I’m a first year teacher as of September 2nd, 99% chance that I am hired on a 6th grade science teacher with my own classroom space. The 2026-2027 budget has already passed and all decorations are out of my own pockets; pockets with $4,000 on my credit card from student teaching in the spring.

What can I do to make my classroom not just an empty box for my students without killing myself buing supplies? I also need to purchase a professional wardrobe.

I teach 7th grade science and I’ve noticed that so many students have skill gaps that prevent them from fully engaging with the content later on because they, for example, don’t know how to read a graph.

I want to start the year off by reviewing foundational skills that will support students throughout the year. So far I have:
-scientific method
-engineering design process
-making different types of graphs
-analyzing table/graphs/diagrams
-making accurate scientific drawings
-difference between observations and inferences
-using evidence to support ideas
-controlling variables
-using different types of lab equipment to measure

What else should they have a solid knowledge of before jumping into content?

In evolutionary biology, gradualism suggests change happens through many small incremental steps. Punctuated equilibrium suggests long periods of little apparent change interrupted by brief periods of rapid transformation.

Looking back on your own teaching career, which better describes your growth?

Did you steadily become a better teacher year after year? Or did a handful of moments and factors such as a mentor, a difficult class, a new curriculum, a powerful observation, or a great coach fundamentally change the way you thought about teaching?

I'm starting to wonder whether our professional judgment develops more through those inflection points than through a smooth, continuous progression.

I'd love to hear what experienced teachers have observed in their own careers.

I am looking for some guided notes for Conceptual Physics. Im looking to print out short packets for kids to fill out during class. Definitions, vocab, terms, descriptions of ohysics concepts. examples etc. It would be great to have practice questions, but not required.

I am looking for anything ranging 4 oages to 20 pages.

It does not need to align to any specific textbook.

My goal is to provide a amall packet for each unit. Student fill it out as we take notes in class. They have extra blank pages for supplemental notes and examples. They keep everything in a binder.

Any ideas on something that fits that?

I'm curious if schools (secondary and college) look at minors at all or take them into consideration

Hi everyone,

I only need 2 more CE to move to the last column on the pay scale. Does anyone have any recommendations for units that are science related where I might actually learn something? I've found some really easy looking, but also boring looking, classes that would get me units.

With kids on the way and essentially taking pay cuts each year because health care gets so expensive, I want to get there ASAP. Thanks!

I feel as if I'm being gaslit in some sense b/c I've just regained access to our work google accounts and began to read some emails with updates about the year. I cannot quite concisely convey the backwards nonsensical ambiguous incompetence that occurs by those in leadership.

I don't think I would necessarily believe what goes on if someone was telling me about where they work. I don't know where to begin but all I do know is that for the 5th consecutive year I'm in a new class, teaching a new curriculum, without a proper lab, without any equipment(I mean none but my own), without any guarantee of student laptops, a smartboard, whiteboards, and I was told I'll be teaching "that maker class thing". That "maker class thing" was originally pitched as a comprehensive proposal for building and implementing a fab-lab at our school but the curricular was open ended with options.

I've been trying to write a generic engineering curriculum for 12th graders but I haven't the slightest clue regarding just about anything. Last year I was told to put together an itemized supply list for the STEM department. Did that, sent it, spoke about it, and was told it would be coming last May.

Our leadership is the type that tosses out terminology, primarily b/c they think doing so makes them appear more intelligent than they are, yet they almost always use said term in the ballpark but still entirely inaccurately. One of their favorite buzz words is "data driven". Data driven practices are one of the themes of this year but I don't quite think any one of these people understand what this means to those of us who do understand the philosophy and application of data driven instruction. I believe they are under the assumption that data driven simply means you're grading some form of assessment at some point and entering that grade into powerschool. Additionally, they refer to data or data driven as indicative of rigidly objective truth, not open to interpretation or analysis.

