Forensic Science Autopsy Activity for High School

Teach Forensic Science! How to create a Forensic Autopsy for your students.My favorite subject to teach is Forensic Science. It is the perfect mix of applied Biology, Chemistry, Math, and the Yuck-Factor that students just love!

And no topic in Forensic Science has more ‘yuck’ than the study of dead bodies. Students look forward to this unit all year! They are never disappointed.

Reading, hearing, and seeing pictures about Autopsies  just doesn’t cut it. Students need hands-on experience to really learn and appreciate the work of Forensic Medical Examiners.

But murder victims are hard to come by for use in the classroom!

So in my forensic science class, we use Rats. This post is all about how to turn a Rat into a murder victim!

Continue reading “Forensic Science Autopsy Activity for High School”

Increase Learning And Save Time Grading!

We all want to save time grading.  But is it possible to give assignments that not only help your students learn more, Save Time Grading and Increase Learningbut reduce the time it takes to grade them? Yes it is!

I often feel overwhelmed by piles of student work. While I use Google Forms for quick and frequent formative assessment, multiple choice does not show the depth of student knowledge (or misconceptions) that you need to know in order to help your students.

Giving assignments that require reflection and critical thinking are crucial for student understanding and growth. The only trouble is grading those assignments! They are so time consuming!

But they don’t all have to be. Here are a few quick tweaks you can make to assignments you already have that will lead to both greater learning and save time grading!

Continue reading “Increase Learning And Save Time Grading!”

Classroom Management and the 21st Century Skills

21st Century Skills: Teaching and Tracking GrowthThe Classroom Management Miracle and  21st Century Skills.

This post is the second in a series that began with a desperate need to adjust my classroom management approach.

I was losing control of my classroom.

After five years of teaching with little or no classroom issues, I was now facing the toughest group of students I have ever had the challenge of teaching.

My struggle led to a system that,

  • holds students accountable
  • tracks growth for those hard-to-measure 21st Century Skills (collaboration, communication, and conduct)
  • completely changed the behavior of this group of students  and saved my sanity!

Continue reading “Classroom Management and the 21st Century Skills”

Points for Classroom Management in High School?

Points and classroom managementThis year I had a particularity  challenging class.  After just the first week of school I was desperate for a solution.  

The class was at the end of the day, they were tired from being at school for eight hours and just wanted out. Students consisted of mostly boys who were best of friends and loved to goof around, with no regard for me or the other students in the room.

All of my usual classroom management methods and relationship building was just not working and I could clearly see this class was slipping out of control.

Continue reading “Points for Classroom Management in High School?”

Time Saving Ideas for Teachers

Time is a four letter word for some teachers. It is the one thing we all wish we had more of. We need more time to get to the end of our to-do list – the daily tasks of planning, grading, and paperwork. But even more than that, we want  time outside of school, with our family and friends, or just by ourselves and a good book (or Netflix!).

The clock does not have to be our worst enemy- use a few of these time saving ideas for teachers and you can get a lot of that time back, and use it however you want!

Continue reading “Time Saving Ideas for Teachers”

Five Easy Meals for Teachers (or anyone else)

Five easy meals for teachers Its been a long day, molding young minds, making big differences, encouraging and inspiring. You have taught hard, graded tirelessly, and planned lessons for eight plus hours. You are ready to go home and relax.

But then the dreaded thought crosses your mind (or one of your offspring asks), “What’s for dinner?”

Making dinner is the last thing you want to tackle right now, but don’t be tempted to hit the drive through!

With these fast and easy meals for teachers, you will make a dinner you can be proud of, without spending the whole evening in the kitchen.

Each main course has just five ingredients (just one exception), and takes 30 minutes or less to make.

Plus, the total grocery bill for this whole week’s worth of meals is under seventy dollars! To feed a family of four – with leftovers for lunch the next day!

Continue reading “Five Easy Meals for Teachers (or anyone else)”

Five Step Game Plan for Teaching the First Day of School: Middle and High School

Five step game plan for teaching the first day of school.The first day of school is the single best opportunity to lay a foundation for the rest of the year. For new teachers it may feel overwhelming – but it doesn’t have to be!

My first year, I was so nervous on my first day of school! To be honest, I still get nervous on the first day. But I have learned a lot, after making a lot of mistakes!

It is time to conquer the first day of school with these five bell-to-bell steps!

  • Set expectations before students enter the room – start in the hall
  • Use a seating chart
  • Assign something to do as soon as students come in
  • Give an Open Note Quiz on what they learn
  • Do a fun group activity!!

Continue reading “Five Step Game Plan for Teaching the First Day of School: Middle and High School”

Collect Digital Work with Google Forms: Digital Classroom Idea!

Collect digital work easily with Google Forms

My teaching life changed after learning this super simple way to collect digital work from students. Organized and all in one place, so easy to access and grade!

My students used to send me an email with links to their digital work, but that meant me constantly searching though my inbox to find missing assignments!

But no longer! Google Forms to the rescue again!

Continue reading “Collect Digital Work with Google Forms: Digital Classroom Idea!”

Blended Learning – Teach Your Students More in Less Time

Blended Learning is the answer to so many common challenges and frustrations for teachers. Blended Learning will transform the way you teach, and the way your students learn.  It will…

  • Increase student engagement
  • Help you differentiate like never before
  • Give you more class time
  • Allow ‘you’ to be with every student at one time – they can even take you home

And the best part? It is easy!

Continue reading “Blended Learning – Teach Your Students More in Less Time”