled machine. I use a system of daily warm ups and bell ringers to get my students on task and ready to learn at the very beginning of each class.

Tip #4: Organize and clean your classroom before students return to class.
Early in my teaching career I had a wonderful mentor who told me that the condition of the classroom was one of the most important factors in determining the effectiveness of my class. As a young and new teacher, I had my doubts about this. What possible difference could it make if the desks were arranged in an orderly fashion, and that my desk appeared to be in order? As it turned out, this was one of the best pieces of advice I ever received about teaching. Student performance and classroom behavior IS determined (at least in part) by the climate of your classroom. If the classroom is disorganized, the students will be disorganized and student behavior will suffer. If students walk into a classroom that is clean and highly organized they enter a mindset that improves their performance while in your class.

Tip #5: Put something new on the wall or bulletin board!
You do not want your students walking back into your classroom without making some changes. Shake things up a bit! Put up some new wall displays and bulletin boards. They don't have to be too fancy or time consuming to make. You just need to send the message that this is a new semester and you are ready to go with all new materials and resources. Here are some ideas of things you can display that will take only a few minutes to print, laminate and get displayed on the wall:

• Biology and Life Science Careers Mini Posters

• Character Building Quotes from Famous Scientists

• Important Dates in Science History Monthly Calendars

Tip #6: It's time for a new seating chart.
While you are shaking things up by reorganizing your classroom and getting new wall displays posted, go ahead and make out a new seating chart for your students. When students return from the holidays, every aspect of your classroom needs to be new, fresh, and different.

Tip #7: Start planning now for end of course testing.
I am not a fan of the maze of standardized testing that we put our students through each year. However, that is a topic for another day. If your students will be required to take an end of course exam for your class, it is imperative that you begin planning for that now. Take the semester calendar that you made in Tip #2 and see where you might insert a few days for test prep and review. I look for days when the school is planning an assembly or pep rally, or a day when some students will miss for a field trip. It is hard to teach new material when students are missing from class, but it makes for a great time to get in some test prep review time. Be prepared to review. You never know when an opportunity for reinforcement will arise, so keep task cards, review games, or worksheets at the ready. Every minute counts in the second semester rush to the end of the year.

Tip #8: Make a plan for struggling students.
The sad reality is that some students are always in danger of failing our class, or in danger of not being able to pass the end of course exam. It is extremely important to identify the struggling students and put an intervention plan in place before it is too late. With enough help, guidance, compassion, and will power, we can ensure that most of our students will earn credit in our classes. Students try harder when they know we care about them and that we are trying to give them the help they need. Have individual meetings with your struggling students and develop a plan with each student to ensure their success at the end of the school year. Many of my "A students" belong to organizations that require them to get service hours. I always set up peer tutoring opportunities to help my struggling students get the reinforcement they need, while allowing other students to get the service hours they need.

Tip #9: Start working on your lab inventory.
My school district requires that we do a complete inventory of our classrooms and lab areas, and we must turn it in before the last day of school. Are you required to complete a lab inventory? If so, do yourself a favor and start working on it now. The end of the year is CRAZY, and you will be greatly relieved if you already have this cumbersome chore accomplished. If you need an inventory form, check out my free Lab Inventory Form in my TpT Store.

Tip #10: Make out your lab order for the upcoming school year.
This makes perfect sense if you also have to complete a lab inventory. As you complete your inventory, make a list of the items that you are running low on. As the semester progresses, locate your new catalogs and start looking up the purchasing information for the items you will need for the next year.

Tip #11: Watch our for Spring Break/Spring Fever!
This is also known as "Teach as much as you can as soon as you can!" Once spring arrives, even the best laid plans can fly out the window. And students are not the only ones to get spring fever, right? January, February and March are easy! But after that, even the absolute best teachers amongst us will struggle to keep the kids focused and learning.

