Fitting It All In: 6 Tips for Science Experimentation on a Shortened Schedule

So you've figured out set-up, take-down and storage of your lab materials using some handy tips from our previous blog post. You've just gone over the directions and your kiddos are ready to get elbow deep into a frog exploration when the bell rings. Wait... WHAT?!?!? What happened to your class time?  Where did it go? You just looked at the clock and you had at least a good half hour left. How can anyone get through an elaborate lab such as a dissection or an inquiry lab from start to finish in a 50 minute (or less) block of time? In this day and age of "go, go, GO!", teachers have to be flexible. Over scheduled students are changing classes, heading to constant testing which alters schedules for weeks on end, participating in plays, sports activities, and the like which pulls kids from your room on a whim. So, how do you ensure that every student experiences experiments and labs in this kind of chaos? We've got some teacher-tested tips for you for when time is of the essence!

1. Smooth Review: To ensure a well organized lab day, go over lab expectations, rules, consequences, procedures, materials, etc. the day before the lab takes place.  Allow students to complete their hypothesis and ask them to read over the procedure again for homework. The following day, do a quick overview of the lab by letting students summarize what you discussed the day prior, quiz them with a few of the most important questions and then set your kids loose! They should be ready and set to go.

2. Work Together: Don't be afraid to work WITH your students in coming up with a feasible hypothesis or logical conclusions. Students can still develop their own inferences, but when the class brainstorms ideas together, the process can go much more quickly. For summarizing or analysis questions, answer them as a class or allow them to work with their groups. This will speed up the time that's often wasted "thinking stuff up" and will help lead those that were a little lost down the right path to the big picture.

3. Pre-fill and Pare Down: Another great way to fit labs into shortened classes is to have graph paper partially filled out with the correct data range so students can easily create a title, identify their x and y axes and fill in their plot points (provide two versions and you have a great differentiation tool you can use for your students who just don't quite get science or math concepts as quickly). Where possible, reduce the number of trials during an experiment. You can also limit results and conclusion questions to those that are most important to the lab. Simple recall assessments are time wasters.

4. Split it up: If you're able, complete one half of the lab one day and the other half on the following day - this is especially helpful for labs like dissection when exploration is really necessary to gain a full understanding of the concept at hand. Wrap up specimen in a gallon ziplock bag with the group name written on the outside for storage overnight. Have time to complete the lab, but not the analysis? Ask students to answer important questions for homework. The next day, spend 5-10 minutes reviewing the main takeaway of the experiment and revisit any misconceptions students may have. Whatever end point you reach, be sure to incorporate a little time for closure because you never want to leave your students hanging when it comes to understanding the big picture.

5. 'Round Robin quizzes: Dissection is a major component of what life science and biology teachers do, and ensuring identification and understanding of the many working parts of an organism is key to success in our labs. Unfortunately, time constraints often limit our ability to ensure each student sees each organ and understands location and function - to this end, we do group quizzes. Create a quick checklist that you can hand out to each group and have students put their names at the top of the sheet.  Prior to exploration, inform your kids that a verbal group quiz is how they'll be graded for their participation. The checklist can also be a guiding handout, with a graphic of what kids should be locating. Once you've visited each group and observed they are on the right path, use the last 15-20 minutes of the lab to visit each group and quiz the students about where each structure is located and what the function of each is. It saves time and your sanity as you try to assess their level of involvement in and comprehension of the lab.  

6.  Demonstrate it: When time is really crunched, there is no better way than to do the lab yourself with students assisting throughout the process.  Tell students the problem at hand and have them help you brainstorm the best procedure to achieve the desired results.  Set-up the lab at your desk and ask for student volunteers to help complete the lab.  Formulate a hypothesis and answer analysis questions together as a class.  While it may not be as hands-on for the students, in a shortened class period it can be a real time-saver and still allows the students the experience of the concept you are demonstrating.   

Please feel free to comment below and let us know what kind of shortcuts you've incorporated in your classroom when you're in a time crunch in science! 

Homework - To Grade or Not To Grade

It's almost Christmas - so don't shoot me OK? I am not a fan of grading homework for about a million different reasons. For me, homework was an all or nothing mark in the grade book. You either do it - with effort or you don't. I know many teachers who do grade homework and if that's you, rock on!

