1. Plan an engaging project that takes time to work on.  I know how BUSY the end of the year is with paperwork, cleaning out cabinets, organizing for next year, etc… why not get your students working on a project that keeps them out of your hair for a bit?! Our STEM + Sports is PERFECT for this! Students are entertained (and learning), and you can take some time to get that paperwork done! What are the challenges? Archery: Design a bow that will launch an arrow as far as possible. Basketball: Design a launcher to launch a ball into a cup reliably. Sailing: Design a sailboat and record ..read more

Let’s take a look at teaching 2nd grade and 3rd grade about food chains.  Food chains aren’t just about ”who eats who.” They are about the flow of energy from the Sun to organisms here on Earth. I ask students to label the arrows with an “E” for energy. The Sun is the source of energy for a food chain. Here’s a unit idea from start to finish to teach food chains. Find printables.  1. What did you have for breakfast? Get students thinking about energy by talking about breakfast. Bring in a cup of yogurt and a piece of fruit to help students visualize the sources energy.  ..read more

The countdown to 5th Grade Science STAAR is upon us! Don’t let this be a stressful season- The Science Penguin is here to help! We’ve developed a monthly countdown containing options that can help you make the most of your instructional time to understand STAAR expectations, analyze data to review weak concepts, and have a clear plan for the closest days to STAAR. Let’s dive in! 3 Months Until STAAR: Increase Exposure to STAAR-like Questions By exposing your students to materials similar to the STAAR test, they’ll know what to expect! This doesn’t have to be separate from your normal inst ..read more

STAAR testing…the phrase that makes most teachers groan, right? We’ve all got opinions on standardized testing, but the reality is that we need to prepare our students for what they will encounter on 5th Grade Science STAAR, including Short Constructed Response (SCR). With new STAAR item types like Multiselect, Hot Spot, Drag and Drop, Multipart, and Short Constructed Response, science students need to be exposed to more than just the typical 4-choice questions. The SCR is an item type that needs careful consideration throughout the year. What is Short Constructed Response? Below is an exa ..read more

Let’s take a look at 5 ideas teachers can use to teach students about the 2024 solar eclipse. What is a Solar Eclipse? A solar eclipse takes place when the Moon positions itself directly between the Earth and the Sun. This alignment results in the Moon’s shadow being cast on Earth, momentarily dimming the Sun’s brightness for us. It’s a rare and spectacular display of our solar system’s choreography. 1. Safely View the Eclipse Are you in the path of totality on April 8, 2024? Allow them to safely view the solar eclipse! Get the glasses for fun, safe viewing. First and foremost, make s ..read more

Science is a vast and complex subject, and it can be difficult for students to learn all the associated vocabulary. The digital vocabulary line that I have created is a great way to help students learn science vocabulary in a fun and engaging way. The Digital Vocabulary Bundle is a collection of 23 digital vocabulary lessons that cover all of the major topics in science, including earth and space science, life science, matter and energy, and physical science. Each lesson includes a Google Form activity that students can complete independently. The activities are designed to be engaging and in ..read more

My students are only allowed to drink water in our classroom. Over the years, I have had parents ask if they could have powdered flavors in their water, and at first, I was hesitant. But once I realized that I could use that powdered flavoring to teach a science concept like the conservation of matter, my answer was absolutely yes!  Grab your triple beam balance or food scale, and let’s get started! Here’s how I use flavored water, as well as 7 other real-world examples, to teach the conservation of matter in physical and chemical changes in my classroom. NGSS 5-PS1-2 has students meas ..read more

We begin this unit by watching a Phenomenon video that asks the question “How do animals receive, process, and respond to information from their senses?”. We then gather our thoughts as a class and make our C-E-R (Claim-Evidence-Reasoning) Chart for the unit. I steer my class towards the Claim that animals using their senses is a major part of their survival in their environment. Chances are that by the time your students arrive in your 4th-grade classroom, they can name their five senses. Since animals use their five senses, this is a great start to get us started on this learning.  ..read more

Ever wondered why the Grand Canyon is so, well, grand? Or why some valleys are U-shaped like a horseshoe rather than V-shaped like a pizza slice? Spoiler alert: It’s not because Mother Nature had a geometry quiz. It’s all about that WED life—Weathering, Erosion, and Deposition. My Landforms Quest Over the last couple of years, I’ve set out on a personal quest to explore all different types of landforms, and let me tell you, these adventures have radically transformed the way I design science activities. I’ve learned that the Grand Canyon (pictured above) really is that massive and compare ..read more

Imagine this scenario: You wake up on a bright, sunny day and panic sets in. “Oh no”, you think to yourself, “What science lesson will I teach today?!” You scramble out of bed and rush to get ready so you can get to school early. I have been there, and I am not a fan of that nightmare, so I want to change that scenario to make your school day mornings less stressful! With the TEKS Slides & Notes Bundles, I’ve given you all the tools to teach your science class with very little prep (seriously, you only have to print the pre-made notes). TA-DA! Morning stress solved. Now if only I could ..read more