The Teacher's Breakroom

For many years politicians have called for education reform. In each case the importance of sound science education in the primary grades has been highlighted. This reform is crucial if students are to develop the problem-solving skills they need to understand and participate in a world that is growing exponentially in scientific and technological skills and awareness.

Though many elementary teachers are often uncomfortable teaching science, the good news is that elementary students are naturally inquisitive.  This fact makes them prime candidates for scientific exploration.

The best way to introduce elementary school students to the world of science is to involve them in hands-on experiments and investigation through the inquiry process. In other words, provide them with numerous opportunities to experience science in action. And of course, that means engaging them with plenty of easy science experiments.

Here are two easy science experiments elementary students will love.

Volcano models

This science classroom favorite experiment is an excellent way to demonstrate chemical reactions.  Students of all ages love this!

Materials:

Clay or Play Dough

Food coloring

Baking soda

Vinegar

2 L soda bottle

Funnel

Safety goggles

Dishwashing soap

Children will make a volcano model using the soda bottle as a base and the clay to shape a volcano around the bottle. It’s important that the opening of the bottle remains clear and that clau doesn’t get into the bottle.

When the model has been created, the first step is to fill the bottle with 1 liter of warm water through the opening of the volcano. Use the funnel to pour the water into the bottle. The next step is to put it a couple of drops of red food coloring into the water. Make sure students are wearing their safety goggles.

Now it’s time to see a chemical reaction in progress. Have students add a few drops of the dishwashing soap detergent into the volcano. Next comes 2 tablespoons of baking soda. Finally, have students pour the vinegar into the bottle. Suddenly, the volcano erupts and the lava flows!

Once all the excitement has died down explain what actually happened. A chemical reaction occurred when the baking soda and vinegar mixed. The result was the creation of carbon dioxide. The pressure from the carbon dioxide build-up forced the soapy water to erupt from the volcano. The same principle applies to actual volcanic eruptions when carbon dioxide gas forces lava flow.

What’s the beverage of choice for grass seed?

Most students know that plants need water to grow but what would happen if you “watered” the seeds of with a liquid other than water?

Materials:

Four small pots or containers

Grass seed

Orange juice

Milk

Vinegar

Water

Compost “Tea” (water in which organic matter has steeped)

Potting soil

Fill the containers with potting soil and sprinkle the grass seeds on top. Cover the seeds with a thin layer of potting soil. Mark the containers with the name of the liquid you’ll be testing. Put the pots in a sunny location and then using equal amounts, water them with the different liquids. Make sure you record any growth or changes in the plants each day.

These two simple experiments are fun and engaging, but most importantly, involve students in investigation and the inquiry process. By implementing science experiments such as these in the daily curriculum, critical scientific thinking and processing skills are nurtured.

For other science experiments or other teaching supplies, please visit our website.

Kids love to play games and with a little guidance, teachers can use “playtime” to ingrain the Word of God into young hearts and minds.

Here are three games with a Christian perspective you can use in your Christian school classroom, Sunday school, or at home.

Bible Verse Memory Game

Help children remember Bible verses that will guide them through life.  You’ll need a white board, markers, and a towel.

Choose a Bible verse and write it on the white board.  Underneath, rewrite the verse removing key words and replacing them with a blank line.  Cover this with the towel.

Spend a few minutes reviewing the verse with the children.  Put the children into groups and have them raise their hand when they know the missing word for the first blank.  Then go on to the second blank and so forth.

The group that fills in the most blanks correctly is the winner.

You can also consider items such as Bible Memory Verse Crafts.

The Wise King (or Queen)

This game will help children understand the actions and fruits of the spirit that are pleasing to God.

Choose one child to be the wise king or queen.  On index cards write words such as kindness, caring, compassion, patience, etc. Hand each child a card.

The child goes to the king or queen and describes a situation that demonstrates the word on the card.  For example, if the word is kindness the child could say “I let my little sister play with my new doll so she wouldn’t be sad.”  If the king feels the description is correct, they allow them a pass into the kingdom.  If not, they need to return to their seat and think of another scenario that would describe the word.

