Secondary Science Simplified™

Quarter 3 is a doozy! There is definitely an energy shift after winter break and both students and teachers feel it. Everyone is just drained. So how are we going to get through the rest of the school year and re-engage our students? I’ve got 5 tips to help re-engage your students and YOU in quarter 3. Spring break and the end of the school year seem so far away. We and our students are likely just going through the motions at this point in the school year which means now is the perfect time to make some changes and get them engaged and excited for your class again.  You may be thinking that you just don’t have the time or energy to figure out ways to re-engage them but the good news is that you can get them enthusiastic without a ton of extra work on your part.In this episode, I am sharing why you should be connecting with them on a personal level, how a change of scenery can be beneficial, the importance of giving them autonomy, and how to get inspired to do what is FUN! If you tune in and like what you hear on the podcast, I would be so grateful if you would leave a review wherever you listen to podcasts. It’s so encouraging to me to read your reviews and it helps other science teachers find the show! Resources Mentioned: Physical Science Independent Research Project Biology Independent Research Project Anatomy Independent Research Project Ecosystem in a Bottle Project: An Inquiry-Based Ecological Investigation Join the Secondary Science Simplified virtual professional development course waitlist Flinn Scientific (POGIL) Send me a DM on Instagram: @its.not.rocket.science Send me an email: rebecca@itsnotrocketscienceclassroom.com  Grab 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/episode64 

Students and teachers with ADHD have unique struggles and challenges when it comes to work and school tasks. Whether you are a teacher who has ADHD or you have students who have ADHD, understanding how different strategies may help can be incredibly beneficial. I am no expert in ADHD so I am so grateful that Bri Plyler is joining us today to share some amazing information on ADHD in the secondary science classroom. We all likely know someone who has ADHD, diagnosed or not, so having a better understanding of how it may affect people and strategies to help is so important. In this episode, Bri is sharing her career history and background, some ADHD markers, actionable tips for teachers and students with ADHD, and recommendations specifically for helping secondary science teachers tackle everything on their plate. Resources Mentioned: Join the Secondary Science Simplified virtual professional development course waitlist ADHD Symptom Checker Classroom Visual Timers TimeTimer Check out Michelle Brosseau’s grading video Loop Earplugs Send me a DM on Instagram: @its.not.rocket.science Send me an email: rebecca@itsnotrocketscienceclassroom.com  Grab 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/episode63 

How are we supposed to have a work/life balance when we have a million things to do on a daily basis and a 45 minute (or 90 minute if you’re lucky!) planning time to get them all done? Finding ways to have the most productive planning period possible is essential to working only your contracted hours and having a life outside of work. If you’re not sure where to start, I’m sharing my 5 best tips for optimizing your planning period so work can stay at work. At one point, I was working about 60 hours a week. 60 hours! Once I figured out how to maximize the effectiveness of my planning period, I was able to cut down my working hours to only my contracted time and finally have the work/life balance I needed. If you’re ready to take control of your planning period and use the little time you have to the fullest, I have some tips for you! I am giving you 5 specific things you can do TODAY to maximize the effectiveness of your planning period. I am sharing how to shut out external distractions, what to do to avoid wasting this time on things that will throw off your focus, how to force yourself to focus on what needs to be done, and what to do to ensure you are getting everything that needs to be done, done. These tips are super easy to implement and can help you be more productive right away! Resources Mentioned: Join the Secondary Science Simplified virtual professional development course waitlist Weekly Planning Note Pad Send me a DM on Instagram: @its.not.rocket.science Send me an email: rebecca@itsnotrocketscience.com   Grab your 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/episode62 

Many of us are looking ahead to the end of the school year because we are just burnt out. The last thing we want to think about is coming up with or preparing demos for our classes. I get it! That is one of the reasons I am so excited to have who I consider to be the “Demo Queen” joining us today. Prepare to be inspired, brecause Dr. Erica Colón, from @nittygrittyscience, is here to share her tips and insights with us about demos and so much more! Erica has so much great advice for new and veteran teachers. In this episode, she is sharing her background and experience, why she started Nitty Gritty Science Jr., misconceptions about demos, advice on rethinking demos, and what she wishes she could go back and do differently as a new teacher. Resources Mentioned: Join the Secondary Science Simplified virtual professional development course waitlist FREEBIE: Valentine’s themed high school science activities  A category in my store of ALL my complete units Send me a DM on Instagram: @its.not.rocket.science Send me an email: rebecca@itsnotrocketscience.com  Grab your 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/episode61

It’s almost Valentine’s Day so I knew I needed to share with you all about love at first sight! It may be a bit cheesy, but when I was first introduced to teaching with packets, I knew it was love at first sight and I’ve never looked back. In this episode, I am sharing all the information you need to decide if teaching with packets is something you want to try with your classes. I am diving into what packets are and what is included in these packets, what teaching with packets looks like, ten reasons I absolutely love teaching with packets, and what resources can help you to create your own packets. Be sure to grab your FREE Valentine’s Day themed high school science activities! These activities are perfect for engaging your students in a fun and worthwhile learning experience. There is one activity specifically for each subject - biology, anatomy, physics, and chemistry. Grab them today and send me a DM or email me at rebecca@itsnotrocketscienceclassroom.com when you use them with your students! I love to hear from you all when you use these free resources! Resources Mentioned: Join the Secondary Science Simplified virtual professional development course waitlist FREEBIE: Valentine’s themed high school science activities  A category in my store of ALL my complete units Send me a DM on Instagram: @its.not.rocket.science Send me an email: rebecca@itsnotrocketscience.com  Grab your 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/episode60