Students in Middle School are different (as if you didn't already know that). Homework shouldn't be given unless you know students have an understanding of the concept. Why? Middle schoolers are grumpy and often lack patience. If they have homework on a skill that is difficult, brand new or just plain hard, they aren't going to do it. You and I both know it. Don't punish them because all you will end up doing is punishing yourself.

Why homework shouldn't be graded:

1. You have enough to do. Seriously. You are grading classwork and exams, going to meetings (PLCs, IEPs,) dealing with parents, dealing with students, trying to have a life outside of school. You don't need to take up your time to sit and grade every single homework assignment. 
2. You shouldn't pick and choose when you grade HW and when you don't. It isn't fair to the students. They need to know what is and what isn't graded. Going back and forth isn't providing them - or you - consistency. As you know, consistency is the KEY to successfully managing Middle Schoolers. 
3. Not every student has the same resources. Some kids will go home and have their mathematical engineer mother help them with their homework. Others will go home and ask their big brother who is in AP Biology to do it for them. There will be kids who go home and take on the role of parent because their own parents work in the evening. When students are in class, they are given the same resources and opportunities. Outside of school, the environment isn't controlled. 
4. It really isn't that important. Gah. I know... terrible right? Think about it. What is important? Classroom interactions, cooperative learning, assessment performance, classroom behavior, kids being GOOD people. Those things are important. Outside of schools, kids need to focus on things that will really truly matter in the future. They need to spend time with their families. They need to play sports and participate in other activities that will teach them how to work together and be a team player. School takes up enough of their day (think about how much of your day it consumes). Don't let it take up their evenings too. 
5. Going over the homework in class requires the students to pay attention to their own work - and you! If you pass back homework that is graded, students will not pay attention to you when you are trying to go over it. The kid who had nothing wrong has zero reasons to pay attention. The kid who has most wrong will be irritated and not pay attention - probably shoving the paper in his or her notebook. Giving back a paper with a simple checkmark ensures they will at least listen to the answers you give and check their own paper. Often this will lead to questions.  Learning from mistakes is one of the best ways to learn!

Now. I'm NOT saying homework should never be given. Before a test, absolutely. Real world projects? Go for it. I'm simply saying that it doesn't need to be graded - unless your school requires a homework grade. And even then, grade for completion. A simple check or zero gives you points in the grade book without taking tons of time to check every single question. 

Top 5 Qualities of Successful Middle Level Teachers

1.  QUIRKY, ENTERTAINING, OUTGOING
(I just couldn't narrow it down to one.)  Let's face it...we are dealing with a unique group of kids, so it only makes sense that we teach them in a unique way.  Attention spans are short, hormones are all over the place, and a lot of our students are super-obsessed with how others perceive them.  I think it's like a fresh breath of air for our students to see us teach without boundaries.  We can't be afraid to look foolish, we must strive to make every lesson memorable, and above all we must captivate our audience.  Be weird, be quirky!  Even if you get these looks...

DO IT ANYWAY!  Because I can almost guarantee you... YOU will be "the main topic" of all lunch conversations.  And in this case, it's better to be talked about than not to be mentioned at all.

I love when my afternoon classes come running in the door excited about what we are doing in class.  They've heard their friends talking about it, so they can't wait to see what the fuss is all about.  Think about it - when you go to an in-service or listen to a speaker, what qualities do they have that really "hook you"?  For me, an entertaining speaker captivates my attention.  They don't care what they may look like, they are simply there to make you listen to every word they say and you leave having had a memorable experience.  

2.  FLEXIBLE
When you're teaching students who are figuring out who they are, you have to be able to bend to meet their needs. Needs that could change at any given moment. Students in the middle grades are often ridiculously hormonal and let's face it... a bit illogical sometimes. Their moods can pull some serious Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde moves and you need to know how to work with that. Be prepared to roll with the punches in terms of the questions they'll ask, the attitudes they'll display and the jokes they'll make. Don't act like everything they say/do is ridiculous (even though that's how you'll feel) because it'll come off as you putting them down. Laugh at their ridiculous jokes, rearrange your lesson to allow for one on one work time with a student who may be having a bad day, and have a response for even the most irrational question.

