Science Education Idea Exchange

I have had fun making note sheets and decided to build stations to provide the background information necessary to complete the note sheets. Atoms Background Stations & Note Sheet Bundle The  atoms background stations  provide a kinesthetic way for students to gain a brief background on the structure of atoms (protons, neutrons, electrons, valence electrons, nucleus, and orbits), types of bonds (ionic and covalent), atomic mass, atomic numbers, the periodic table of elements, types of molecules (compounds and elements). 12 stations can be printed for the classroom or shared digitally with students. Each station includes a check for understanding questions to lead to the next station. A student worksheet has a spot to record the station answers. The teacher's guide has the answer key and the order of the stations. (Stations, teacher’s guide, and student worksheet are secured PDFs.) This  note sheet  is a single secured PDF that includes a black-and-white and a col...

ESS2-6 Coriolis Effect Activity In this Coriolis Effect activity, students go through three stations to simulate the impact of uneven heating and the Earth's rotation. They create a map to synthesize their learning. At the end, students complete a claim-evidence-reasoning over ocean currents. ( Included in the  ESS2 Bundle ) Ecology and Biome Note Sheet The cell parts note sheet has key terms for a unit on ecology. Topics include levels of organization in an ecosystem, abiotic versus biotic factors, representations of energy flow (trophic pyramid, food web, and food chain), and biomes. Pair this with your favorite reading, presentation, or video for students to summarize the key terms and concepts. (Background information is not included.) Who Am I? Ecology and Biome Vocabulary Review Game The classic "Who Am I?" game has 28 cards that cover common terms in ecology and biomes (see list below). Simply print the secured PDF with cards and instructions and play! (Definitions...

Photo by Philipp Pilz on Unsplash In a search for new items, I found this worksheet on carrying capacity and limiting factors by Growing New Scientists . Kirsten has many accomplishments, so I recommend this product and others in their store! The worksheet is available in three different formats: Word, PDF, and online. It has two parts to help students review abiotic and biotic factors and carrying capacity. What I love: Three different formats to make it fit your needs Answer key included to take out the guesswork Questions of a variety of styles to tap into what students know The worksheet is easy to follow and understand for students Download your free resource and check it out!

Here are the new additions since my last post: 1. Ecology Escape Puzzle Room This puzzle escape room would be great as a review or a day there is a sub in the classroom. Topics covered are food webs, food chains. energy pyramids, abiotic versus biotic factors, limiting factors, carrying capacity, and symbiotic relationships. Hints for the clues are all printable and distractors are included. The instructions tells you how the clues are solved, the code, and where it leads to next. 2. States of Matter Vocabulary Note Sheet The states of matter note sheet has key terms for a unit on phase changes, thermal energy definitions of states of matter, and molecule movement. Pair this with your favorite reading, presentation, or video for students to summarize the key terms and concepts. (Background information is not included.) 3. Plate Tectonic Review Games Bundle This bundle includes two activities over plate tectonics to help students review vocabulary terms on plate motion and concepts. The...

  I have two new ecology that I posted last month! https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/MS-LS2-Ecology-Unit-Lesson-Plans-12001210 This MS-LS 2 ecology package is all the lesson plans for ecosystems and populations at a discounted rate! The bundle includes a student packet ready for printing (color and black-and-white), answer keys, teacher printouts for activities, lesson assessments, unit assessments, phenomena, labs, materials lists, extended projects, and more! The topics covered (click for individual lesson plans): Resource Availability & Carrying Capacity Symbiotic Relationships: Competition, Predator/Prey, Mutualism Cycling Matter & Energy Abiotic and Biotic Influences Conservation and Methods to Maintain Biodiversity The lesson plans for approximately 32 days are detailed and could be copy and pasted to share with your administration. ***Most lessons can easily be adapted to distance learning and homeschooling. Standards/Objectives: ✅NGSS: MS-LS2-1, MS-LS2-2, ...