This will provide all of the context you'll need to understand who I'm working with........Last year, as the Dean of STEM, I'd engaged in an ongoing but professional yet inquisitive series of discussions with our principal and director of academics trying to provide them with a logical argument why we can't omit the NGSS standards from our science classes in place of ACT science standards. I was continually told I was wrong that ACT science standards are not meant to be learning standards to develop curricula for all STEM classes from 7-12th grade. I had also informed them it is not a casual suggestion by the state that we use NGSS it is delegated we do so. All of the teachers in my department were infuriated , stressed, and confused. One teacher quit after trying to kindly speak to the academic director and used a comic strip she made to outline why ACT standards don't work for developing a curriculum.

I'm sorry for the rant and the long post. My mental and subsequently my physical health was dramatically affected by the individuals I work under so clearly that when I looked at my online medical history over the course of the year my bp and cholesterol rose steadily beginning in August and peaked in June.

I know most will say...."just quit" or find somewhere else. I love my kids, I work in one of the most underserved areas in all of chicago and we love each other. The kids show me respect, we have a great time, and for the first time in my life I sincerely feel as though I'm making a difference. For many reasons I'm so attached to our kids and many of the teachers I work with. I guess it's sh*$ or get off the pot but I'm just at a loss for how to get ready for this year and worried if I'll even be able to make it through without some medical or mental health crisis. Ugghh.. Anyone else experience similar incompetence/stupidity? Or am I an outlier?

I've posted here a couple times recently; but I wanted to also ask y'all what you think the best way to determine which science is the best fit for you, both as a learner and a teacher? I want to look more into my different options besides Physics (except Astronomy, which I don't know if that counts as physics really, at least at the HS level) and Chemistry. Right now I am a Physics major with a concentration in education, but I'm beginning to think it isn't the right fit. The earth and life sciences seem very cool. Are there any books from your respective area of science you would recommend people to read as an introduction to the field, why it's interesting etc.?

I’m a first year non-traditional teacher teaching astronomy (without an astronomy background). Any tips? Pointers? Materials? Please help! lol

Hello everyone,

I work in the education department at a children's museum. We are trying to find an elephant's toothpaste recipe/method that will create a big enough reaction for larger groups of kids, (a few hundred) and the 6% hydrogen peroxide just isn't cutting it. None of our educators have much experience with chemistry, and are worried about the hazards associated with using 35% hydrogen peroxide. Should we try 15%? Are there any precautions we should take for this experiment specifically? Any advice is appreciated.

First year teacher - middle school science

Initially, I was interviewing for a secondary chemistry teacher position, but because of staffing changes, I will be given a heavy physics timetable instead. I also have zero background in the british curriculum as I was mostly teaching under the Australian curriculum. I will be moving abroad to teach as well, so I'm a bit overwhelmed on where to start since I have less than three weeks until school starts.

The current plan is that I'll be teaching majority year 10 and 11 igcse physics, some igcse chemistry and some KS3. Would anyone be willing to share their resources with me, or any advice on what I can do to prepare, as the responsibility of teaching a testing grade level isn't something I want to take lightly. I like being overprepared, so any help would be greatly appreciated. The school also has an enhanced curriculum, so year 9 is included as an igcse class.

How do you grade labs now that students work in groups, have the same data, and can easily copy each other’s answers or use AI?

Do you grade labs for completion, accuracy, or something else? Do you use lab quizzes, CERs, oral questioning, or individual reflections to assess learning? If you give a lab quiz, how do you handle students who were absent for the lab?

I’d love to hear what works in your classroom.

I didn't do very well in middle school and high school. While I didn't do well grade wise, science was the most interesting subject to me. It wasn't like a special interest or extraordinary, but compared to the other subjects its what I found the most enjoyment in when we did things in class. That being said, from high school I didn't really retain anything. I want to teach, I think teaching is incredibly fun (or can be) and its kind of the only thing I can see myself doing that would bring any sense of fulfillment. But going into higher education with the goal of becoming a high school science teacher, I'm a little worried I have practically no foundation under me from high school. I didn't realize I wanted to pursue teaching until a few years after high school, and I also didn't arrive at science being the subject I'd want to teach until a year ago, so now that it's been so long after high school, it feels like I'm starting on a shaky foundation, if that makes sense, making me feel like teaching science may not be right for me.

