When I first started using discovery-based learning and the NGSS, my students struggled. They were used to traditional science classrooms where they were told information, took notes and completed worksheets,…
There are so many ways to engage your students in the discovery of a concept. Model-building (the 3D kind), simulations, and investigations are great ways to get students moving,…
I may have mentioned I have a penchant for wanting to DIY things. The idea always sounds good in theory. Chocolate-covered Oreos are pretty expensive for that little box, why…
We can all agree this emergency remote learning situation isn't ideal. It's not ideal in a typical science classroom, and it certainly is making three dimensional, NGSS-aligned instruction particularly challenging.…
One of the challenges of teaching science at the middle and high school level is the increasingly abstract nature of the content. Students are diving into much smaller and…
One goal of NGSS-aligned instruction is to teach in three dimensions - seamlessly incorporating Science and Engineering Practices, Crosscutting Concepts, and content (Disciplinary Core Ideas). That is, admittedly, easier…
Have you ever had that class that was just stacked with the “worst” students? (I use quotation marks here because I really enjoyed these students as people. However, they really…
Let’s do a quick experiment. Raise your (digital) hand if you’ve ever seen or experienced, in some form or another, an administrator, parent, or another teacher valuing English/Language Arts class…
This is our last post in our series on creating engaging assessments! (Don’t forget to check out those from the last two weeks on Performance Tasks and Instructionally Embedded Assessments!)…
Last week, we talked about transforming traditional performance tasks to up the ante in terms of fun and engagement. This week, we’re going to look at instructional-embedded assessments as a…