Espinosa Science
38 Followers
corona, California, United States
About the store
I’m Dr. Tracy Espinosa, a high school science teacher with over 25 years of classroom experience. I have been teaching since 1998 and still absolutely love what I do! I currently teach Honors Biology and Anatomy & Physiology, and I enjoy creating engaging, rigorous, and classroom-tested resources that make science meaningful for students.
I hold a Ph.D. in Curriculum & Instruction with an emphasis in Curriculum and Teacher Education, and my passion is combining research-based teaching strategies with real-world classroom experience. My resources are designed by a teacher, for teachers, practical, student-centered, and ready to use.
Thank you for visiting my store! I hope these resources save you time, inspire your students, and bring a little more fun into your science classroom!
Read more
Store categories
All resources
Filters
Grade
Subject
Resource type
Theme
Audience
Is It Alive?? Characteristics of Living Things! Biology Opener!
This activity is a great opener in a life science or biology classroom. I use it at the beginning of the year as we discuss what biology is and what it means to be alive. This activity would also be a great first day of school activity as it gets the kids talking to one another and incorporates biology right away!
The kids are given a short story to ready about a martian who is sent to observe life on Earth. He discovers cars and believes them to be alive. THe kids work in groups to gener
4th - 12th
Biology
Keep Your Patient Alive! Homeostasis Lab for High School Biology! Super Fun!
Engage your high school students and introduce or review Homeostasis with this super fun activity! Kids have to keep their patients (a beaker of water) alive by maintaining a certain body temp. Can they successfully keep their patients between 34-40 degrees Celsius, ensuring they stay away from the dangers of frostbite, hypothermia, and fatal fevers?? In addition to the engaging theme of this activity, students will record data, graph data, and answer questions to analyze their data and discuss
7th - 10th
Anatomy, Biology, Science
Who Smashed Frosty? Mystery CER Activity! Perfect for Winter/Christmas!
Bring critical thinking to life this December with this fun, classroom-ready crime-scene style CER mystery! In Who Smashed Frosty?, students investigate a holiday hallway disaster after the school’s beloved foam snowman is found knocked over. Using clues, timelines, and suspect profiles (with pictures!), students must determine who smashed Frosty and support their claim with evidence and reasoning. This activity is perfect for CER writing practice, argumentation, claim-evidence-reasoning revi
7th - 12th
Biology, Chemistry, General Science
Also included in: CER Mystery Activity BUNDLE!! High School/Middle School Science NO PREP
CER Mystery Activity BUNDLE!! High School/Middle School Science NO PREP
Keep your students engaged and thinking critically all year long with this bundle of Mystery CER Activities! Each activity places students in the role of investigators as they analyze clues, evaluate scientific evidence, and solve exciting mysteries using the Claim-Evidence-Reasoning (CER) framework. These highly engaging science mysteries combine: ✔ Critical thinking ✔ Scientific reasoning ✔ Data analysis ✔ Evidence evaluation ✔ Real-world science connections Students will examine: Witness st
6th - 12th
Biology, Other (Science), Physical Science
Halloween Food Web Activity!
Dive into the spooky spirit of Halloween while exploring the dynamics of food webs with this engaging and educational activity! Perfect for middle school science classes and high school biology, this resource covers producers, primary to tertiary consumers, herbivores, carnivores, omnivores, autotrophs, heterotrophs, and the essential role of decomposers. Students will first interact with a pre-designed Halloween-themed food web, then unleash their creativity by designing their own! Complete wi
6th - 10th
Biology, Science
Science Fair Handbook--Middle/High School--Complete Student Workbook!
Take the stress out of science fair with this 50-page student workbook that guides students through every stage of a traditional experimental science project.Whether you're coordinating an entire school science fair or assigning an individual research project, this handbook helps students stay organized, think like scientists, and develop stronger investigations from start to finish.Instead of constantly answering the same questions, students have everything they need in one place—including plan
6th - 12th
Biology, Chemistry, Earth Sciences
Who Burned the Turkey? CER Mystery Thanksgiving High/Middle School Science!
