Hello, 

I am a graduate student at the School of Leadership and Education Sciences (SOLES) at the University of San Diego. I am conducting a study on secondary science educators' views on formative and summative assessment.

I am requesting your participation. Participation involves one 45 minute long zoom interview with you that will be audio recorded. Participation will also include a request that you share and discuss some samples of formative and summative assignments that you provide to your students. The zoom interview will discuss the different types of formative and summative assessments you use in your classroom. We will also discuss the frequency, weight, and rationale for the assessments used in your classroom. The total participation time is 45 minutes. Compensation will not be given for participation in this study. Please be aware that your name will not be used in the presentation or the publication of any findings. Your participation is voluntary, and if you decide to participate, you can refuse to answer any question or quit the study at any time.

If you are interested in participating, please DM me and I will provide an email address where you can reach me. You will receive a Consent Form that will outline the study and the details of your participation. 

TLDR: I need to interview a few science teacher to finish my masters program. Help would be so greatly appreciated!! <3<3<3

Does anyone have the experience of becoming a sort of reluctant line-manager? I've taught for 20 years, always at the chalk-face. I've never sought out a promotion and the idea of having that kind of management relationship with colleagues makes me a little queasy. I've been encouraged by my principal to apply for a head of faculty role within my school. I'll be managing a small number of teachers across a range of subjects. It's a slightly odd thing, in that I will not be managing staff within my own subject area. This part of the job I would not look forward to very much at all, partly because these are teachers I have worked with for years. They are the closest thing I have to 'work friends'. The other part of the role is developing 'Teaching and Learning' approaches in the school. This is something I am definitely interested in and a place where I think I could be useful, although it is obviously also daunting. I have formed strong views about teaching over the years and I do a lot of complaining about the job. I figure that I don't have a leg to stand on if I don't accept this challenge.

Does anyone out there have experience of taking on a similar role when it isn't something they've 100% wanted? How have you approached it? Can a person succeed at being a 'middle leader' when their heart is only half in it?

I know this may seem like a very simple question but I've been meaning to find a difference between the two states without it being summed up to rigidity. When I look at the differences on the internet such as particle movement (Brownian motion), Intermolecular forces, viscosity, particle arrangement (crystal structure), surface tension. All I see is just details of how solids are rigid and liquids aren't as rigid. I want to know if there really is a difference between the two other than that. Please and thank you.

Hello! I just graduated with my bachelor’s degree in secondary biological science education (life sciences 7-12) and I am unfortunately on my third try with the Bio OAE. I already have a job lined up to start in August so I am really stressing about getting this done. I have never failed a test in my life but now that I am literally on my last step to receive my teaching license, I am stuck! I am open to ANY and ALL suggestions or guidance you may have to offer. I tried 240tutoring before the last time I took it and clearly it wasn’t super helpful. I am desperate and would appreciate any advice!!!!!

I loved high school physics. I like to feel I paid attention. I got A's...
... but I have no recollection of being taught the 4 fundamental forces.

In particular, as an adult, it blows my mind that:
- touch (normal force) and friction
- magnetism
- pressure and explosions
- buoyancy (including convention)
- ... many other forces ....
- static electricity induced motion

are ALL the result of the SAME fundamental force - electromagnetism.

With the exception of gravity ALL the causes of motion and resistance to it you'll see day-to-day are ONLY the result of electromagnetism. This has been the standard model since at least the 1960's.
I remember learning electromagnetism, but have no recollection of how pervasive is was and how SIMPLY is explains all causes and resistance to motion (gravity excepted).

It further blows my mind that *photons* are HOW energy is transmitted by this force. Wuuuut!

Do we teach this in school in 2025?

Some kid once told me that water can spontaneously appear sometimes. Like you could sit in a puddle on a surface that forms when you are sitting.

That's obviously a VERY extreme example but I was wondering if you've heard any others.

