Science FREEBIES - Round 3!

It's time for some MORE GREAT SCIENCE FREEBIES!
Please enjoy the freebies featured below, both from the Science Teacher Resources store, and donated from some generous TeachersPayTeachers sellers! Visit their stores, download some FREE resources, and show them some support!

Didn't see our prior freebie posts? View them here!

Science FREEBIES!

Science FREEBIES - Round 2!  

 

And now, onto the FREEBIES!

From the STR store:

FREE Science Discourse Writing Prompts Mini-Pack!
Engage your students in meaningful discourse with this free subset of the full Science Discourse Writing Prompts Pack resource. The Science Discourse Writing Prompts Mini-Pack engages students in thinking, discussing, and analyzing/synthesizing different ideas about science process, physical science, life science, and earth science content.

FREE Stomach Model Digestion Lab!
Let students explore the stomach - by creating stomach and using it to digest actual food!

FREE Rock Cycle Simulation Lab!
Make the rock cycle fun! This lab walks students through modeling rock cycle processes, and asks them to make analogies between the activity and the rock cycle.

FREE Heat MiniQuiz
Teaching about heat, heat transfer, conduction, convection, or radiation? This short quiz is designed to assess student understanding of heat transfer and knowledge of heat transfer methods.

FREE Identifying Variable Practice!
This printable, reproducible worksheet (answer key included) can help with independent, dependent, and control variables!

  

From other generous TpT sellers:

FREE! Christmas Sound Bingo from Oddball Science
Topic:  Animals Sounds and Math


FREE! Magnet Experiment on Attraction from Tab Purvis
Topic: Magnetism


FREE! Making Ginger Ale: Yeast Fermentation Lab from Cooking With Science
Topic(s): Cell Respiration, Aerobic vs. Anaerobic Respiration


FREE! The Scientific Method Presentation from Biology Roots
Topic: Scientific Method


FREE! Astronomy Terms Domino Puzzle from Mrs. Brosseau's Binder
Topic: Space Exploration Vocabulary

Science FREEBIES - Round 2!

 It's time for some more science FREEBIES!
In addition to freebies from my store, some generous TpT sellers have offered the following FREE science resources!
Download, enjoy, and show them some support!


Featured FREEBIES from the STR store...

And FREE from other sellers!

Flight Workbook - Using the Technology Process from Top Notch Teaching
Topic: Forms of Energy, Energy Transfer

Carnivores, Herbivores, and Omnivores from Chris Pearson
Topic: General Science 

Plate Tectonics Activity: A Synthesis of the Cross Section of the Earth 
from Christina OMalley
Topic: Physical Science/Earth Science/Geology/Plate Tectonics 

Planning an Investigation and Turkey Treasure Hunt from Oddball Science 
Topic: Investigation Skills

The Scientific Method from Susan Cahalane
Topic: General Science

Life Cycle of Plants Anchor Charts from Linda Kamp
Topic:  Plant life cycle

I nevur Make misteaks.

My third year, my tenth year, and my eleventh year.


The third year was by far the worst incident of the three. About 20 minutes before the kids arrived, I turned on all nine sinks and sat down to get some work done. (Science teachers in my school had to do this every couple of weeks to keep some foul smell from making its way out of the drains). The sound of nine running sinks filled the room - loud, although somewhat relaxing. After about 7 or 8 minutes, I got up from my desk to shut them off...

My tenth and eleventh years involved incidents nearly identical to each other. A new project-based curriculum involved 7th grade science students growing basil hydroponically - without soil. (Pretty cool - learn more here). Plants were to be suspended in nutrient solution, which would flow from tank to tank via pumps. Anyway, I helped one of our 7th grade teachers set up her pumps just in time for her first class of the day...

Those were the three times I flooded classrooms.

The tenth and eleventh years were minor, as far as floods are concerned. They were cleaned up in a matter of minutes, although there were kids in the room both times. My third year was a very different story. Unbeknownst to me, a couple of the sinks had paper towels left in them, which clogged the drains. That year, I didn't flood one classroom - I flooded two. Mine was cleaned up and ready to use that day. The one below me was out of commission for about a week. (Did you know that ceiling tiles fall down, one by one, when soaked with water?).