Take care to explain that we aren’t admitted to heaven through actions but through grace.  Use this game to emphasize that God is our heavenly King and certain behaviors are pleasing to him while others are not.

Bible Bingo

Play Bible Bingo to review and reinforce unit lessons or bible stories.

Make a bingo grid of five squares down and across. At the top of the grid, write the letters B-I-B-L-E. Make enough grids for each student in the classroom.

On the left hand side of the grid, number the horizontal rows 1-5.   Write the answers to the questions you plan to ask on the white board and have students write them in the squares in any order they choose.

Hand each student “bingo chips” such as checkers or cut pieces of construction paper to fit the squares.  The teacher calls out a combination such as B-3, or L-1.  She then reads the question.  If the student has the corresponding answer in their square, they cover the square with a chip.  The first student fill in a vertical, horizontal, or diagonal row makes wins.

If you have computer access, you can find all kinds of Christian games for kids online, such as word scrambles, puzzles, and trivia games.  The idea is to make learning fun while reinforcing Christian principles and the love of God. You might even consider a game such as Bible Jingo.

For other ideas, please take a look at our Christian Games & Puzzles section.

It’s safe to say that all teachers agree teaching for understanding is the ultimate goal in the classroom. After all, teachers deliver information every day with the objective that students will understand what is being taught.  However, many teachers do not adequately understand the goal of teaching for understanding. There is a lot of evidence that “to understand” or “to teach for understanding” are slippery terms.

For example, teachers often have different ideas of what it means to understand. Some teachers say it means to internalize knowledge, while others believe to understand means to grasp the core essence of information. Do they all mean the same thing? And how can you recognize a student who “really understands” — what does he or she do when they understand that is different from what he or she may do when they do not understand?

Understanding is different from knowledge

Obviously, you have to have knowledge of something in order to understand it. But understanding is more than knowledge. All teachers have probably seen this for themselves firsthand. Students can have a great deal of knowledge about a subject but don’t really understand what that knowledge means. The other side of the coin is that a student may not have completed their homework or give a half-hearted effort in the classroom, but yet seem to grasp the core essence of an idea – ideas more conscientious students seem to miss.

The truth is knowing the facts and “aceing” a test does not mean that students understand what they know. Doing poorly on a test doesn’t mean that students don’t understand the ideas of the topic.

The key difference between knowledge and understanding

Understanding based on knowledge is always transferable and transformable. In other words students can transfer their knowledge to new context or transform it into a new idea. Simple knowledge is more rote — it has more to do with correct factual information than insight. Knowledge involves little more than being able to remember or recall.

This is a universal problem. All too often teachers are satisfied by signs of apparent understanding such as when students give the correct definitions, words, or can spout off a formula. But if you change the question so that it is asked in a way that students have not seen before it becomes obvious that they really do not understand what teachers thought they did.

This problem affects both successful students and low achievers. And in the academic world of high-stakes testing and grading, sorting out the difference between apparent and genuine understanding becomes even more pressing. When students are given an incentive to seem to understand what they are supposed to learn, the challenge of teaching and assessing for real understanding can seem overwhelming

Understanding “understanding”

According to Jay McTighe and Grant Wiggins, authors of Understanding By Design, understanding has 6 facets:  explanation, interpretation, application, perspective, empathy, and self-knowledge.  When teachers themselves fully understand what “understanding” really means, they will be able to gauge student response and performance by how well they demonstrate these 6 facets.

When searching for aids in teaching your classes, we hope you will consider our Teacher Supply Store.

When you consider the many hats teachers wear throughout the day, it’s easy to see why teaching is one of the most stressful careers. Not only are teachers responsible for educating their students, they also must be competent nurses, counselors, babysitters, administrators, and security guards. Its little wonder the rate of teacher burnout is reaching epidemic proportions.

While there’s not a simple solution to the problem, there is a way to make the teacher’s job a lot less stressful. When teachers have the right teaching tools, they can fulfill their many roles much more efficiently.

Teachers are big paper pushers — it simply part of the job. Below are several recommended forms to be used as tools to track and organize student behavior, communication, and instruction.