You also need to be flexible when it comes to parents. By the middle grades, parents have a pretty good idea of how their child will behave in class. Chance are, if you have to call home, it won't be the first time that parent has had a phone call from a teacher before. That's the good news. The bad news is that many parents have their own opinions... very strong opinions... on how their child learns/thinks/acts best. They'll expect you to handle their child in the way they tell you to. Be sensitive to parents. Teaching is tough, but parenting is harder. You may need to bend a little to accommodate certain parents. You can either do that, or spend all year having a parent out to get you.

3.  ENGAGING
Successful teachers know how to engage their students in classroom activities.  They are able to do so by making lessons relevant and keeping things "fresh."

Successful teachers engage students by making lessons that can relate to their lives.  Teachers need to have background information and build a rapport with their students to be able to relate what students are learning to their lives.  It's also great when teachers can connect learning to real world experiences.  Help your students understand how what they are learning will translate into the real world.  Invite parents to come into your classroom to discuss how they use the skills your students are learning in their careers.

Another way to engage your students is through the use of technology in your classroom. Our students are immersed in technology in their free time.  They love using it, so what better way to engage them than to incorporate it into your instructional practices!  There are so many free technology resources to use to spice up your lesson!  It's super important to keep things "fresh" by being creative.  I always think to myself, if I was a student, would I enjoy this activity?  I know that every lesson we teach can't have all the bells and whistles, but there are ways to keeps things interesting through differentiation.  For example, give your students choices in the products they create to demonstrate their learning!

4. CONSISTENT WITH HIGH EXPECTATIONS
Bottom line - if you expect less, you will get less.  Set the bar high for your students and continue to encourage them and assure them that you know they can meet the goals you have set for them, as well as the goals they have for themselves.  Be available to help those that are struggling.  And while every student is different, it is important for the students to see that you are consistently expecting the best from each of your students.

When they fall short, academically or behaviorally, you must be fair and consistent.  Don't let anything slide...ever.  What appears to be a small behavior issue, will become a monstrous behavior problem in a short time if left alone or ignored.

In my first few years of teaching, I was more concerned with the students liking me and thinking that I knew everything in not only my content area, but every content area.  Ha!  I soon came to realize that they would like me in an organic way if I simply was consistent in my expectations for them and was a real person.  My students know that I don't know it all - I am a lifelong learner, who is constantly on the quest to know more.  It's okay to mess up, but in real life, there is a consequence for every choice.  And the middle school years are a difficult time, when many students struggle with that idea.  It's your job to help them through those times and help them learn from their mistakes.  

5.  BALANCED
To be successful at the middle school level, teachers must be balanced in every sense of the word.  Any given day in a middle school environment presents such a great variety of challenges that I dare not even try to list them all.  In order to tackle this, day in and day out, a middle school teacher must be balanced, both in what they offer their students but also in how they manage their lives.

A successful teacher must be engaging to draw in students, yet nurturing to maintain a relationship.  A successful teacher must be clever and creative, all the while targeting the specific needs of their students.

A successful teacher has to balance tackling high-pressure state standards while handling the emotional needs of each student.

A successful teacher must be able to bring humor to the classroom and must be able to laugh at themselves in the process.

A successful teacher must be able to relate to (and connect with) a 12 year old child one moment, then a 60 year old colleague the next.

A successful teacher must be a good listener, problem-solver, and a mentor to each student, both with current students and past ones as they return seeking advice.

A successful middle school teacher would be wise to recognize that you can’t “fake-it” with middle schoolers — they are highly-observant, quick to understand, and will learn very fast if you are truly “in it for them.”

While managing all of these skills in a school and classroom setting, a successful middle school teacher must also find balance in their own life.  One must set aside time to enjoy the company of family and friends.  If you don’t have a hobby, now is the time to get one!  Everybody needs to time to unwind, relax, and rest. While this may be difficult to do as you see the stack of ungraded papers on your desk, keep in mind that in the long-run your sanity needs the break!

Everyone has heard of a multi-talented person being calling a “Jack of all trades.” This phrase embodies the successful middle school teacher more than anything else.  However, while a teacher must be multi-talented, the need to balance these talents is key.  Too much of anything is a bad thing, just like a teacher only having one of these skills -- you truly must have everything to be successful at teaching in a middle school.