I like to tell stories like these at the start of the school year.
"Hey kids, don't worry if you make a mistake in here. Listen to this."

Planning for Learning: A How-To

Middle school teachers have a special job.

I've discussed some of this in earlier posts. We have to wade through all of the middle school stuff and somehow facilitate 30 twelve year-olds in learning a new and specific concept or idea every day. In my 12 years teaching and observing (formally and informally) middle school teachers, here are four things I've learned.



1. Start with an OBJECTIVE!

I can't stress this one enough. While I like to allow for differences in style, objective-based planning is the only way to plan. You start with an objective - a measurable learning outcome that students need to know or be able to do by the end of the class. For newer teachers, this changes what can sometimes feel like the need to fill time into the need to have students learn within a limited time. 

Let's take as an example:

Students will be able to describe motion of particles in three phases of matter.

   -Specific? Yes.

   -Kid friendly? Yup.

   -Measureable? Sure.

Ok, we're ready to get to work.

2. Plan for Mastery
Now, the challenge is set. You, the teacher, have 45 (or 47, 50, 60, etc.) minutes to have every student meet your objective. In our example, this means you have 45 minutes for your students to learn and demonstrate a mastery of particle motion in three phases of matter. 

How in the world will you do it? If you're asking yourself this question, you're off to a great start. You've successfully changed your focus from filling time to using time. Answering this question is the reason you get a paycheck - this is your job. You are an expert in getting kids to learn. Not only that, but you need to continue to get better at it.

This step involves...

• Planning Activities
• Preparing Materials
• Preplanning Questions (yes, preplanning) 
  
  
  and synthesizing everything into a smooth, focused lesson!

This is not to say that you need to do it alone! Hopefully, you have a strong, collaborative staff to help you. Discussing lessons with peers, asking others for feedback, and reflection (alone and in groups) are powerful tools that will foster improved teaching and learning.



3. Frame the Learning
The importance of framing is never better demonstrated than when seen from the student perspective. (Newer teachers, I urge you to seek out peers who excel at this and watch them in action)! This is an extremely powerful learning tool. Framing of learning involves explicitly communicating to students what they need to know or be able to do by the end of class.
In addition, it may involve...
-Explaining how you're going to help them get there. 
-Activating prior knowledge.
-Asking a question to help students begin to explore the topic.

In our example, this could be as simple as saying, "Please take a look at your objective. Today, by the end of class, you need to be able to describe how particles move in three different phases of matter. Are there any questions of what is expected of you by the end of class today?"

To me, this is so important that I use anywhere from 1-5 of my 45 minutes covering it each day. It may not sound like much, but 5 minutes is 11% of the time students have in class.
It's worth it - every day.



4. Summarize the Learning
Ok, you've set an objective, framed learning for students, and planned and implemented a lesson for mastery. 
DO NOT let the lesson simply end with the bell - end the lesson purposefully by summarizing the learning with which students should be walking away!

Like framing, the power and importance of a good summary is most easily visible from the student perspective. Opening and closing the learning both work to focus students on the objective, and are well worth the time they require.

_______________________________________

This blog post is by no means  meant to be comprehensive. The art of teaching takes years to develop, but I am a strong believer in the four ideas presented above. After observing them in action and consistently utilizing them myself, I feel safe telling you that they  

improve student learning.

Seven Years.

"Would anyone like more time on the quiz?"

Silence.
"Ok. Please circle the first letter of your first name and pass up your quiz."
"Why do you always make us circle the first letter of our first name?"
"To make sure there's a name."

Seven years.

That little gem took me seven years to figure out.

Once in a while, just to keep things fresh, I'll switch to the second letter. Or the last letter. When I'm feeling really zany, I'll switch the circle to a box. Or even an underline.
That's right - an underline. 

Watch out, kids. Today's a crazy day.

Now, every class has asked me (multiple times) why I have them do that. I always give the same response, word for word: 

"To make sure there's a name."

The class then gives me the sterotypical, "Oooooooohhhhhhh."
Then one student raises his or her hand, and in a concerned voice says, "I accidentally circled the second letter. Is that ok?"

I love middle school.

 Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family!

I am a Sucker

I took a note the other day.

