Developing AND Using Models: Modeling Organs and Organ Systems (MS-LS1-3)
Modeling is a HUGE part of the NGSS classroom. (Check out this post on NGSS modeling for more info!) I have students modeling… probably daily! Those models aren’t always big…
How To Teach Vocabulary In An NGSS Classroom: Interactions In Ecosystems
If you haven’t already, be sure to check out last week’s post - Why You Need To Stop Front-Loading Vocabulary. First of all, we need to understand exactly what we…
Why You Need To Stop Front-Loading Vocabulary
Just like our teaching strategies are changing as we shift to the discovery-centered, NGSS-style of instruction, we also need to change how we teach vocabulary. This can be a…
You Can’t P-D Alone: Creating A Science Community
It has nearly been 2.5 years since I have been in the classroom. I started my maternity leave with my second child in June of 2017 and soon after started…
Scaffolding NGSS Inquiry: Investigating The Body As A System (MS-LS1-3)
The Next Generation Science Standards are all about discovery-centered instruction. (I may have made up that term, but it’s how I think about the NGSS). In discovery-centered instruction, students engage…
Simulations To Engage: Infectious Disease and Body Systems (MS-LS1-3)
Simulations are a great way to engage your students in science content that they cannot otherwise access — whether it’s on a scale too large or too long, or simply…
Close Read Your Evidence Statements: Cells and Cell Organelles (MS-LS1-2)
When I first started teaching, cells were one of the topics in my curriculum. My old standards read something like, “Students will know the parts of the cell, including cell…
Connecting To Your Anchor Throughout The Unit
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. Once you choose your anchor, you have to USE it. Anchor phenomena are meant to drive instruction, connecting all the disparate…
Engage Your Students In Science Discovery
Last week, we took a broad overview of NGSS-aligned instruction using the 5E Model. This week, we are going to take a deep dive into the first two stages of…
It’s NOT The 5E Model: Red Flags To Watch Out For
The next few weeks are all about the 5E Model! This is one of my FAVORITE topics to discuss, so I'm excited to share with you some of what I've…