Megan's Lab

This is a great "First Week" activity that will help your students see themselves as scientists -- literally! I used a version of this activity at the beginning of the year last year, and modified it for this year after noticing a missed opportunity for students to examine their own biases about who "is" or "isn't" a scientist. Students first draw what they think of when they think of a "scientist", and then talk about what they drew. Of course, at the end they have a chance to draw themselves!

This is the Summary Table template that I use with my students. I wanted to make sure it was available as a free resource since I mention it in many of my other lessons and units! For those unfamiliar, a Summary Table is a useful sense-making tool for phenomenon- or driving-question-based units. It is a way for students to keep track of each activity they've done, what they learned from it, and how it helps them answer the driving question or explain the phenomenon. More information about Summar