It doesn't happen often.
I don't know if that means that there aren't many kids passing notes, or if it means that they're way better at passing them than I am at spotting them. Either way, it doesn't happen often. Maybe four or five times a year.

But this note was a special one. The receiver REALLY didn't want to give it up. And this was a good kid. A rule-following kid. As I walked towards her, she quickly stuck both hands under her desk, confirming that she had the note. I stuck my hand out.

"Give it to me, please."
"What?"
"Give it to me, please."
"Give what?"

We were off to a great start. Normally (which I guess means the three or four other times per year), after the second, "Give it to me, please," the student presents a defeated face and hands the note over. I then stick it in my back pocket and forget about it until I'm emptying my pockets when I get home. But this time, she didn't.

"The note that's in your hand. Give it to me, please."
"What note?"
"The one that's in your hand." 
(Blank stare).

By now, my interest is piqued. This is a special note. Something she really feels she can't give to me.

"This will be much worse if you don't give it to me. Please give me the note."
"She gave it to me," pointing to her friend. So much for loyalty. 
"Give me the note, please."

Finally, it ends. I get the defeated face, and I'm presented with the note. 
I put it in my back pocket, as usual. And, as usual, by the time class ends, I forget about it.

Until I get home and empty my pockets.
I reach into my back pocket for a pad of sticky notes I had also forgotten about, and I feel the note. 

It is time.

I de-crumple the note. It's really small, written in pencil, and a little smudged after its day in my pocket. I can barely read it, but I hold it close to my face and decipher:

I will bring Just Dance and Just Dance 2 for Wii. It will be a great party! 

I am a sucker.

Like Brainteasers?

So do middle school kids.

Sometimes, when we finish a couple of minutes early, I like to do a couple with the class.

I've been using the same ones for several years, and it's interesting to see how quickly (if at all) the kids can figure them out. A few of my favorites follow. Now, I know that the Google search bar is just a few inches up, but no cheating!

(Don't worry - answers included below)! 

Feel free to post your favorites!

________________________________________________________________________

Truth-Tellers and Lie-Tellers
You're walking through the woods, and you come to a fork in the path. You know that one direction leads to the Truth-Teller Village (where everyone always tells the truth), and the other leads to the Lie-Teller Village (where everyone always lies). At the fork in the road is an old man. You don't know whether he is a Truth-Teller or a Lie-Teller, but you are allowed to ask him one question. Your goal is to reach the Truth-Teller Village.
What question do you ask? 

________________________________________________________________________

 
The Pattern

Take a look at the pattern to the left.
What comes next?

I love the "Ooooohhhhhhhhh," I get from kids on this one.





________________________________________________________________________

 
 Pennies
 
Given the arrangement of pennies to the right,
move exactly one penny and create one row
and one column each containing exactly four pennies.



 _________________________________________________________________________

And, the mother of them all...

1 11 21 1211

Given the following pattern, what is the next line?

1

11

21

1211

After a couple of minutes, I usually tell the kids that...
1. The math involved isn't anything a kindergartner couldn't do.
2. I never figured it out. Someone had to tell me (although I tried it for two weeks).
3. Just for fun, I usually tell them the next line - 111221 - and ask for the one after that.
    (It goes on forever) 

_________________________________________________________________________

Brainteaser Answers

Truth-Tellers and Lie-Tellers

You ask, "Which way to your village?"

A Truth-Teller tells the truth and points toward the Truth-Teller village.

A Lie-Teller tells a lie and points toward the Truth-Teller village.   

 

The Pattern

Given the image
to the left, I think
we can declare
this one solved!

Pennies

 

Place the uppermost
penny directly on top
of the center penny.

Four across, four down!   

1 11 21 1211

This is a "say what you see pattern.

Each line, when read out loud, describes the line immediately above it:

                             1 

                            11             "One 1"

                            21             "Two 1's"

                        1211          "One 2, One 1"

                      111221       "One 1, One 2, Two 1's" 

So, the next line would be...312211

That's, "Three 1's, Two 2's, One 1" 

Sometimes, it's Ok to Lie.

It was early in my teaching career.


