Wandering Scientist
3 Followers
Pasadena, California, United States
About the store
I taught second grade for two years before I discovered that Science and Engineering was all that I wanted to teach. You know, the fun stuff. So, I moved up to teaching 8th grade science where I have been for 8 years. For the last two years, I have also taught engineering.
At the schools I have worked at, I have needed to support students of every kind: SPED, GATE, EL, and every student in between. Currently, my classes are mostly "Collab" rostered with about 1/3 of each class comprised of students with IEPs that have mild to moderate accommodations listed on them.
Like most of us, I have always needed to create engaging lessons on my own as the options for curricula that effectively align with the NGSS standards and are middle school level are sparse, to say the least. I look forward to sharing my tried and tested lessons with all of you!
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Critical Thinking Entrance Ticket - Mystery Animal Sounds Part 2
The PDF download includes a link to a OneDrive folder where you can download everything you need! *Part 2 of the Mystery Animal Series! Five more animal sounds!* I developed this activity over 5 years in my 8th grade science classroom. It started as a way to get kids laughing and engaged when we first started distance learning during Covid-19. Over the years, I have expanded the routine to include writing standards and rubric to get kids writing. It can be easily adjusted for older and you
5th - 12th
Basic Principles, General Science, Writing-Expository
CCSS, NGSS
W.8.1
, W.8.1c
, W.8.2c
+5
Critical Thinking Entrance Ticket Routine - Mystery Animal Sounds Part 1
The PDF download includes a link to a OneDrive folder where you can download everything you need! I developed this activity over 5 years in my 8th grade science classroom. It started as a way to get kids laughing and engaged when we first started distance learning during Covid-19. Over the years, I have expanded the routine to include writing standards and rubric to get kids writing. It can be easily adjusted for older and younger students by editing the rubric and sample answers. This activity
5th - 12th
Basic Principles, General Science, Writing-Expository
CCSS, NGSS
W.8.1
, W.8.1c
, W.8.2c
+5
Intro to Critical Thinking Writing in Science - Fun with Animal Sounds!
Thank you for checking out my store! This lesson is meant to introduce you to my teaching style.Time: 60-90 minutes Some quick bullet points of what this lesson includes: - Introduction slides to set the tone for thinking and working like a scientist - A general answer grading rubric for critical thinking questions (this rubric works best with open ended or exploratory questions that encourage thinking rather than the exact right answer) - Fun/strange animal sounds to engage students and make
5th - 10th
Basic Principles, General Science
CCSS
CCRA.W.1
, CCRA.W.4
, CCRA.SL.1
+7
Discussion Diamond - Group Discussion Protocol (with TIPS!)
Disclaimer: This product was originally sourced from ambitiousscienceteaching.org. I have included highlighted tips and tricks that I have learned over 7 years of using this protocol with middle school students. This protocol has helped me monitor student thought during small group discussions without having to stand next to each group and take notes. At the end of the 10-15 minute protocol you will have a formative artifact for every student in the room. This protocol is often included in my l
4th - 12th
Basic Principles
CCSS
SL.8.1
, SL.8.1a
, SL.8.1c
+2
Showing 1-4 of 4 results
About the store
Experience
I taught second grade for two years before I discovered that Science and Engineering was all that I wanted to teach. You know, the fun stuff. So, I moved up to teaching 8th grade science where I have been for 8 years. For the last two years, I have also taught engineering.
At the schools I have worked at, I have needed to support students of every kind: SPED, GATE, EL, and every student in between. Currently, my classes are mostly "Collab" rostered with about 1/3 of each class comprised of students with IEPs that have mild to moderate accommodations listed on them.
Like most of us, I have always needed to create engaging lessons on my own as the options for curricula that effectively align with the NGSS standards and are middle school level are sparse, to say the least. I look forward to sharing my tried and tested lessons with all of you!
Teaching style
I am always trying to find the balance between collaborative, independent and teacher-led work.
I believe that having a healthy mix of all three helps to support students at this age level to feel confident to tackle tasks on their own. That being said, I am always looking for ways to accomplish the same learning target without students just following along and taking notes or reading an article and filling in the blanks of a worksheet.
If you poked your head inside my classroom, you would hear productive noise as students discuss, see students writing or making something with their hands, and feel, on a good day, a sense of positivity and excitement about the topic. I would be monitoring the room from the side, letting students struggle for a little while before jumping in to offer help and suggestions.
Awards & shining teacher moments
For the last two years, I developed an Introduction to Physics and Engineering elective course.
In the Spring of 2024, my course description was adopted by my district and all middle schools at the district have the option to teach my course.
My own education history
Bachelors in French Language and Culture - San Francisco State University
Masters in Teaching - Pepperdine University
Additional biographical information
I love to travel, hike and camp. I want to see as much of this world as possible as it fuels my creativity and helps me connect better with students from all backgrounds.
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