Engage your students with a fun Thanksgiving-themed science mystery!In this interactive CER (Claim–Evidence–Reasoning) investigation, students analyze clues, examine suspect statements, and piece together evidence to solve who burned the turkey! Perfect for the days leading up to Thanksgiving break (or right after!). Students will work through a visually engaging slide presentation (provided as both a PDF and a fully editable Canva template) as they unravel the mystery. After reviewing the clue
6th - 12th
Anatomy, Biology, General Science
Also included in: CER Mystery Activity BUNDLE!! High School/Middle School Science NO PREP
Clash Royale Escape Room!! Review Photosynthesis and Cell Respiration!
Bring the excitement of Clash Royale into your classroom with this interactive Google Forms escape room! Students journey through a series of “Rooms” to review photosynthesis and cellular respiration, earning their victory by mastering inputs, outputs, energy flow, and key molecules along the way. Each “room” features a fun, science-based challenge — sorting, riddles, and multiple choice questions — all wrapped in the language and visuals of Clash Royale. From P.E.K.K.A.’s Power Source to the
7th - 12th
Biology
Groundhog Day Mystery CER Activity--Middle/High School Science!
Engage your students in critical thinking and scientific reasoning with this Groundhog Day–themed CER mystery activity! In this investigation, students analyze suspects, evidence, and red herrings to determine who sabotaged the Groundhog Day ceremony, then defend their conclusion using Claim-Evidence-Reasoning (CER). This activity is perfect for middle school and high school science classrooms and is designed to strengthen NGSS science skills without requiring prior content knowledge. Wha
7th - 12th
Biology, Chemistry, General Science
Also included in: CER Mystery Activity BUNDLE!! High School/Middle School Science NO PREP
Strange Science Specimen Mystery CER Activity---Perfect for After Winter Break!
Strange Specimen CER Mystery is a high-engagement Claim–Evidence–Reasoning activity that turns your classroom into a real scientific investigation! When students return from break, they discover a mysterious preserved organism left in the room—with no explanation. Using a series of detailed clues, scientific observations, and logical reasoning, students must determine which suspect left the specimen behind. This resource includes multiple pieces of realistic evidence, such as chemical analysis
7th - 12th
Biology, Chemistry, Forensics
Also included in: CER Mystery Activity BUNDLE!! High School/Middle School Science NO PREP
Science News Article Reflection Summary Template Worksheet!!
This is a 2-page (or 1-page front and back) worksheet to be used with any Science news article--print magazines or online! Helps guide the student's reading and hold them accountable for actually reading the article! Possible uses: Weekly assignment (i.e. What's New in Science Mondays!), monthly homework, early finishers, after a test, alternate assignment for labs or other activities that are difficult to make up if absent. Tons of possibilities! In my classes, (9th and 12th graders), I hav
5th - 12th
Biology, Chemistry, Science
Macromolecules--Thanksgiving Style!!
Bring science and creativity together this Thanksgiving season--and give yourself an easy day before the break! In this biology project, students research the macromolecules found in common Thanksgiving foods, then hand-draw their own dinner plate or holiday table scene to showcase their findings. Perfect for the days leading up to Thanksgiving break, this activity keeps students learning while allowing for creativity and fun. No digital tools required—just pencils, crayons, or markers! What S
7th - 12th
Biology
End of Year Mystery CER Activity: Senior Prank Gone Wrong
Get your students thinking critically with this highly engaging Senior Prank Gone Wrong Mystery CER Activity! In this end-of-year science investigation, students analyze clues, evaluate evidence, and use scientific reasoning to determine who was responsible for a dangerous foam-filled senior prank and what chemical reaction caused it. Students will investigate: Chemical evidenceWitness statementsSecurity footageTemperature and reaction dataSafety warningsSuspect backgrounds and motivesUsing a
7th - 12th
Biology, Forensics, Other (Science)
Also included in: CER Mystery Activity BUNDLE!! High School/Middle School Science NO PREP
Understanding Different Types of Graphs – Bar, Line, Pie & Scatterplot Practice
Help your students confidently choose and create the correct type of graph with this comprehensive graphing practice packet! This ready-to-use resource teaches students how to identify, interpret, and construct the four most common graphs used in science: • Bar Graphs • Line Graphs • Pie Charts • Scatterplots Students begin with clear, student-friendly explanations of each graph type (with visual examples), then complete reading comprehension questions to check understanding. The packet culmi
6th - 12th
Anatomy, Biology, Chemistry
Natural Selection and Bird Beak Lab
This is one of the favorite activities all year! Simulate natural selection and evolution by having your kids become birds with different beaks. Part 1, is a hands-on lab with write up. Part 2 is Battle of the Bird Beaks, a whole class competition!