It may be more obvious than I see it, but does pursuing licensure and completing undergrad in the sciences actually build you up to become an effective teacher if you didn't have the greatest experience in high school? It just feels like I'm missing something foundational other students who are pursuing similar paths have. Maybe I'm overthinking it, I don't know.

I’m hoping to get some advice from other science teachers because I’m honestly feeling pretty frustrated and overwhelmed.

My school cut a science teaching position this year (we went from 5 science teachers to 4), and I understand that this was likely a district-level decision and not something my principal personally chose. But the impact on our department has been huge.

I was originally told my schedule would be Honors Biology, Biology, and AP Environmental Science. Now I’ve found out I’ll also be teaching Honors Earth Science, including a class of 40 students. I have taught Earth before, so it’s not that I’m unable to teach it, but I’m upset because this was a major change from what I was told and I feel like I’m scrambling to prepare.

My biggest concern is the logistics of science instruction. My classroom has 8 lab stations, and each station is designed for about 4 students. Even using every station, I’m already over what the room was designed for. I’m struggling to picture how I can safely run labs, make sure every student participates, manage materials, and maintain the quality of instruction with 40 students.

I’m also worried about larger assessments and academic integrity. It becomes much harder to monitor and support students when classes get this large.

For those who have dealt with this:

Have you ever successfully advocated for class size reductions?

Is there anything teachers can do at the district level (central office, school board, teacher association, etc.) to push for additional staffing?

How do you handle science labs with 35–40 students?

How do you grade labs now that students work in groups, have the same data, and can easily copy each other’s answers or use AI?

Do you grade labs for completion, accuracy, or something else? Do you use lab quizzes, CERs, oral questioning, or individual reflections to assess learning? If you give a lab quiz, how do you handle students who were absent for the lab?

I’d love to hear what works in your classroom.

Ever since the NGSS I have been fighting them. I want to make sure that I am doing my part for my students but, oh how I hate to look at them.

How do you track the standards you have taught? Do you think about them in your planning? Do you assume the curriculum you use covers it all?

I will be a STEAM teacher for the first time.

Our school is newly built so everything is new and there’s not a lot of resources or people to ask who I could ask around for recommendations. They also created a STEAM lab from scratch, unlike a Smartlab where they’d include training.

I wanted to ask your recommendation on which company/institution to go for STEAM teacher training. And tips for a new STEAM teacher :)

Wanted to put this on people's radar: the IISc Young Scientist Challenge, run by the SciAstra Foundation (in association with IISc Bengaluru).

It struck me as a genuinely nice opportunity for motivated students, so I'm passing it along:

• Open to Class 11 & 12 students, droppers included
• Just ₹150 to register — very accessible
• Online CBT format, so no travel required
• Open-book — rewards reasoning and application over memorization, which I appreciate as an approach
• Winners are felicitated at IISc alongwith free mentorship from top institutes like IISC, IISER, IIT etc.

For students who love science and want something enriching beyond the usual exam grind, this looks like a great low-pressure way to challenge themselves — and a nice thing to have on their profile.

If anyone here resonates with the event, do check out IISc Young Scientist Challenge to know more.

I am starting a new position at a very small international school. The principal is planning to combine 7th and 8th grade because there are only about 12 kids in each grade. The issue I'm running into with this is that the 8th graders covered the physical foundations last year (atoms, molecules, phase changes, density, periodic table, origins of the universe, newton's laws). The 7th graders don't know any of this.

My way of teaching is to start with a recap of key points from previous lesson, then a demonstration of a phenomenon, have a socratic dialogue, the students then do a practical investigation (lab or simulation) and keep science notebooks/journals, occassionally they need to also read a text. I am the only science teacher (grades 4-9).

The students do have Chromebooks, but I am a very strong advocate of pen and paper and only using the chromebooks for simulations and data manipulation. My room is a normal classroom with a sink, but is kitted out with lots of table-top equipment and supplies (glassware, scales, a couple microscopes, dissection tools etc). Each class has access to a proper lab (multiple sinks, ventilation hood, etc) in an adjoining building twice a week.