Teacher tools for discipline

1. Behavior documentation — this is a type of behavior log for each student whereby the teacher documents any infraction of the rules.

2. Detention assignment — this is a form that students take home to their parents to notify them their child has been assigned detention. After both parent and student have signed the form, the student then returns it to the teacher.

3. Detention sign- in – a chart for student’s name, the date and time, as students sign in for detention.

4. Detention tracking — a form to document the number of detentions each student has served.

5. Essay form — students reflect on the behavior that cause them to receive detention.

Teacher tools for instruction

1. Assignment sheet — this form is given to students to help them keep track of homework assignments. It’s to be kept in their notebooks at all times.

2. Blank bingo sheet — bingo is such a versatile teaching game, having blank sheets on hand makes it easy to incorporate the game into your lesson plan. Students simply fill out the sheet with vocabulary words, definitions, formulas, etc.

3. Reading book list — students keep track of the title and author of the books they’ve read.

4. Behavior chart – this chart is useful when students are engaged in group work. Teachers can keep track of objectives such as staying on task, cooperation, and working quietly.

5. Progress report — a checklist to inform students of their grade so far and a place to list incomplete or missing assignments.

6. Blank graph paper — very useful for making graphs in math and science, and is also useful in art class.

7. Homework passes — used to reward students with one free assignment.

8. Make up work – a form for students to fill out after an absence that allows for requesting makeup work.

9. Textbook condition form — this is a form student use when they first receive their textbooks. They document the textbook number and condition of the book.

10. Lesson plan forms – forms that can be used to plan for up to 9 weeks of lessons.  They have space to write objectives, standards, materials, and procedures.

11.  Grade book forms – a class roster list that has columns for each assignment and boxes for the student’s grade.  They can be hole punched and bound in a notebook.

Teacher tools for communication

1. Substitute teacher notes – the way for substitutes to record behavior or lesson plan results.

2. Hall passes — a simple form that documents the student’s name, the time, and destination.

3. Contact log — a way to document communication with parents.

4. Blank calendar — useful for lesson plans, scheduling, and documenting important meeting dates.

5. Roster sheets — a class list of student names used for tracking attendance, behavior, or grades.

Documentation is essential for clear and accurate communication with parents and administrators.  Using these forms will make this chore much easier and more efficient.

When searching for Teacher Tools, we hope that you will visit our site for thousands of products!

A new year has arrived and it’s time to dust off that 5-year-old unit on animal habitats and design a new unit of study for your students. How will you design a winning unit?

You’ve thought through your unit goals and have pinpointed what students need to understand.  You’ve constructed challenging assessments.  Now what?  Just because you’ve targeted goals and know what you’ll assess doesn’t mean you know exactly what you’ll do when you’re teaching.  Nor does it mean you’ll automatically know how to best sequence the unit for maximum effectiveness.

There’s still more things to consider.  For example, how and when should you present specific content?  In what ways?   What different types of strategies and lessons should be implemented in order to make student performance the best it can be?

The answer isn’t always obvious. Here are 5 guidelines to consider when you’re planning your unit that will help you focus your efforts.  You’ll find they transport you from thinking about what you want to accomplish to what students need to do in order to truly understand the content.

Unit Planning Guidelines

1.  Determine how you will help students know where they are headed and why.

In other words what are the major assignments, performance tasks, and criteria you will use to grade.

One way to help students understand the direction they’re headed in is to post leading questions on a bulletin board. Also, students always want to know how they will be graded, so teachers can pass out a rubric and review it with them.

Another useful strategy is bringing out projects from previous years and demonstrate how they will be evaluated with the rubric.  This helps students understand what great work looks like. Make sure students have handouts that specify requirements, deadlines, checklists, rubrics, and the reference materials they’ll need to use.

2.  Decide how you will hook students with engaging and thought-provoking experiences.

One option is to begin a unit with a problem-based learning mystery. Or you can challenge students to react to a controversial or odd statement.

3.  Think of the events that can lead students to experience ideas and issues so they become real.

Students learn best when new material fits nicely into their world – when it becomes relevant and real.  This can be achieved through community or school wide surveys, searching the web for local events, and interviews with authority figures.

