Introducing students to the scientific method

One thing I love and hate to do with my students is to teach them to create their own experiments.  I love doing it because the students come up with the craziest ideas and they get to get a sense of what scientists really do.  I hate it because it it's difficult for the students and they resist it.  In the end I am happy with the work that most of my students put into the assignment (you can't get them all, lol)  I try to have a collection of ideas to provide an example for my students and also for those groups who are not able to come up with their own.  Scientific American has a great article that outlines an experiment just as how I would like my student to.  I like to share this with students before we begin so that they can get an idea about what I am expecting.

Where do you get ideas from? 

Why Don't Antibiotics Work Like They Used To? - Example of a NGSS Lesson

If you are in one of the many schools around the country that are transitioning to the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) or have already made the transition you have the job of redesigning your lessons to meet these new standards.  The website www.nextgenscience.org has you covered.  You can find examples of quality NGSS designed lessons such as this one asking why antibiotics don't work they way the used to.   It part of the natural selection and evolution unit and explores the case of a girl with a life threatening bacterial infection.  As part of this lesson, students will design a model to explain how bacteria populations change over time.

The lessons you will find on this site were evaluated with the EQuIP Rubric for Science.  The rubric is designed to review existing lessons to provide criterion-based feedback and suggestions for improvement.  It can be a helpful tool as you are trying to develop your own NGSS aligned lessons.

Where you are finding quality NGSS lessons? 

Making Golden Rain - investigating solubilities

One of the reasons that I love teaching Chemistry is that you get to do so many awesome experiments.  Not only are they cool, but they provide a great hook for students as a means of introduction to a new topic.  The reaction between potassium iodide and lead nitrate is a great demonstration to introduce students to the idea of solubility.  They each start off as a colorless solution when dissolved in water, but when you mix them together you end  change.  This reaction also demonstrates a double replacement reaction.  The pricipitate of lead (III) iodide is insoluable in water, but when heated it become slightly soluable while allows that lead (III) iodide to dissociate and the solution turns colorless again.  Its a great reaction.

Below is a great image from Compound Chem that gives a vidual to the quick explaination I gave above.  This is a great site for any chemistry teacher to check out even if this demo doesn't fit it what you are doing.

Virtuali-Tee (Human Body Augmented Reality Tee)

How cool is this t-shirt? It's wearable augmented reality! You can view the circulatory, respiratory and digestive systems and even has a heart rate tracker to visualize your heart beat.

You'll need to download the app to your phone but then all you need to scan your shirt and tap to view the different layers of your body. It even works in selfie mode.

Take a look at the video below or use the demo page to check it our yourself.   The t-shirt itself is a little pricey, but it could make a fun gift.

Free Binder Labels for Science Lab and Lessons

Sometimes I feel that elementary teachers get all of the cute stuff and I want some of it for my classroom. :-)  I came across these editable binder labels from Kessler Science and I had to share them with you all.  You can get them for free from Teachers Pay Teachers.

Enjoy!

Cute Syllabus Template

Sharing your syllabus with your students is important, but it's often a very boring looking document.  I found this super cute syllabus template on TPT and it's free!  I had to share it with you.  I've linked it below.  I'd love to know if you end up using it or what other creative ways you have to share your syllabus. 

Chemistry in Videos (perfect for middle school students)

Chemistry can be a difficult topic for middle school students to grasp.  I know that grades always seemed to drop a bit when we got to the chemistry unit.  I always wished that I had more time to spend on it because I think it's such an interesting topic.  Because of the abstract nature of chemistry, it is really hard to for young students to grasp the concepts.  When I can find video clips that help to conceptualize the abstract I feel like it's a big win.  I found just those videos and there are ones on properties of matter, phases of matter, atoms, physical and chemical changes, acids and bases, elements and compounds, mixtures, the periodic table and energy and matter.  Each video also comes with an interactive quiz that you can do with the students.  These videos are similar to BrainPop without having to have a subscription.

Which videos will you use with your students?