Secondary Science Simplified™

How can we make learning more natural and more meaningful for our students? Simply put, learning happens best through asking questions and making mistakes. If you’re thinking about your classes and realizing that your students aren’t asking many questions and are afraid to make mistakes, this episode is packed with tips for you about how to move students to the center of their learning! We are quickly approaching the “Ask me Anything” 50th episode of Secondary Science Simplified! I want to answer any question that you have - nothing is off limits! Submit your questions by DM-ing me on Instagram or send me an email to rebecca@itsnotrocketscienceclassroom.com with the subject line “Questions for Episode 50” by NOVEMBER 8th. Check out the show notes for all resources mentioned in this episode: https://itsnotrocketscienceclassroom.com/episode47 Resources Mentioned: SECONDARY SCIENCE SIMPLIFIED™️ Professional Development Course Follow, rate, and review on Apple Podcasts.

STEM is so important to teach our students to create lifelong learners and problem solvers. Integrating STEM into secondary science classes doesn’t need to be overwhelming or stressful thanks to @Science.Bae, Dr. Sarah Habibi! She is joining us today to give us some insight on STEAM and how we can teach it in our classes. We are so lucky to have Dr. Sarah Habibi join us today to share her experiences and knowledge! She is sharing all about her unique career journey, why we should teach STEM to our students, how to integrate STEM and STEAM into our secondary classrooms, why she loves teaching on social media, and simple ways to incorporate STEM at home.  Sarah is so enthusiastic and encouraging when it comes to teaching STEAM! You’ll walk away from this episode feeling fired up and inspired to incorporate more STEAM in your classroom and at home. Dr. Sarah Habibi is a molecular biologist, educator, digital content creator, and new mom to her son Noah. Sarah uses the power of social media to promote experimentation in STEAM and enhance student learning, through her popular page Science Bae on Instagram and TikTok. Sarah uses her 4+ years of teaching and curriculum development experience, Bachelor of Education Degree, PhD in molecular biology, and Ontario Certified Teacher (OCT) designation to make her teaching educational, accessible, and engaging. To celebrate the 50th episode of Secondary Science Simplified, I am doing an “Ask me Anything” episode! This is your chance to ask me any question at all! Submit any question you have by DM-ing me on Instagram or send me an email to rebecca@itsnotrocketscienceclassroom.com with the subject line “Questions for Episode 50” before NOVEMBER 8th. Resources Mentioned: FREE STEM Activity Package: www.sarahhabibi.com/free Follow, rate, and review on Apple Podcasts. Check out the show notes for all resources mentioned in this episode: https://itsnotrocketscienceclassroom.com/episode46

Using phenomena is a great way to engage your students but it can be so overwhelming trying to figure out what to do or how to get started. If you’re using NGSS or other standards that utilize phenomena, but are struggling to incorporate them in a meaningful way, I’m going to break it down for you! In this episode, we’re diving into engaging students through phenomena. Resources Mentioned: Next Generation Science Standards It’s Not Rocket Science Units Biology everyday phenomenon: Cancer Statistics  Biology anchoring phenomenon: Comparing Genetics Ecosystem in a Bottle investigation Support and motion unit  Anatomy everyday phenomena: Wellness Trends Anatomy everyday phenomena: Heart Health Antibiotic Resistance Lab Matter Unit Follow, rate, and review on Apple Podcasts. I want to hear from you! We are coming up on our 50th episode! To celebrate, I am doing an “ask me anything” episode where no topic is off limits. Submit any question you have by DM-ing me on Instagram or send me an email to rebecca@itsnotrocketscienceclassroom.com. Check out the show notes for all resources mentioned in this episode: https://itsnotrocketscienceclassroom.com/episode45

Managing large classes can be a challenge but engaging small classes can be equally as difficult. If you are struggling with engaging your small class, you’re not alone! I’ve been there twice (teaching class periods with only 6 students!) and today, I’m sharing what I’ve learned about engaging small classes. Trying to keep the excitement and energy up in a small class isn’t easy and finding ways to do activities without enough students is challenging.  So in this episode, I am sharing my four BEST tips for helping you engage your small classes. We are covering why you should lighten up when you’re teaching a small class, the power of discussion and how it helps build a culture that encourages questions, how to use unique rewards as a means of motivation, and what to do when you just don’t have enough bodies for labs. Don’t forget to grab your Halloween-themed FREEBIE for biology, anatomy, chemistry, and physics! Resources Mentioned: FREEBIE: Halloween-themed resources Photosynthesis Activity - Class Relay Follow, rate, and review on Apple Podcasts. Check out the show notes for all resources mentioned in this episode: https://itsnotrocketscienceclassroom.com/episode44

If you’re looking at your class roster and feeling absolutely overwhelmed by the crazy numbers you are seeing, you’re not alone! I am seeing so many teachers saying they have 30+ students in their science classes and they have no idea how to make teaching, let alone labs, with that many students, work. If you are one of the teachers that has too many students in your science class, this episode is for you! I’m sharing six tips I’ve learned on how to manage large class sizes. We are going to cover why you should arrange desks into pods, how seating charts are crucial to managing large classes, why you need to include small group work into your lessons, how to use stations for labs with large classes, the importance of procedures, and how to use my favorite whole-classroom management strategy. Plus, I am giving you practical ways to incorporate each one of these tips! Don’t forget to grab your Halloween-themed FREEBIE for biology, anatomy, chemistry, and physics! Check out the show notes for all resources mentioned in this episode: https://itsnotrocketscienceclassroom.com/episode43

Are you stuck teaching a class or a grade that you absolutely hate teaching? You’re not alone! I’ve been there and so have many other teachers.  It can be such a struggle to make it through the year when you don’t want to teach the classes you’re assigned to teach. But perspective and a plan can make getting through the school year a little easier. In today’s episode, I am talking all about what to do when you hate what you’re teaching. I’m covering my experience teaching a grade that I hated, four pieces of advice for what to do, why talking with admin is so important, and what to do if admin isn’t willing to work with you on what you want to teach. I’m also covering what to look for in great admin and three things you can do to help make it through this school year. This episode was inspired by an email I received from a teacher and I would LOVE to do an episode on a topic that would benefit you or that would answer a question you have! If you are struggling with something or have a question, chances are there are many others who do as well. DM me on Instagram and let me know what you want to hear! Resources Mentioned: FREEBIE: Halloween-themed resources Follow, rate, and review on Apple Podcasts. Check out the show notes for all resources mentioned in this episode: https://itsnotrocketscienceclassroom.com/episode42

You know that building relationships with your students is crucial. You know it leads to more memorable learning experiences but you aren’t quite sure how to build that relationship with all of your 100+ students. Today, I am giving you some of my favorite tips for building solid relationships with students. We all know building relationships is foundational for reaching every learner but building these relationships doesn’t have to be exhausting! In this episode, I am sharing four practical tips to start building relationships with your students today, how to easily and realistically implement these tips, and how I found time to support students in extracurriculars pre and post-kids. Looking back, my most memorable learning experiences were the ones where I knew my teachers cared about me as a person, not just my grade. Building strong relationships shows our students that we care about them, we want them to succeed, and we are rooting for them! Do you have a tip on how to keep every learning engaged that you would love to share on the podcast? I have decided to keep the submission form open and would LOVE to hear your tips! You can find all the details for submitting your tips here. Check out the show notes for all resources mentioned in this episode: https://itsnotrocketscienceclassroom.com/episode41

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