Hopefully, if you have made it to the end of this article, you have found a few tidbits that will help you get off to a great start for second semester. I hope you had a wonderful holiday break, and that you have a happy, healthy, and organized new year!

5 Days of Science-y Holiday Cheer!

2017-12-01T11:26:00.001-06:00

December 4 - 8, 2017

Ready for some holiday fun,
science-style?

Thank you, thank you, thank you to all have supported my work through 2017. To celebrate the holidays, and the entire year, let's have some fun with a week of giveaways, freebies, discounts, and more!

For the third year, a group of science teachers / TPT authors are having a blast with the "Five Days of Holiday Cheer." Super fun stuff will be happening each day, December 4 - 8. There will be promotions, free stuff, gift cards, sales, and more free stuff! Well, let's just say that each day just gets better and better!

These offers will be available ONLY to the subscribers on my email list.

What??? You are not on my email list?? Please look to the right side bar and sign up immediately! Please enter your email in the "Want My Newsletters?" box to the right.

You'll receive an email from me each morning between 6 and 7 am (CST) letting you know about the fun happenings of the day. I sure hope you can join us! The offers are time-sensitive, and are good for one day only. Be sure to open that email each and every day!

Watch for my first email on Monday, December 4. I think you will be very pleased with Day 1. (Hint, hint.... It might involve some free stuff!)

Happy Holidays!!

Outdoor Ecosystem Lab Activity for High School Biology Students

2017-09-10T13:27:00.003-05:00

Spring is the perfect time for an outdoor ecosystem lab, but a successful outdoor science activity requires clear structure, strong expectations, and a meaningful assignment.

If you are looking for an outdoor ecosystem lab for high school biology, spring is one of the best times of year to do it. Students are ready to get outside, ecosystems are active and changing, and it is much easier for students to observe real relationships between organisms when they can see them in context. This outdoor ecosystem lab activity is designed specifically for high school biology students studying ecosystems, food webs, and ecological interactions.

This outdoor ecosystem lab activity is designed specifically for high school biology students studying ecosystems, food webs, and ecological interactions.

One challenge with outdoor learning is that it can easily turn into unstructured time if students are not given a clear purpose. That is why I like using a detailed ecosystem field study instead of simply sending students outside to observe nature. When students have a specific area to study, a clear set of directions, and focused analysis questions, outdoor time becomes meaningful science learning.

My Exploring an Ecosystem activity gives students a structured way to examine a small outdoor ecosystem, map what they find, and analyze the interactions between living and nonliving factors.

What Students Do in This Outdoor Ecosystem Lab

In this activity, students work in small groups to study a 5 m x 5 m outdoor ecosystem. They mark off the area, map the physical features, identify living organisms, and record evidence of ecological interactions. Students then use their observations to answer detailed analysis questions and create food chains and food webs.

This lab goes far beyond a simple nature walk. Students are expected to observe carefully, think critically, and support their ideas with evidence from the ecosystem they study.

During the activity, students:

map the physical features of an outdoor study site
identify biotic and abiotic factors
look for evidence of predator-prey relationships, competition, camouflage, and symbiosis
identify producers, consumers, decomposers, autotrophs, and heterotrophs
construct food chains and food webs based on what they observe
analyze how the ecosystem may change over time

Because the assignment is detailed and structured, students are much more likely to notice the interactions happening around them instead of treating outdoor time like a break from learning. If you want a structured, ready-to-use version of this activity that saves you time, I’ve put everything together for you.

Ecology Concepts Covered

This outdoor science activity works especially well during an ecology unit because it reinforces so many important concepts in a real setting.