4.  What strategies will be used to cause students to reflect and rethink for deeper understanding of core ideas?

Students will need experience in rehearsing, revising, and refining their work. One way to give students practice with this is to have them work in groups to evaluate each other’s work. They can also write a reflection piece of their own work as well as propose changes to other students work.

5.  Decide how students will exhibit their understanding.

Teachers often need to guide students in self-evaluation to identify the strengths and weaknesses in their work. One way to help students with this is to allow them to self assess their work on a key performance task. They can also demonstrate their understanding by creating a brochure, poster, or final product.

Just like a good movie needs certain elements to keep an audience engaged, designing an effective unit needs elements to make student learning engaging and effective.  By considering these five guidelines you’re much more likely to construct a unit that connects with students and increases their chances of success.

When planning these activities, please consider us as your Teacher Supply Store.

21 Fun Ideas For Middle School Science Projects

For the science-loving student, science fair season is something to get excited about. However, studies show that once students have entered middle school, their natural enthusiasm for science begins to wane. For these students, science projects can be overwhelming and it becomes difficult to keep them engaged. The key is to find a project that interests and excites them.

Scientific Processes Serve Students Throughout Their Lives

Nothing teaches scientific processes as well as actively developing a hypothesis to a problem, designing an experiment, gathering data and analyzing results. What’s more these processes will serve students well throughout their life – whether it be for solving everyday problems or problems in their career.

Here are 21 fun and interesting ideas for middle school science projects. Maybe they’ll inspire you to think of others.

1. How does temperature affect the growth of mold on bread?
2. How do different colors of light affect plant growth?
3. Which brand of diapers absorbs the most liquid?
4. How does temperature affect the growth of crystals?
5. What is the effect of music on houseplants?
6. Does listening to music make you a better math student?
7. Does the temperature of water effect seed growth?
8. Which brand of fertilizer is best for tomato plants?
9. What public places have the most germs?
10. What bathroom cleaner is most effective for killing germs and mildew?
11. What is best for cleaning – hard or soft water?
12. What foods do ants like the best?
13. How does salt affect the melting rate of ice?
14. What is the effect of acids on metals?
15. Do colors affect test performance?
16. Do dogs, cats, or humans have the most bacteria in their mouths?
17. How do acids affect the mass of a penny?
18. What effect does a dog’s saliva have on bacteria growth?
19. What is the effect of magnetism on plant growth?
20. What colors are robins most attracted to?
21. What is the effect of plants on the water quality of a fish tank?
22. How do colors affect mood?
23. How does smell affect your sense of taste?
24. How do worms respond to light?
25. How can you make a battery out of a pickle?

The Best Project Ideas Are Student Created

Though students will probably find at least on of the above project ideas interesting, the best ideas are student created. That means a student has a burning question about a topic of interest – and wants to know the solution! Students may not initially think of their questions as suitable for the science fair. But with encouragement and guidance, any problem can turn into an excellent science fair experiment. For other ideas, you might want to consider looking at our Science Fair Section.

The best science teachers know that “real” science is learned through observation and experimentation. In order to have the best possible lesson plans and activities prepared for students, teachers have to make sure they are prepared, too. That’s why every science classroom needs to be well stocked with basic science supplies as well as kits and instruments that make it easier and interesting to master the concept of the day.

Of course, the curriculum will dictate a lot of what goes into your science supply list. However, there are certain items that can be used in practically any science classroom, whether it is chemistry, life science, physical science, or a science.  For a complete inventory of items you might like to stock, please see our Science Teacher Supplies section.

Here is a list of basic science supplies that are easy to locate and relatively inexpensive.

Baking soda

Cornstarch

Toothpicks

Scissors

Colored pencils

Rulers

Rubber bands

Plastic spoons

Paper plates

Sandwich bags

Brown paper lunch bags

Modeling Clay

Vinegar

Salt

Sugar

Dry ice (as needed)

Epson salt

Cooking oil

Food coloring

Cotton balls

Plastic straws

Plastic cups in all sizes

Aluminum foil

Balloons

These items can be picked up at the grocery store or your local Wal-Mart. Many times it’s less expensive to purchase these items from these types of stores rather than a science supply house, so depending on your school budget, you may be asked to stock your cabinets in that manner.

