Active Brain Science

I love teaching science! There are so many opportunities for critical thinking and exciting applications to the real world. Life science is my specialty, and my favorite part is helping students understand what science really is and how it works. I teach 7th graders in Oregon during the year, then head down in the summer to an English immersion school for Spanish speakers in Honduras, where I train and mentor new volunteer teachers.

Active lessons get students interacting with science so they can own it! Hands-on activities, interactive notebooks, direct vocabulary instruction, and solving real world scientific mysteries allows students to develop connections between big ideas, leading to longer-term learning. In addition, I include plenty of activities that integrate content while building students' understanding of the true nature of science. To trust science, you have to understand how it works. It's my job to teach that and I take it seriously!

MS in Environmental Education from Southern Oregon University, Oregon Teaching License in Upper Elementary and Middle School Science, BS in Environmental Science and minor in Biology from University of Oregon

Before becoming a classroom teacher, I taught science on the coast and in the forest at Outdoor School. I also taught middle school science for a year in Honduras (one of the hardest but most rewarding years of my life) and lead wilderness adventure trips for teenagers. Now I'm thrilled to get to spend a whole year with my students as we embark on an adventure of science learning every fall.