Before we dive in to the nitty gritty of social studies and science instruction, I think it's important to look at the big picture of developing unit plans. Last summer I wrote about how I map out my unit plans for the year, which you can read about here. If you haven't read it
Transform Social Studies and Science – Vocabulary
It's no secret that vocabulary (basic and academic) is a major predictor for student success. I'm not sure if it's because I'm at a Title One school, or if it's common everywhere, but academic vocabulary has always been one of my students' greatest challenges. Academic vocabulary
Transform Your Social Studies and Science Instruction
Sometimes I feel as if social studies and science are forgotten subjects. I know almost all of my professional development has been centered around language arts and math. I don't think I've ever sat in a meeting where we analyzed science data or developed hands-on social studies
Magnet Activities
I love teaching about magnets, mainly because it's probably the easiest unit I teach all year. My students have some background knowledge from first grade, and the third grade content isn't too difficult. Plus, I get to do really fun hands-on activities with my class. I used my
Science Pictures and a Multiplication Freebie
Earlier this week I did a weathering and erosion science experiment using Skittles and an eye dropper. The water wore away the hard outer coating and then the colored exterior ran off to show erosion. It was so FUN and EASY! Plus, I feel like my students did gain a better
Adaptations and Division
What a week! I don't know if I've ever been so happy to see Friday afternoon as I was last Friday. I'm not sure if I've ever been quite so wiped out! Everyone in my house, except me, has had some form of illness all week long. We've endured colds, strep throat, and the stomach
Social Studies & Science Word Wall
Over the years, I've gone from not having any word wall at all to having entire walls dedicated to word walls. I originally partitioned my wall into grids and had a section for each content area. When I used this format, I liked using larger half page word wall cards. I created
Simplifying the Scientific Process
As a student I dreaded learning about the scientific method. I still have memories of sitting at my kitchen table in absolute tears, because I could not wrap my head around independent and dependent variables when I was preparing for the science fair. As a teacher, I don't want
Heat Experiments
Last week I reviewed my heat unit with one of my favorite science experiments. It's fairly easy to complete, and it really helps students understand the concept of insulators and conductors (which almost always gives my students trouble). All you need is a glass cup, plastic
Magnet Activities
I love teaching about magnets, mainly because it's probably the easiest unit I teach all year. My students have some magnet background knowledge from first grade, and the third grade content isn't too difficult. Plus, I get to do really fun hands-on activities with my class. I