Over 8 class periods, students learn about agencies and methods to protect biodiversity to meet NGSS MS-LS2-5. Throughout the plans are opportunities for students to conclude on best conservation practices. The lesson plans can be found here . The simulation is run by checking restocking, catch, and release, and limiting licenses against a control. Students share data as a class to get averages to look at the success of all three methods. Finally, after creating a graph, students complete a Claim-Evidence-Reasoning (CER) over their findings. The project will have students conducting research, engineering a design, and evaluating competing designs over six or more 45-minute class periods. The objective is to evaluate competing designs for maintaining biodiversity. There are colored and blackline copies of the student packet as a secured PDF. There is also a secured PDF with the teacher's guide with answer keys and lesson plans. Standards/Objectives: ✅NGSS: MS-LS2-5 This product inc...

These lesson plans include activities to build background knowledge on ecological abiotic and biotic factors, and how they impact the environment. Students will practice their knowledge in a simulation of the impact of fishing and a class debate over the use of nitrogen-based fertilizers. There is a long-term project to measure the effect of the use of fertilizer on water. There are colored and blackline copies of the student packet as a secured PDF. There is also a secured PDF with the teacher's guide and materials for a matching activity. This product includes the following activities: ⚪Forest Fire Probe ⚪ Algae & Fertilizer Lab  (can be purchased separately) ⚪Ecosystem Influence Matching Activity ⚪Invasive Impact Report ⚪DNR Simulation ⚪Nitrogen Fertilizer Use Debate

Here's a a couple new products I put a little over a month ago.  Over 8 class periods, students learn about agencies and methods to protect biodiversity to meet NGSS MS-LS2-5 . Throughout the plans are opportunities for students to conclude on best conservation practices. The simulation is run by checking restocking, catch, and release, and limiting licenses against a control. Students share data as a class to get averages to look at the success of all three methods. Finally, after creating a graph, students complete a Claim-Evidence-Reasoning (CER) over their findings. The project will have students conducting research, engineering a design, and evaluating competing designs over six or more 45-minute class periods. The objective is to evaluate competing designs for maintaining biodiversity. There are colored and blackline copies of the student packet as a secured PDF. There is also a secured PDF with the teacher's guide with answer keys and lesson plans. Standards/Objectives: ...

 I was wasting time online this afternoon and discovered some activities and past events from the National Wildlife Federation . They would be a great resource to begin projects in the classroom that are ecology-focused and all about helping our students learn about the local area.  They have an upcoming event in May featuring gardening with and for local flora and fauna. Photo by  Erda Estremera  on  Unsplash

 I just finished adding materials for all five standards to help engage students in learning about ecosystems. The bundle of resources comes at a discount and can be found here ! The resources included are simulations, projects, and labs.  Stay tuned for my part II birthday escape room and projects for heredity!

 I am currently working on writing lesson plans for MS-LS2-4. I decided to offer a lab I created for the lesson plans as a stand-alone. You can find it here !

 I have added a new lesson plan (a few months ago). The lesson plan bundle is over ecology and includes a long-term project over composting. Sorry I have been absent. I had an emergency hospital stay and have been trying to get things back in order. Amazing how life can change so quickly, isn't it? In order to celebrate my return and all of the hard things you do, I am also throwing a sale on my Teachers Pay Teachers for 20% of all of my items from October 8th to October 11th.

 In case you didn't want the full lesson plan bundle, you can buy just the simulations! I've included the mutualism, predator/prey, and competition simulations.  You can find it here !

 I am excited to announce that I have completed the second objective in ecology! This includes three different simulations to help students identify patterns in mutualism, predator/prey, and competition. It's available in my  store .

 Howdy strangers! Life has definitely been busy, so I have been missing in action. I'm proud to announce that I have finished my lesson plans for middle school life science 2-1. I wrote a simulation for looking at wolf and deer populations in different scenarios. It was time-consuming but well worth it. You can find the simulation alone or the f ull lesson plans on my Teachers Pay Teachers.

I had way too much fun making this.  My students are going to be learning about these biomes next and I created this example of the finished product and one with the pictures/words without the cuts.  I photocopied the sheet and shrunk it to 75%.  The students will cut it out, fold down the extra space on the left side, and glue it in their notebooks.  Underneath each tab, they will write characteristics of the biomes. I am clearly on a foldable kick!  Thank you snow days. :) I did create a digital version of this for you to download on my Teacher Pay Teachers. It's free!