Secondary Science Simplified™

As teachers, we know how important it is to reach every student that walks into our classroom. But how do we go about doing that when there is such a diverse group of students in every class? Today, I am sharing 4 tips on how to reach every learner in your high school science classes. Reaching every single one of your students can seem overwhelming but I am here to help give you practical tips to help you do just that. In this episode, I am sharing the importance of getting to know every student as a person, how eliminating homework can benefit you and your students, why you should use a variety of assessments, and the importance of checking your test questions for bias.  Our students come to us with so many different backgrounds, home lives, experiences, and preferences but there are simple things we can do in our classrooms to make sure we are reaching them all and making an impact.  Resources Mentioned: Complete Secondary Science Units  Biology Midterm and Final Exam Review and Test Pack Anatomy Midterm and Final Exam Review and Test Pack Physical Science Midterm and Final Exam Review and Test Pack Follow, rate, and review on Apple Podcasts. Check out the show notes for all resources mentioned in this episode: https://itsnotrocketscienceclassroom.com/episode40

Do you LOVE organizing your space or does the thought of it send you running the other way? Are you thinking there’s no way you can “organize” when you aren’t in a science classroom, you have no storage, or you’re a floater who only has a cart? You all know how much I love all things organization and I am sharing some of my favorite tips and recommendations with you to help make your teaching space (whatever that space may be) efficient and welcoming. I have spent time teaching in several settings and have learned so much about how to best use the space I have. Today, I am sharing some of the things I’ve learned with you! We are looking at how to use the front of your classroom most effectively, suggestions for having an organized turn in area, how to make class necessities easily accessible, and some advice specifically for floaters. PLUS, I’m sharing two bonus recommendations on how to help manage cellphones in the classroom and how to organize YOUR files. Need some help getting your classroom reset, organized, and ready to go? Grab my FREE Classroom Reset Challenge where I walk you through 5 tasks to help get your classroom in order. Resources: Download your FREE Classroom Reset Challenge. Natural Selection Lab Turn in bins Utility Cart Shoebox storage containers Phone caddy Follow, rate, and review on Apple Podcasts. Check out the show notes for all resources mentioned in this episode: https://itsnotrocketscienceclassroom.com/episode39

The school year is approaching and we could all use a pep talk, especially after the past 3 years! We know this school year is filled with more unknowns and we’re running on empty before the year even starts. But I’m here to pump you up and get you excited for the start of school! This is a much-needed pep talk, not only for secondary science teachers, but for all teachers! I am sharing why teaching is a job and not your whole life, why you don’t need to be on-call all the time, the importance of giving yourself and students grace, and why we should take this year one day at a time.  You are valuable and what you are doing is valuable! So this year, focus on showing your students that you care about them and you care about what you are teaching. You’ve got this, Teacher-Friend! Know a teacher who could really use a pep talk? I’d love for you to share this episode with them and pass on the encouragement and pump each other up for another school year! Resources: Download your FREE Classroom Reset Challenge. Follow, rate, and review on Apple Podcasts. Check out the show notes for all resources mentioned in this episode: https://itsnotrocketscienceclassroom.com/episode38

Does the thought of teaching physics for the first time stress you out? Do demos and labs seem overwhelming? My special guest, Michelle Brosseau, is here to give some great advice to new physics teachers! Today, I am joined by an amazing secondary science teacher, Michelle Brosseau. Michelle is sharing 4 tips she has for first year physics teachers, what to do if you’re intimidated by demos and labs, and how she makes grading labs more manageable. She’s sharing some changes she's made throughout the years to engage her students and set them up for success. Michelle Brosseau is a high school Science teacher, specializing in Physics, Earth & Space Science, and making learning FUN. Whether it’s teaching the physics of bubbles, demonstrating drag forces with indoor skydiving, or wearing her astronaut costume (or her velociraptor sweater, or her molecules dress, or her fossils blouse…), Michelle embraces her nerdiness to energize her students’ learning. Michelle has a Professional Master of Education degree, with a Classroom Specialist focus. Michelle weaves her love of Art, Science, and all things nerdy into her educational resources. There is still time for you to submit a 30 second clip on tips to keep every learner engaged in science classes for a chance to be featured on an upcoming episode of Secondary Science Simplified. Check out the details here! Resources: How to be on the SSS podcast Michelle’s Instagram Michelle’s TeachersPayTeachers LIFT OFF! Free workbook for new Physics (or new-to-Physics) teachers  Physics Teacher Community Mission Control: Planning and Pacing Guide for Physics Pendulum Painting Lesson Download your FREE Classroom Reset Challenge. Follow, rate, and review on Apple Podcasts. Check out the show notes for all resources mentioned in this episode: https://itsnotrocketscienceclassroom.com/episode37