7th - 12th
Science
Spring Break Mystery CER Activity, Patient Zero, Disease Spread, NGSS
Looking for an engaging, ready-to-use CER activity that gets students thinking like scientists? This Spring Break Mystery challenges students to determine who spread a cold illness using evidence, timelines, and real-world science concepts! Students analyze clues about four suspects, evaluate symptom timelines, and apply knowledge of infectious disease transmission, incubation periods, and human behavior to identify patient zero (all provided as clues, no prior knowledge needed!). What’s In
6th - 12th
Anatomy, Biology, Health
Greek and Latin Roots in Science
The Language of Science--give students a list of greek and latin roots related to science to study. Then students must use their knowledge of roots to figure out definitions of science terms on a quiz. Good activity for the beginning of the year!
7th - 12th
Science
Mortis and Time of Death Scenario Problems! Forensics or Anatomy!
Unlock the mysteries of forensic science and human anatomy with this engaging and educational worksheet, tailored for high school students. This resource offers 10 quick scenarios of post-mortem analysis, focusing on the crucial signs of Mortis – Pallor Mortis, Algor Mortis, Rigor Mortis, and Livor Mortis. Designed to enhance understanding and spark curiosity, this worksheet is perfect for classes in forensics, biology, and anatomy. Answer key is included! Key Features:10 Realistic Scenarios: St
9th - 12th
Anatomy, Forensics
Science Myths and Misconceptions-Updated!
A simple activity to increase interest in the science classroom! Students read the concepts on the handout and must decide if they believe it is true or a myth. Concepts include, "5 Second Rule", "Blind as a Bat", "Dogs mouths are cleaner than humans?". They discuss in groups and the activity could be extended to include a research project and or experiment. Turns out ALL the concepts are false!
Great activity to use on the first day or first week of school! Gets the kids talking with one
6th - 12th
Science
Rattlesnake Bite Case Study!!
Rattlesnake Bite Medical Case Study Looking for an engaging, real-world activity to bring your body systems unit to life? This Rattlesnake Bite Medical Case Study puts students in the role of medical professionals as they analyze symptoms, interpret data, and determine what is happening inside the body after a venomous snakebite. Based on a realistic scenario, this high-interest case study connects directly to body systems, animal adaptations, and real-world biology, making it perfect for An
9th - 12th
Anatomy, Biology, Health
Showing 1-20 of 91 results
About the store
Experience
I’m Dr. Tracy Espinosa, a high school science teacher with over 25 years of classroom experience. I have been teaching since 1998 and still absolutely love what I do! I currently teach Honors Biology and Anatomy & Physiology, and I enjoy creating engaging, rigorous, and classroom-tested resources that make science meaningful for students.
I hold a Ph.D. in Curriculum & Instruction with an emphasis in Curriculum and Teacher Education, and my passion is combining research-based teaching strategies with real-world classroom experience. My resources are designed by a teacher, for teachers, practical, student-centered, and ready to use.
Thank you for visiting my store! I hope these resources save you time, inspire your students, and bring a little more fun into your science classroom!
Teaching style
I believe science should be something students experience, not just something they memorize. My classroom is structured enough that students always know the plan for the day, but no two days look exactly the same!
We explore science through engaging phenomena, hands-on labs, online simulations, real-world problems, case studies, discussions, projects, and collaborative activities. Students may be investigating a mystery, analyzing data, designing an experiment, creating a model, debating solutions, or working together to figure out how and why something happens.
I use a combination of technology tools like Canvas, digital activities, virtual labs, videos, and interactive resources along with traditional hands-on investigations and group work. My goal is to create lessons that are meaningful, memorable, and get students actively involved in learning.
My classroom is rarely quiet — and that’s exactly how I like it! Students learn best when they are curious, talking, questioning, collaborating, and doing science.
Awards & shining teacher moments
.
TPT is the largest marketplace for PreK-12 resources, powered by a community of educators.
IXL family of brands