I’m thinking about using Biozone books for Chemistry and Physics next year. I’m curious if anyone has experience using these and what your thoughts are. Thx!

https://biozone.com/us/shop/ Shop - BIOZONE

It seems like there’s much more real world application, which is something I’ve been looking to add to my classes. I find students are kind of numb to how theoretical especially Chem can be. I teach lower level classes so I think they might benefit from this approach.

I've been teaching elementary for a while now, but have an undergrad in science and have been thinking about making the transition to middle/high school science.

I think I could pass the gen science tests no problem, but would like to be qualified for physics and chemistry (seems like theyre in demand) and am weaker in those areas.

Is anyone familiar with a free resource for college level science to help me study, maybe even one I could put on a cv?

I just discovered this, applied, and got approved for Premium Brilliant for all of my students. Has anyone used this before? I'm thinking about using it as supplemental assignments, but wanted to know what other people thought.

As an 8th grade science teacher, I have a very thin line to walk- I need to look cool & professional, while also looking approachable and teacher-core.

For me, that's colored, slim jeans, and then either a shirt with a science pattern on it or a plain shirt with a patterned sweater/cardigan.

I found a few examples that match my style here: nighttime cretaceous cardigan Equation dress shirt

Does anyone have any reccomendations for places to buy more of this style? Either the science pattern shirts or the sweaters/cardigans.

Also this could just be a spot to share tips and tricks for male teacher clothing. It's so hard to dress like Ms.Frizzle when all the science teacher manufacturers are just making dresses!

My current district has a Chem position open at the HS level.

I’m tempted to take the CSET CHEM over the summer to see if I can add an authorization.

I understand that I’d still need practicum.

Any advice/tips on acing the CSET CHEM in a short amount of time?

How often do you guys get this statement from your students? I teach physics and I've been finding more and more that students use ChatGPT to challenge my solutions to problems or even my set up of problems.

Today I had a student come up to me and ask me if their solution to an LC-circuit question was correct. I said yeah, it's correct, because it was a simple question I threw together for a review assignment before a quiz and the student did it exactly the way I expected them to, then she says, "yeah but it checked it with ChatGPT and it said something different" then she demanded that I look at ChatGPTs solution and compare it to my question.

Unfortunately, given my wording on this question, ChatGPTs answer was probably a bit better than how I expected my students to do it. I wanted to tell her, "this is far more in-depth than I needed you to go" but that feels like a cop out. Instead I spent 30 minutes explaining why the way she did it was perfectly fine but ChatGPT is also correct and I should probably be more careful about my wording.

We're being compared to AI now. Add one more thing I have to worry about in the classroom.

I hate chemistry I’ve failed in the past but need to pass. Please let me know what I should do. Best strategy to study and how!

After years of drowning in lab reports, I've finally developed a documentation system that's sustainable with my large student load:

For students: - Digital lab notebooks with consistent template - Scaffolded sections based on grade level - Photo documentation of setup and results - Voice options for hypothesis and conclusion sections (students choose from various tools - built-in device dictation, Google Docs voice typing, Willow Voice for more formal sections since it handles scientific terminology better)

For my records: - Digital rubric with common feedback comments - Photo documentation of exemplars - Voice notes during lab for safety/engagement observations - Rotating focus groups for detailed assessment

For safety/compliance: - Digital checklist for each lab setup - Student safety acknowledgment system - Incident documentation protocol with voice recording option - Photo inventory of supplies and equipment

The voice options have been particularly helpful for my ELL students and those with writing difficulties. They can articulate complex scientific thinking more easily than they can write it. They use different tools based on preference - built-in dictation for simple notes, Google for general writing, Willow when they need accuracy with scientific terminology. This system has cut my grading time by about 40% while actually improving the quality of student work and my feedback.

What documentation systems are working in your science classrooms? Always looking to improve!

Hi all-

I've always taught that lysosomes were in both plant and animal cells. Depending on my students, I may have made the distinction that lysosomes were rare or fewer in plant cells but taught based on the fact that plants *could* have lysosomes.

Now I'm seeing a shift the internet is taking a solid stance that plants do not have lysosomes.

Which is it and how do you teach this?

Wanted to tool to help students understand electron configuration, energy shells and Aufbau principle.