If you are looking for additional ways to reinforce these ideas, you may also like reading this blog post on food chains and food webs activity or this one on population ecology lab.

ecosystems
biotic and abiotic factors
autotrophs and heterotrophs
herbivores, carnivores, omnivores, detritivores, and decomposers
predator-prey relationships
symbiosis
food chains and food webs
trophic levels
limiting factors
human impact on ecosystems

Pros and Cons of Outdoor Science Activities

Pros of outdoor science activities:

Students are highly engaged when they are working outside.
Ecology concepts become more concrete when students can observe real examples.
Students practice careful observation and real-world data collection.
Students begin to notice patterns and relationships they would normally overlook.
Outdoor labs support visual learners through mapping, drawing, and labeling.
Students develop stronger awareness of their surroundings.
Group work feels more natural and collaborative outdoors.
These activities often create memorable learning experiences.
Students build appreciation for nature and environmental responsibility.
An ecosystem can be studied almost anywhere.

Cons of outdoor science activities:

They can be time consuming.
Classroom management requires planning and clear expectations.
Students may treat outdoor time as free time if structure is weak.
Weather can impact the activity.
Some environments limit what can be observed.
Students may need more guidance with open-ended observation.

What This Looks Like in Your Classroom

This project is easy to set up and requires simple materials.

an outdoor ecosystem
poster board or white paper
colored markers
4 stakes
string
meter stick
magnifying glass or hand lens

More Ecology Activities for Your Classroom

Have fun teaching outdoors!

Charles Darwin: The Tale of Evolution

2017-08-14T10:11:00.003-05:00

Over 130 years have passed since the death of Charles Darwin. Despite the passage of time since Darwin first presented his ideas on natural selection, there continues to be controversy surrounding his theory of evolution. In 1973, Theodosius Dobzhansky published an essay in American Biology Teacher in which he stated, “Nothing in biology makes sense except in the light of evolution.” Truer words were never spoken. When teaching a biology class, we shouldn’t limit our students to a single unit on the theory of evolution. Rather, the theme of evolution should be woven throughout every unit we teach.

I designed this teaching resource to teach my biology students about the man, Charles Darwin. Darwin was a religious and thoughtful man, as well as a superb scientist. However, I have found that I still have students in my class who view him in a less than complimentary light. My main goal in writing this journaling activity was to provide my students with the facts and information they need to form their own opinions and conclusions based on the evidence presented. After all, that is the goal of science, right?

Before diving into natural selection, many teachers find it helpful to introduce students to the geologic time scale and the history of life on Earth. You can see in this blog post how I teach this using a geologic time scale worksheet and activity.

I had two goals in mind when writing “Darwin’s Diary.” First, I wanted to include enough biographical information about Darwin to teach my science students about his life. Second, I wanted to produce a class project that would require my students to be thoughtful and introspective, while at the same time, ensure that they master the concepts of evolution.

What will the students be doing?

This teaching resource is written as if it were a diary kept by Charles Darwin throughout his life. The entries in the diary are designed to teach about the life of Darwin, and the events that led him to develop his theory of evolution. The 26 diary entries include facts and information about Darwin as well as actual quotes from Darwin. Students are asked to respond in some way to each diary entry. In some diary entries students will be asked to offer opinions, but in others, they must provide correct answers to questions. In order to complete this project, students need to receive instruction in the concepts covered in an “Introduction to Evolution” chapter of a typical high school biology textbook.

Click on any image to view this resource in my TpT store.

I had such a great time doing the research for this evolution journaling activity! Darwin's life was full of the same drama, struggles, accomplishments, and tragedies that we all face today. Darwin was witty, introspective, and very adventuresome! I was able to find and use his own writings to use in the diary entries, and his descriptions of his daily life are simply amazing. In one dairy entry Darwin describes collecting beetles. Both of his hands were full holding beetles, so in order to catch a new beetle, he popped one into this mouth to free up a hand to catch another! He describes his struggles trying to please his father, his tiny quarters aboard the Beagle, riding on the backs of Galapagos turtles, marriage, and his concern about the uproar that would be caused by publishing his theory. As you can see, I am completely captivated by the details of his life, and your students will be as well!

What is needed to complete this assignment?