Other branches of science require specific supplies to cover the learning objectives of the curriculum.  Here is a brief list of supplies needed in each common science category.

Supplies for Earth science

Crystal growing kits

Fossil and dinosaur molds

Rocks and minerals kits

Weather instruments

Astronomy models

Sand or potting soil

Supplies for Life Science

DNA models

Microscope slides

Cover slips

Droppers

Owl pellets

Models of organ systems

Human skeleton

Prepared slides

Microscopes

Charts and diagrams

Chemistry supplies

Beakers

Flasks

Pipettes

Balance scales

Chemicals

Reagents

Safety goggles

Molecular models

Periodic table

Hot plate

Supplies for Physical Science

Catapults and pulleys

Ball and ring apparatus

Gyroscopes

Optic kits

Prisms

Colored lights

Motion detectors

Heat sensors

Magnets

Tuning Forks

This list is certainly not exhaustive but supplies the very basics to teach the curriculum.  Keep in mind that some items can be interchanged within each subject matter; for example, most of the chemistry supplies are needed in all science labs.

Another thing to keep in the forefront of your mind is the only thing worse than not having the supplies you need is having a storeroom full of supplies and not using them.  Science is all about hypothesizing, theorizing and then doing and watching.  Those critical steps simply can’t be taught with a textbook, pen, and paper.

One of the most meaningful ways to demonstrate the relevance of classroom learning to the real world is to offer students opportunities for project raised learning. Project based learning is a teaching strategy that employees higher-level critical thinking skills in order to solve an authentic problem.

The project centers around real-world issues and allows students to glimpse a realistic view of the relevance of what they’re learning. Students become valued members of a project team while honing their critical thinking skills to investigate, create, analyze, and find solutions to authentic problems that interest them.

Look to the real world for guidance

Depending on the subject matter, projects usually zero in on finding a solution to a problem that is taking place in their community or even globally. Practically any dilemma that is occurring in the world can potentially be the focus of the project, though environmental issues seem to be a popular choice.

But regardless of the topic, the first step is for teachers to carefully lay out the guidelines as well as the learning goal and objectives of the activity.

Here are seven steps for a successful project

Obviously a project of this scope requires careful attention and planning. The following steps can guide both teachers and students through the process.

1. Choose the topic to be explored.  The topics should obviously stem from the curriculum but they also need to have the potential for deep investigation. One of the best things teachers can do is to simply ask the students what they’re interested in. Students are much likely to immerse themselves in the process if they are curious and motivated. You may want to reveal local community issues students would like to address to help them along.

2. Clearly define learning goals.  Learning objectives need to be aligned to state standards. Also focus on skills objectives as well as learning objectives.

3. Determine the task.  Teachers need to establish the guidelines and timetables for how and when the project will be completed. This is essential for successfully finishing the project, as students will need guidance to keep them on track.

4. Determine due dates.  Students need to be aware that projects of this scope may take more time than they are accustomed to spending on a project. The last thing they need is for a due date to sneak up on them and find them unprepared. They also need to understand that it is essential to use their cooperative learning skills to stay on schedule.

5. Determine how students will demonstrate learning. Students do best when they are offered a choice of how they will demonstrate and document what they have learned. Choices can include PowerPoint presentations, website development, oral presentations, videos, skits, or elaborate displays.

6. Decide on an assessment tool.  This should be done before any work begins. Inform students they will be evaluated either through a grading rubric, portfolio assessment, a written essay, or any evaluation tool the teacher thinks is appropriate.

7. Determine how you will provide feedback.  Students need to know how they are progressing throughout the process. Set aside a designated schedule to offer feedback so students can change direction if necessary.

The benefits of project-based learning

Both students and teachers report that project-based learning activities are one of the most satisfying accomplishments of the year. Not only are they more engaging but these types of activities have been shown to decrease behavior problems and increase attendance.

Project-based learning activities are the perfect way for students to engage in real-world problem-solving, a skill they can carry over to other disciplines throughout their school days and beyond. Many teachers develop their projects using the principles of  Bloom’s Taxonomy.