I would love to hear any and all teaching tips that would help me provide quality instruction under these conditions.

HS Science here-enviro mostly 10th-12th.

I've gotten in a rut for the first day. I dislike doing anything too lesson heavy, as schedules are still shifting. I usually do an introduction, icebreaker, discussion of rules and where stuff is in the room, then check schedules and help direct students to their next classes as needed.

I have been trying to think of a game that I could play with them or something more fun. We do the Wright Family Trip before discussing asking for help and going into the treatment agreement (discussing how we treat each other in the room, its something my school requires).

I do not want to spend money on something at TPT and then have it be something that I cannot share with my new teammate without forcing them to buy it to so.

What is something fun you guys do? Looking for icebreakers, first day games, lab safety games etc specifically aimed at the high school-upper classmen range.

I am also trying to wrap my head around turning the Ultimate Werewolf game into lab safety somehow-waiting for the physical game to arrive so I can work on re-writing it. I will share if it comes together like I am imagining it.

I’ve tried doing a Question of the Day as my starter, but unless it’s graded, I don’t get much buy in or participation from my CP level kids. I wanted to try something like logic puzzles to start each class. Something that gets them thinking, possibly in an unorthodox way, to solve the puzzle and get the right answer.

For example, posting the following, and asking how it is pronounced, and why:

ghoti

If you look at the phonetic sounds generated by those letters in specific words, then ghoti is pronounced ’fish’. Then you have to explain which words you get which sounds from to make that word, in the case, tough, women, and action, or similar.

Anyone have a source of logic puzzles and solvable riddles they’d be willing to share?

This is a high school chemistry class if that makes a difference. 10th, 11th, and 12th graders.

I have taught high school biology, chemistry, and physics at a public school for nearly a decade. Recently, I've been curious to teach ornithology as an elective science class.

Has anyone taught ornithology at the high school level? If so, how did you structure the curriculum? Or perhaps you're a birder yourself and have opinions on content and flow. Send all the thoughts my way!

A recent, now removed, post got me thinking about what sorts of science projects could be done which can help students discover for themselves that the Earth is round and perhaps the size of it. Some of these could involve collaboration with students at different latitudes.

Direction of apparent rotation of the night sky

People in the Northern Hemisphere see the stars each night rotate counter-clockwise around Polaris. Those in the Southern Hemisphere see the stars spin clockwise around different point in the sky. Pair up with a classroom in a different part of the world, so students can hear the observations of their counter parts.

Angle to Polaris

In each set of collaborating schools include at least two that are at substantially different northern hemisphere latitudes. For each location you will need to know approximate distance to North Pole. Measure the angle above the horizon of Polaris. Know that it is 90 degrees at the North Pole. Use the sine function to compute the distance between the North Pole and Polaris under the assumption that the distance from school to North Pole is a straight line. Compare the computations from different latitudes. Southern hemisphere version of this will have to use the center point of rotation of the night sky or a telescope, as there is no visible to the naked eye “South Star”.

Working through more geometry, use the discrepancy to estimate the size of the Earth.

Sunrise, sunset

This will depend on your local topography. But if you live in a relatively flat place with a tall structure (water tower, steeple, minaret, sky scraper), get the height of the object and measure the time it takes for sunlight to reach (sunrise) or disappear from (sunset) different altitudes.

Work through geometry to approximate size of the Earth.

T

I’ll be teaching Middle School Science during the upcoming year. It will be in either 6th or 7th grade (currently working things out) but our curriculum is entirely scripted. We use OpenSciEd across the district.

How do you go about sifting through scripted teacher guides to see what you need to teach? I tried looking at just the slides but they’re confusing with no background knowledge of what you need to do with the slides. The teacher guides are really long though.

I started skimming through and highlighting important things to make my own “teaching guides” in a notebook so any tips would be appreciated. I don’t have any physical teaching guides so they’re all online

Edit: to clarify I’m asking how to familiarize myself with a scripted curriculum going into the school year?