Building Polyhedrons

I loved to put out polyhedrons for BONUS points.

I tried to keep kids busy at all times, right up to the bell. If kids were done with their homework, I would let them get out homework from another class. Or I would encourage them to get a BONUS PAGE from my class to do.

I've already talked about putting out Coloring Sheets for BONUS points.

Now here's another idea! Run some patterns off on colored paper! Put out one or two sheets per week and watch them get snatched up! Especially if you make a couple yourself and hang them from the ceiling over the Pick-Up Table.

Pick-Up Table: I always had a table set up by my door with all the work for the day ready to be picked up by the students as they walked in the room. This saved lots of class time for me. More on the Pick-Up Table another day!

I always had a couple of new BONUS pages on the top of the table EVERY DAY! They are easy to do. Make a new crisscross puzzle on Discovery.com's Puzzlemaker site. Find fun pages in some of the old workbooks sitting on your shelf. Surf the net for fun ideas.

CONSIDER THIS: In Science class, anything that exercises the mind of your students is good for BONUS!

KEWL IDEA: Before you run off, add some words for direction. Check out this example!

FUN LINKS: Several Patterns from Duke University.
Lotsa Paper Models of Polyhedrons!

We have a WINNER!

A FREE beta copy of my Teaching Plate Tectonics Packet goes to Cadena of South Dakota.

CONGRATULATIONS, CADENA!

I will be mailing a beta copy of the new Teaching Plate Tectonics Packet to you ASAP. I have just a couple more things I want to add to the Packet and then I will mail it off to you!

For everyone one else, be sure to keep checking my store page for the inaguration of the Plate Tectonics Packet. I also have three Mini-Packets just about ready to go, including Goodies for Teachers.

FUN LINK: Marcia's Science Teaching Ideas Store.

What Causes the Seasons?

From an Astronomy point-of-view, teaching what causes the seasons is an important teacher goal.

I always found at least half of each class still held on to the thought that we are closer to the sun in the summer and farther away in the winter. Once they understand it's the angle of sunlight and that we are closer in the winter, kick it up a notch by having them go home and check out what their parents think!

My most favorite unit I've always called the "Skittles Lesson" because Skittles candies are used as units of heat. My students seemed to stay focused for the most part, especially since they knew they got to eat the candy when they had completed the worksheet!

Since it's such a complicated lesson (the first time), I've written a "How to Teach" handout so you can see what worked for me in getting across this concept.

CONSIDER THIS: Teach the Seasons using Skittles!
Click here for the Skittles Activity, the directions, and also a couple of other active learning activities for teaching "Reasons for the Seasons."

FUN LINKS: Tons of other kewl ideas!

The Perfect Animation for the Skittles Activity: Click here!

Vocab Matching Team Game

You're never too old to play games that help you learn.

My 92 year old father moved down here from Minnesota this summer to be near his family. We are loving having him just down the street. It's a real joy.

The Independent Living place he's moved into has already tapped him to help teach a computer class. They've figured out he's a real computer expert and has a lot to share with his neighbors.

So along with the Activity Director, he's teaching a beginning computer course to a couple dozen eager students.

Last week, I gave him a Matching Game for his course based on my old stand-by, the Vocab Matching Team Game. I made brightly colored sets of vocab and definitions from his beginning lesson.

He and the Activity Director decided to divide the class into two teams and away they went! And they LOVED the game!

So if you can substitute the kids in the above photo with 70-80-90-year olds, you've got the picture of that day in the computer classroom.

Dad said they started out slowly, but once they caught on to what the object of the game was, away they went!

And those that came to the class too late to participate, according to my Dad, will be on time next class just to see what tricks he has up his sleeve.

Stick with me, Dad. I've got lots more great ideas, that literally will work for students from 9 to 90!

CONSIDER THIS: Even if you teach high schoolers, a simple team game will add lots of punch and learning to your classroom.

FUN LINK: Check out my Active Games page.

Year-long Tree Observation Activity

I loved taking my students outside for a science project!

If you teach a yearlong class, this is a very worthwhile project. Take your students outside once a month. By the end of the school year, they will have produced an album of observations of their personal tree.

Be sure to have them read the Summary Questions each month to see what could be done that month.

CONSIDER THIS: Add a Tree Observation Unit to your curriculum!

FUN LINK: Adopt-A-Tree Journal

DOWNLOAD: Click here for a sample unit.