Are you teaching Anatomy for the first time or have you taught it before but don’t feel super confident teaching it? This episode is for you! Today, I am sharing 5 tips for teaching anatomy to help both you and your students LOVE anatomy! In many high schools, Anatomy is an elective class which allows you to have some flexibility and options in what you teach and how you teach it. In this episode, I am sharing 5 tips to help you teach an anatomy class that you and your students love and that is meaningful. I am sharing why and how to stick to YOUR goals for the class, the importance of prioritizing real world applications, why students should be doing research in Anatomy class, the importance of emphasizing the interconnectedness of the systems, and how to take advantage of seasonal opportunities to keep students engaged.  I need YOUR help! I am putting together an episode on tips to keep every learner engaged in science classes. I would love to hear from YOU on how you engage a diverse group of learners in your classes. All you have to do is record a short 30 second clip and it may be featured on an upcoming episode! Check out the details here! Resources: How to be on the SSS podcast My Anatomy Curriculum Anatomy Exam Pack Control and Coordination Unit FREE Halloween Science Resources Protection Unit Download your FREE Classroom Reset Challenge. Follow, rate, and review on Apple Podcasts. Check out the show notes for all resources mentioned in this episode: https://itsnotrocketscienceclassroom.com/episode36

Wouldn’t it be nice to get some honest insights and tips from an amazing chemistry teacher with an INSANE amount of experience? Lucky for us, my high school chemistry teacher is joining me today to do just that! Zach Matson is sharing the great insight and knowledge he has gained in his 20+ years of teaching. We cover a little bit of everything and you are definitely going to walk away with some great tips and feeling more encouraged to take on whatever is thrown your way! In this episode, we are covering everything from what Zach wished he knew his first years teaching to AP Chemistry tips. Zach is sharing his background and how he got into teaching, his advice for new chemistry teachers and what he wished he did differently his first few years teaching, the importance of building rapport for classroom management, tips for doing demos and implementing lab days, and so much more! Zach Matson has been teaching since 2001 and is  certified in secondary chemistry, physics, and mathematics. He holds a BS in Chemistry, a BA in Spanish, a BA in Computer Science, an M.Ed from Valparaiso University, and an M.S. in Engineering. He has spent the past 19 years teaching all levels of chemistry in Lexington, Kentucky. If you’re interested in checking out some of the videos Zach mentioned, you can find them on his YouTube channel. Resources:  Matson Chemistry YouTube channel Download your FREE Classroom Reset Challenge. Follow, rate, and review on Apple Podcasts. Check out the show notes for all resources mentioned in this episode: https://itsnotrocketscienceclassroom.com/episode35

Whether you know what classes you are teaching next year already or if you are waiting for your schedule, I am here to help! In the upcoming weeks, our episodes will be content-specific to help YOU walk into this school year with confidence. We are starting today with my personal favorite course, BIOLOGY! In today’s episode, I am sharing four things you should NOT do when teaching biology. We are talking about why you shouldn’t teach macromolecules in an isolated biochemistry unit and what to do instead, why teaching biochemical reactions only on a micro level is challenging to your students, what to do instead of teaching mitosis and meiosis together, and why addressing misconceptions when teaching evolution is important. Secondary Science Simplified has reached over 10,000 downloads and to celebrate, I am giving away a $100 gift card to the It’s Not Rocket Science resource shop and an It’s Not Rocket Science RTIC mug! To enter, just share your favorite Secondary Science Simplified episode on Instagram and tag me before August 15th! It’s that easy! Thank you all so much for your support and for tuning in! Resources:  My biology curriculum Biology scope and sequence Biology Basics unit Ecology Unit Energy Flow Unit Cells Unit Genetics Unit FREE Evolution Pre-Survey Class set of clipboards Download your FREE Classroom Reset Challenge.

