The Power of Open-Ended Questions

Is there anything not made of atoms? What’s it like being a particle in a solid? Open-ended questions are a powerful tool in your arsenal. Open-ended questions don’t have a simple “yes” or “no”. Instead, they encourage the student to express their own thoughts and opinions and, importantly, to think critically. We want them to […]

Teaching Atoms and Molecules

An understanding of atoms and molecules is fundamental to understanding science. Getting your students hooked on atoms and molecules (and the differences between them) early is crucial. But it’s not that easy and it’s a fairly dry topic to teach. Here’s how I liven up this topic. I’ve created comics that the students use as […]

Repurpose Student Doodles

Students love to doodle. I like to repurpose their doodling skills for note-taking. Doodle notes are a great way to see the overall picture. Students love them because they’re actively learning. They interact with visual triggers, which increases their focus and boosts their memory for the lesson material. They become excited (imagine!) and engaged. What’s […]

Make Your Own Bottle Biome

I’ve been making bottle biomes on and off for about 10 years. They’re a fantastic way to show the cycling of air and water in a sealed biome. Students can easily relate this to Earth. You may see examples online where they add small insects to the biome. I don’t as (a) I don’t think […]

Fun Science Review Games

Are you looking for fun science review games? Do you make your own? Have you heard about Trashketball? I LOVE Trashketball. It’s such a fun way to review science. My students love it too. I’m only sorry I didn’t learn about it sooner. Trashketball is a simple, fun way to review any topic. It’s particularly […]