Veteran teachers know that once students reach the fifth or sixth grade they begin to develop a “what does this have to do with me?” approach to learning. Actually, it’s a valid question. At this age students are beginning to construct meaning by building a bridge between what they are studying in school and their own personal realities.

When material is relevant to what is going on in their lives or their community, learning becomes much more concrete. Not only that, when students see the connection to what is being discussed in the classroom to what is actually going on in the “real world”, they become much more interested and motivated to learn more.

Fortunately, science is filled with opportunities to help children cross the bridge. One of the most effective ways to do that is to help them see how scientific principles apply to practically everything they experience each and every day.

Five strategies for making real-life connections to science

1. Science in the news. Have students keep an eye out for newspaper headlines and television news reports that relates to the present topic of study. Many teachers make this an ongoing assignment throughout the year while others give extra credit for bringing in him information relative to classroom discussion. Teachers can use these topics to introduce a new concept or use them as fuel for classroom discussion.

2. Use a backwards approach. When possible, begin a new unit with an engaging problem or phenomena that is going on in your community or globally. For example, if you’re starting a weather unit you can begin by introducing a recent blizzard, flash flood, or hurricane that has made the news. Only then should you introduce the science principles that are needed to understand the problem or situation.

3. Invite guest speakers. Many professionals from business and industries are happy to volunteer their time to speak to students – and students enjoy the break from the usual routine.

It’s important that students understand that numerous fields use science concepts in their work all the time. Guest speakers can bring this fact to life.

4. Take a walk outside. While field trips are certainly fun you don’t have to travel far from the school grounds to connect science to the world. Simply walk outside. Nature supplies you with everything you need to teach science in an interesting and engaging manner. What you learn can be augmented with science charts and posters.

Another idea is to plan a “field trip” to the cafeteria to see how science is used in cooking student lunches. School computer technicians can explain how science allows students to have access to the computer lab or class laptops.

By ushering real world applications into the classroom, you’d not only deliver curricular information, but you inspire and motivate your students to construct meaning on their own. Students are much more likely to want to learn more about something when they realize it is relevant to their own lives – so they can then answer the question, “What does this have to do with me?”

In order for successful learning to occur, young children need to be actively engaged in activities that reinforce a lesson objective.  Since mastering language arts objectives – even for the youngest learner – is essential for continuing school success, it’s imperative students are given ample opportunity to engage in fun activities.

Language arts activities help to provide these golden opportunities.  The good news is there are activity books that cover practically all aspects of language arts.  Here are a few examples.

Composition and writing activity books

Composition and writing activity books are designed to not only give students the reinforcement they need to learn basic writing skills, they will also give students the head start for mastering concepts that meet national standards.  The best activity books incorporate graphic organizers and provide opportunities to use their creativity.

Puzzle and word games activity books

All children, especially young ones, enjoy word games and puzzles. Language art activity books that include word searches, dot-to-dots, mazes, and hidden pictures help reinforce essential skills such as learning the alphabet, recognizing letters, the meaning of numbers and counting, shapes, colors, and many other important concepts.

Handwriting activity books

Young children feel a great sense of accomplishment when they first learn to print their name. Proper handwriting activity books not only give them the opportunity to practice their new skills but also help them learn new vocabulary. Teachers can incorporate activity books in their lessons that include fun, colorful illustrations so that students are entertained and engaged as they sharpen their language skills.

Oral skills activity books

One of the most enjoyable times of day is when the teacher gathers the students around for story time.  Activity books that allows children to become involved with many of their senses – hearing, touching, seeing – help strengthen essential skills such as language, attention, and memory. This happens through ongoing participation in listening to and re-enacting stories.

Reading activity books

Reading activity books are designed to help young students master and recognize high frequency words. This is accomplished through a site word list, providing practice for fluency, writing, and reading, and fill in the blank activities.  Sentence strips, flashcards, and tracing activities also help students lay a foundation for strong reading skills.

Through the use of activity books, students can have fun while learning at the same time.  Activity books can be used in the classroom and then taken home for further reinforcement with their parents – an experience both are sure to enjoy.