Setting up for a successful school year starts on day 1. I have made my fair share of mistakes when it comes to starting the school year that made the year much more challenging than it should have been. Learn from my mistakes, teacher friends!  In this episode, I’m going to help you avoid the mistakes I have made in the past. I am sharing what I wish I would have done from the beginning of the year that would have made things much easier! I want to help you learn from my mistakes so you can have a more simplified back to school season. Today, we are looking at the most important procedure to have in the secondary science classroom, a simple change that can help you reclaim your time, how to block off time to accomplish your to-do list, and a huge mistake to avoid so you don’t feel drained and overworked. I want to celebrate with YOU! We have reached over 10,000 downloads and to celebrate, I am giving away a $100 gift card to the It’s Not Rocket Science resource shop and an It’s Not Rocket Science RTIC mug! To enter, just share your favorite Secondary Science Simplified episode on Instagram and tag me before August 15th! It’s that easy! Thank you all so much for your support and for tuning in! Resources:  Ready-made bell ringers Download your FREE Classroom Reset Challenge. Follow, rate, and review on Apple Podcasts. Check out the show notes for all resources mentioned in this episode: https://itsnotrocketscienceclassroom.com/episode33

Are you thinking that shifting to student centered pedagogy sounds great, but way too time consuming and overwhelming to do this year? If you are ready to make an easy change in order to help your students take more control of their learning and practice critical skills they can use their entire lives, this is an episode you do not want to miss! In the previous 3 episodes, we focussed on what student centered pedagogy is and why you should shift to this type of teaching, as well as practical ways to implement student centered teaching. Today, I am giving you the ONE THING you can easily implement this school year to make your teaching more student centered without added overwhelm, stress, and time. In this episode, we are looking at what project-based learning is, why it is important to use PBL in high school science classes, and how you can get started implementing PBL more easily than you may think. If you just don’t have the time or energy to prepare for PBL, I’ve got you! I have 3 awesome resources for you to simplify your planning! If you are feeling overwhelmed with trying to prepare for back to school, be sure to grab my FREE Classroom Reset Challenge that will walk you through 5 different things you can do to prepare and be ready for the school year! Resources:  Biology year long independent research project Physical Science year long independent research project Anatomy year long independent research project Download your FREE Classroom Reset Challenge. Follow, rate, and review on Apple Podcasts. Check out the show notes for all resources mentioned in this episode: https://itsnotrocketscienceclassroom.com/episode32

Do you feel overwhelmed when thinking about shifting to student centered pedagogy? Does the thought of redoing EVERYTHING stress you out? This episode is for you! I am breaking down how simple it can be to shift your current lessons and teaching to be more student centered and I’m sharing tons of tips to help along the way! In today’s episode, I am giving you the ins and outs of how to transition to student centered pedagogy. We talk about 4 changes you can make to your current resources and lessons to make them more student centered, questions to ask yourself to see which changes would work for what lessons, and how to handle parent and student push back when you are making students take charge of their learning.  If you’re feeling overwhelmed about all that needs to be done when you go back to school, check out my FREE summer classroom reset challenge to help you get a head start on preparing for the school year. Resources: Anatomy and Physiology Curriculum Discovery Stations Bundle Rubric for “Teach the Class” project Check out the show notes for all resources mentioned in this episode: https://itsnotrocketscienceclassroom.com/episode31 Download your FREE Classroom Reset Challenge.