Photo Credit: Evan-Amos as a
part of Vanamo Media

A student with some severe social, emotional, and anger issues was moved into my class after some trouble with another teacher. It wasn't the teacher's fault, but the student seemed to like her a little too much, and after he started petting her arm, the move was made. Although he has reached adulthood by now, let's call him Brian.

When I was told of the schedule change, I was understandably nervous, although I didn't let it show. Brian was notoriously known by every staff member (and probably most students). I was still a relatively inexperienced teacher, although at that time, I didn't realize how inexperienced I was. Still, I had an idea. When Brian came in, I decided to give it a try.


"Hi, are you joining the class today?"
"Yes."
"Great! What school are you coming from?"

With that, Brian stopped. He looked at me like I was out of my mind.
"This isn't my new school. I go here."
"Oh yeah, that's right. Anyway, I'm glad you're here. Why don't you take a seat right there and I'll be over to talk to you in a minute."

Brian walked over and took his seat, making about five students uncomfortable in the process. After getting the class going, I went over to make sure everything was going ok.

"Hey, so how is your first day going so far? I know it can be hard to change schools."
"This isn't my first day - I told you already."
"Oh, yeah. I'm sorry. Anyway, is this seat ok for you?"

I repeated this one or two more times over the course of the next 40 minutes, stopping short of pushing Brian over the edge. At the end of the period, I asked Brian to stay after class for a minute and decided to take one last risk.

"I just wanted to let you know how well you did today. I know how hard it can be to switch schools."
"I've BEEN at the school all year." A little tense.
"Oh yeah, I'm sorry. I keep forgetting. Anyway, I'd like to call your house and let your parents know how well you did. Is that ok?"

And with that, I won Brian over. He came in the next day, and asked if I could call his house again. I told him I'd be happy to call when I had a good reason to. I honestly don't remember if I ever called again. Now, I'm not saying that Brian behaved perfectly in my class, because he didn't. But I can say that I can't remember a single incident in particular, and he was with me for the rest of the year.

My point is this: As a middle school teacher, students should not see you as their friend. It is, however, imperative that they think you like them, and hopefully you do, as building relationships with students is the name of the game. My interactions with Brian gave him a chance to make a fresh start with a teacher who appeared to be happy to have him in class. During the middle school years, kids are acutely aware and impacted by what they believe others think of them

Sometimes, it's ok to lie.

Gross! (and Awesome) Lab

One of the messiest, grossest, and BEST labs that I have - Oobleck!

With very simple materials, students can create this strangely behaving non-Newtonian fluid. It acts like a liquid when handled slowly, but solidifies when handled quickly! (I usually use it in my middle school classroom to teach about atomic/molecular motion in solids and liquids).

A day or two day ago, I uploaded the lab to my Teachers Pay Teachers store.
(See it here - there's a free downloadable preview).

Due to some curriculum and grade level changes, I haven't had the opportunity to do this lab with my classes in a couple of years, but looking it over reminded me what a great learning experience it is - I've had kids come back to me years later and still remember it.

Below are some videos (not of me or my class) showing Oobleck's strange behavior. 
Think you know how it works? The first three comments on this post get the lab and key for free! (Please leave your email address in the comment, or email it to me separately if you'd prefer).

Oobleck on a Speaker

Mythbusters Making (and Trying to Walk Across) Oobleck

 

There's also a recipe that involves glue and Borax.

 I haven't used it, but I know others who have:

Cool Science Tricks

Today, I wanted to share some of the cool science that my class has been doing. 
(Although these particular videos aren't from my classroom, they showcase the science).
Enjoy!



Egg in Vinegar
When the egg is dissolved in vinegar, the shell dissolves, but leaves the inner membrane in tact. Besides being cool in general, it's a great example of diffusion - Certain fluids (and small solids) can pass through the membrane.

"Blowing Out" a Candle
When baking soda and vinegar are mixed, they create and invisible gas - carbon dioxide gas (the same stuff you breathe out). This gas is denser than air, and can be poured just like water. 

Decomposition of Water
Electric current breaks water into hydrogen and oxygen gas! The salt is to help the mixture conduct electricity. (A lab similar to this is available in my Teachers Pay Teachers store). 

 

Please share any cool or interesting science from your class!