In order to complete these assignments, students will need to use the following resources:

• Biology textbook

• Notes taken during class

• Online Resources

This diary activity is perfectly aligned with my teaching PowerPoint, “Darwin’s Theory of Evolution.” It includes a 96-slide PowerPoint with notes for teacher and students. Click the image to the right to view this product on TeachersPayTeachers.

How can you use this in your classroom?

• I suggest copying all pages and passing them out to your students on the first day of your evolution unit. The activity is designed to be used over multiple days as you teach your unit on evolution.

• Use only the pages you want. There are enough student pages included so that you have the flexibility to choose the pages best suited for your needs.

• Each day during your unit, have students complete a number of the dairy entries. These pages make great classroom activities as well as quality homework assignments. You will find that the content of the diary entries will generate much classroom discussion.

• The questions used in this assignment are of two types. Some questions require the students to express their opinion, but most questions require a research-based correct answer. I accept any and all answers to opinion-based questions as long as the student has given an honest effort to express his/her opinion. If this assignment is to be graded make sure that students know that they are expected to provide correct answers for the majority of the questions.

At the end of "On the Origin of Species", Darwin writes, “There is grandeur in this view of life … from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been, and are being, evolved.” This teaching resource is a journey through time that allows our science students to learn about the events throughout Darwin's life that led him to write and publish "On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection."

If you are teaching the origin of life, you can also have students explore this concept with a hands-on lab. In this coacervates lab activity for high school biology, students create and observe coacervates, then design their own experiment to test different variables.

Wanna Chat? Reasons why my Chat Lab Stations are working!

2017-03-15T14:32:00.003-05:00

The Background Story: A few years ago, I wanted to do something different on the first day of school. Most of the teachers at my school, including me, were doing the same thing all daylong ... Going over the course syllabus, passing out textbooks, reading the dreaded classroom rules. After one class period of this, all that the students heard was "Blah, blah, blah...." It was definitely time for me to do something different. After giving it some thought, "Biology Chat" was born. My goals for the activity were simple:
(1) Get the kids actively engaged in science on the very first day so they don't dread coming to my class the second day, and (2) Help the students make new friends in our very large school. These goals were accomplished! In fact, the activity was so popular with my biology students that I quickly developed Chemistry Chat for my chem classes.

TL;DR click on any image to view in my TPT store. Or you can click here to view all my Chats.

Biology Chat

Chemistry Chat

Physics Chat

What is the purpose of my "Chat" lab activities? My "Chat" activities are rotating lab stations and involve collaborative student groups. At each station, students collaborate to resolve a problem, accomplish a task, or conduct a minor science experiment. The term "chat" is used to encourage students to engage in meaningful conversation and teamwork, hopefully deepening their comprehension and mastery of the subject matter content. Let's face it. High school students have "socializing" on their minds all day long. The term "chat" resonates with them, and it has a “fun” tone.

What are the benefits of my Chat Lab Stations?

1. Students are up, out of their seats, and moving! It is a rare student that can sit in a desk for eight hours and still be conscious at the end of the day. Chat lab stations allow students to move around the room, giving them a bit of a mental break between each station.

2. Group work is an important part of what we do in a science class, and it is a skill that will be needed throughout life. Lab station activities teach students how to work together to achieve a goal.

3. Differentiation! We all teach classes that contain students of widely-varying ability levels. It is not necessary for every student to complete every lab station. For students with IEP's, have them complete only the stations that are appropriate for them. By carefully selecting the small groups, you can create groups that are supportive and will provide an educational atmosphere that will benefit all members of the group. It is also a good idea to have a "challenge" lab station for the early finishers. I never want idle hands in my classroom!

4. All too often we throw so much information at the students that they quickly become overwhelmed by sheer volume. Each chat lab station focuses on a single task or concept. This prevents students from becoming overwhelmed by too much information.

5. Peer teaching/tutoring is highly effective! A struggling student may likely learn more from a fellow student than they do from the teacher. One student can offer another student explanations in a low pressure setting that feels safe to the struggling student.