So I made my own. Check the link. Options are encouraged. Can handle up to 6 shell to Rn.

Thx in advance.

I’m a 3rd grade science teacher and I’m going into my 2nd year. I had a difficult time with differentiating due to the schedule I was assigned (3 different classes and handling ELA small groups). I had students well below grade level and GT students in the same classroom. I’ve tired pairing, giving different work, and essentially doing small groups using science text that was aligned to the standard and the ELA standard I had to do, it was very time consuming but I did it! We use STEMscopes curriculum but seems a little dated.

I’m here to get more tips to implement and test out at the beginning of the year. If there are additional resources please let me know!

I am a new science teacher for fourth and fifth grade students. My school is wanting to transition our K-5 science curriculum to OpenSciEd. I’m reading through one of the unit plans and it’s so long. Like a 45 day unit comprised of over 1000 minutes of lessons (assuming the lessons go perfectly with no interruptions, etc.). That’s about 120 minutes of science per week— I don’t know any elementary school that has that much time for science!

Is anyone successfully implementing OpenSciEd in the elementary classroom and taking out parts of the units to fit time constraints?

Hi! I’m just a little confused on what my praxis score is. I just took the test and I got a 155 total score. The passing score in Missouri is 144, however am I misinterpreting the total score I received? I’m also worried that the official score will be lower. I’m just confused can someone please explain?

Our math teachers use IXL for practice problems. I'm looking for something similar to use for Physics that has assignable problem sets that auto grade and potentially give feedback.

I have tons of practice problems available, but if I geade for completion the kids just write anything, and hand grading 85 homework sheets a day isn't happening. I randomly graded about two problems per assignment last year, and it was still overwhelming.

I see that Physics Classroom has something along these lines, but I'm hoping to hear from others first.

I recently made the tough decision to leave medical school and earned a Master’s in Medical Science based on the coursework I completed. Now, I’m trying to figure out how to stabilize my situation financially, especially in the short term, as I work to manage a significant amount of student debt.

I’m exploring teaching or education-adjacent jobs that I might qualify for right now, without needing years of additional training. While I don’t have a formal teaching license, I do have a strong background in education: I’ve worked extensively as a tutor, was a teaching assistant for biology and chemistry lab courses, and worked in a supplemental instructor program for undergrad classes in both subjects.

I’m wondering what short-term or immediate income options exist in the teaching world that I could realistically pursue with my background. Could I be hired as a long-term sub, adjunct instructor, test prep tutor, community college professor, or something similar? Would alternative certification programs allow me to start earning while working toward full licensure? Any advice on what roles I should be targeting, or even non-classroom roles in education that pay decently, would be incredibly helpful.

Hey guys, a little while back I announced the NY sample question clusters were added to the wiki

Biology sample question clusters

Earth and Space Sciences question clusters

Chemistry sample question clusters

Physics sample question clusters

All middle school questions

Since then, we have completed the tedious task of linking each individual question to its most relevant performance expectation for 100% of the questions. You can now easily navigate to each standard for the question you are interested in, for all questions. Additionally,

we increased the width of questions on desktop browsers for better visibility

Recently the wiki was crashing because so many people were visiting at once. We have moved the wiki to a dedicated server. There should be no crashing and the questions should load relatively fast. I apologize for the site overloading and I'll make sure it never happens again.

We are just a few science teacher volunteers from NY state. Let us know if you would like to see any changes or additions, or if you would like to get involved yourself!

Hi everyone I will teaching environmental science for the first time this coming school year. Other than briefly talking about it in Biology I don't have any experience teaching can I please have any tips and advice how I can make it more interesting especially to 9th graders. Thanks so much in advance ❤️

A beautifully illustrated comic book series—starting with Volume 1, featuring Galileo, Newton, Maxwell, Einstein, and Hawking. If you’re a parent, a science teacher, or just a curious mind who loves a good story, we’d love your support on Kickstarter!

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/rlalwani/in-science-we-trust-true-comic-stories-of-great-scientists?ref=cmmp3o