Teachers, Are you on the Verge of Losing your Mind?

Teaching is a Team Sport

Science is a very hands-on subject and trying to teach students who might not wake up until noon and lack self motivation can be a challenge. It’s tough to balance your desire to give students a sense of normal by maintaining some levels of educational expectations with your desire to be sensitive to each individual's new environment. Creating digital resources can also be overwhelming. Here are some things I’ve discovered:

You are not alone

There are countless sites out there that will engage your students in fun, unique ways. Why reinvent the wheel when it's already been done. Save time by utilizing what's out there. Some of my favorite science sites are:

• Explore Learning does require a membership, but it allows students to explore the labs for free for 5 minutes. If you can convince your district to invest in this program, it’s well worth it! Otherwise, students can still gain some insight even with a quick interaction.
• Sheppardsoftware has some of the best visual pictures and great interactive lessons that reinforce basic life science concepts. Did I mention, it's free?
• Switcheroo Zoo has some great games for students to learn while playing. Did I mention, it's also free?
• Spaceplace is NASA’s website for the younger audience makes learning about space fun, interactive and easy to understand. Not only is there plenty of facts to explore, there are also activities that students can do at home. Again, it's free.
• Phet: There is a variety of simulations that allow students to manipulate variables and observe outcomes. I find it beneficial to create some guided directions to help keep them on track and lead them to discover the concepts on their own. This one's free too.
• Cool Math Games- there are games that align to science concepts. This is a great way to allow students to have fun, then challenge them to see the science connection. They will not even realize they are learning. Guess what? It's free.
• Mystery Science- my students love Doug. He offers so many free resources that your students are sure to love. Becoming a member does have a fee, but his labs are easy to follow and very educational. It's totally worth the cost!