We hear about teacher burnout all. the. time. You may even be feeling burnout and exhaustion right now. You are not alone, teacher friend! Whether you feel completely burned out or if you’re just feeling a little blah at this point in the year, our guest, Amber Harper of the Burned In Teacher is here to help!   We’ve been talking about scheduling rest and aligning your expectations with your current season of life but maybe you are still feeling overwhelmed and exhausted. You are not alone and there are ways that you can navigate your way out of burnout.   Amber is so encouraging to those of us feeling burnout and really challenges us to think more deeply about where we are. She is sharing her burnout story, what led her to leave the classroom and come back, what it means to be a Burned-In teacher, and advice for how to take action to change yourself and navigate your way out of burnout.   Amber Harper is a long-time educator, author, speaker, and podcaster. She’s the founder of  www.burnedinteacher.com and author of Hacking Teacher Burnout which gives struggling teachers a path to follow as they navigate their way out of burnout. Amber is a Teacher Burnout Coach working with educators to help them grow through their burnout and take their next, best steps toward what they want from their career in education and in life.   If you find yourself feeling burned out and overwhelmed, join the Secondary Science Simplified virtual professional development course waitlist. I created this course specifically for the overwhelmed and burned out teacher and would love to have you next time the course opens so we can help you reduce the overwhelm.   Resources Mentioned: Join the Secondary Science Simplified virtual professional development course waitlist Grab your 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/episode59 

Oh, the second half of the school year. Making it to the end of the school year may seem like a daunting task to you. I get it! But what if you spent the next few months thriving instead of just surviving? Today, we are doing some midyear reflections by taking a look at the expectations we have for ourselves as teachers and digging into four areas of our work life that we can reset to make the rest of the school year the best it can be. In this episode, we are talking about why you need to be reflecting on your current season, how to look at your classroom procedures and revamp them if needed, why you should give your teaching space a reset, what a time audit is and why you should do one, and how to look at your grading practices and determine if they need to be changed. Now is a great time to make changes in your work life and I challenge you to reflect on what you are currently doing and see if it aligns with your current season of life! Don't forget to download the free Classroom Reset Challenge to help you make the most of your midyear reflections! Resources Mentioned: Grab your Classroom Reset Challenge Episode 4. Engaging Your Students - In the First 5 Minutes of Class Follow, rate, and review on Apple Podcasts. Check out the show notes for all resources mentioned in this episode: https://itsnotrocketscienceclassroom.com/episode58 

As we are getting into the second half of the school year, are you noticing a difference in your energy and priorities compared to the beginning of the school year? Maybe there’s something new going on in your life or you’re entering a different phase with parents or your children. As we move from season to season, it is so important to recognize where we’re at and respect how living in that season may look different than just a few months before.   You know I love “The Lazy Genius Way” by Kendra Adachi and have shared some great takeaways from the book in previous episodes. One thing she really focuses on is living in your current season and giving it all your attention without rushing through. This really hit home last year as me and my family went through new seasons every few months as we added another baby to the family. This idea is something that really helped me and I knew I needed to share it with you! Whether you are moving, pregnant or coming back from maternity leave, having a spouse start a new job, or are going through other changes within your family, taking a look at your current season will help you determine reasonable expectations for living in this season. In this episode, we are looking at what to consider in your current season, how to live with respect to nature’s seasons, and why it’s so important to match your expectations with your current season.  Resources: “The Lazy Genius Way” Book The Lazy Genius Podcast The Lazy Genius on Instagram @thelazygenius The Marriage Journal Follow, rate, and review on Apple Podcasts. Check out the show notes for all resources mentioned in this episode: https://itsnotrocketscienceclassroom.com/episode57

Do you actively schedule time for rest or are you running at full speed 24/7? We often get so caught up in doing as much as possible and having everything scheduled out that we don’t leave any time to rest. Let’s be honest, that isn’t healthy or sustainable. So today, we’re talking about why you need to schedule rest and how to actually do it when you feel like you have absolutely zero time.   I’ve previously shared how much I took away from reading “The Lazy Genius Way” by Kendra Adachi. One thing she discusses is scheduling rest and I think this is so, so important! We aren’t meant to be going nonstop with no time to recharge. I want to be sure you’re taking the time you need to rest so I am sharing why it is so important to actually schedule rest, how to schedule rest, and what to consider when you are scheduling time to rest into your schedule.   “The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry” Book “The Lazy Genius Way” Book The Lazy Genius Podcast The Lazy Genius on Instagram @thelazygenius The Marriage Journal Follow, rate, and review on Apple Podcasts.   Check out the show notes for all resources mentioned in this episode: https://itsnotrocketscienceclassroom.com/episode56 

New year, new goals! That’s what we always hear, right? For some, this goal setting energy is exhilarating but for others, it’s just exhausting! Whatever your feelings are about new year goal setting, I have a three step approach to goal setting for this year that will make it seem much more manageable. I recently read “The Lazy Genius Way” by Kendra Adachi and it totally inspired me! I used what I took away from that book to create a realistic approach to setting goals so that I actually follow through with them and I am sharing that approach with you.  I am sharing the importance of focusing on what really matters to you when you set your goal, why you should start small, and how focusing your goals on your life instead of your job is the best way to go about setting goals. Resources Mentioned: Join the email list for access to the Cheer for the New Year event! “The Lazy Genius Way” Book The Lazy Genius Podcast The Lazy Genius on Instagram @thelazygenius Grab 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/episode55