6. The more informal classroom setting allows me more time to interact with my students. I love being able to walk around the room and speak to every student. It allows me to connect with the student, both personally and academically. Secondary students may not show the same affection for their teachers as do elementary students, but they still want to be noticed, complimented, and see a friendly smile from the teacher.

Tips for Implementation!

1. Consider very carefully how the students are arranged into groups. I never (or rarely) allow students to choose their own lab groups. Do I want the students to have a little "chat" or social time during the activity? Yes, but I want to control it. I want my students chatting, but I want them chatting about the topics and concepts that I need to teach and reinforce. Before my students arrive in my class, I have already placed them in groups. Each week I change the composition of the groups. This prevents the students from becoming too comfortable and failing to accomplish the goals of the lesson.

2. Make sure that your lab stations offer a good mix of teaching styles and strategies. You don't want students labeling a diagram at every single station. They will quickly lose interest in the activity. Make sure that each station offers a different sort of task or activity.

3. Make sure that each station is independent of the other stations. The activity works so much better if students can rotate from one station to another in any order. If the stations have to be completed in a certain order, a lab traffic jam will likely result.

4. Monitor the students! Make sure that students are on task ... all period long!

Since developing Biology Chat years ago, I continue to expand on the idea of chat lab stations. Click on any of the photos below to view in my TPT store.

Let's continue the "converstation" in the comments section below. Let me know your questions. Is there a certain topic/concept you would like to see in a future Chat? Thanks for stopping by, and have fun teaching!

"Words to Live By" from Famous Scientists

2017-01-19T20:36:00.001-06:00

These famous scientists teach us about life as well as about science.

#KindnessNation

#WeHoldTheseTruths

We teach about the work of famous scientists all the time in our classes. If you take one of my classes, then it is a given that you know that Jonas Salk developed a life-saving polio vaccine, that Stephen Hawking changed the way we think about our universe, that Jane Goodall works tirelessly on behalf of her beloved chimpanzees, and that nothing makes sense in a biology class without the work of Charles Darwin. These people made (and make) tremendous contributions to various fields of study, but they also have a "human" side. They teach us not only about science, but about human nature, about the value of hard work, about tolerance and acceptance, and about the importance of perseverance, never giving up, and never losing hope.

Click image to download free mini-posters.

With this in mind, I have developed a set of classroom mini-posters highlighting quotes from scientists that offer words of wisdom. This is a "forever free" product in my TeachersPayTeachers store. All of the mini-posters print out on 8.5 x 11 sized paper. They can be quickly laminated and used to make a bulletin board or wall display. As our students sit in our classes and look about the room, hopefully their eyes will land on one of these posters and provide them with the inspiration to succeed and overcome the hurdles of life.

So, what's up with the hashtags? I am honored to join a large group of teacher-authors on TpT in this hashtag event to provide lots and lots of free classroom materials for all subjects and grade levels. The idea is to provide a wealth of free materials that teach and reinforce character, kindness, tolerance, anti-bullying, empathy, inclusion, and equality for all. Let's face it ... 2016 was a very difficult year for our nation. Regardless of your beliefs, opinions or convictions, teachers need materials to bring out the best in our students. This hashtag event will offer "forever free" materials that are not political in nature, but rather offer quality life lessons.

Here is a sample of the mini-posters.

Be sure to search on TpT, Facebook, and Instagram for these hashtags: #KindnessNation and #WeHoldTheseTruths.

This blog post is part of the Secondary Smorgasbord Blog Hop event. As always, thanks to Darlene Anne Curran (The ELA Buffet) and Pamela Kranz (Desktop Learning Adventures) for hosting this event!

Looking for other bulletin board ideas for your science classroom? These Science History Calendars feature 365 daily science facts, discoveries, inventions, famous scientists, and important dates in science history. Use them as a science fact of the day, bulletin board display, hallway display, or classroom discussion starter throughout the school year.