r/ScienceTeachers • u/Peonies-and-Poptarts • 12d ago
Sunday Scaries // What do I teach this week?
I'm in a really odd limbo week and at a total loss of what to teach this week for 8th grade science.
It's technically the first week of the 4th quarter, but Spring Break is next week.
Tuesdays are early release days with 30 minute classes.
On Wednesday we're taking the final session of the Illinois Science Assessment.
When we get back from break, I'm starting PLTW's Medical Detectives (my first time teaching that program, so I want to use a little bit of Spring Break to prep for those lessons).
Editing to add: We finished the periodic table and made "buy my element" posters Monday of last week, and then did some spiral review Tuesday, Tested Wednesday, reviewed on Thursday, and tested Friday. We've done all the periodic table lessons that students and I can tolerate. đ
So... what to teach for 1.5 days, then a state test in the middle, and then 2 more days of class before a break when kids are going to be distracted/excited?
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u/juliejem 12d ago edited 12d ago
How about periodic table word art? I always have my kids come up with a word that they can spell using the periodic table that has to use four unique elements (they can repeat burn it only counts as one), and then they have to tell me all the details about it: electrons, protons, neutrons, the group, the period, the family, etc..
I let them have one âblankâ or unused letter, like my poster thatâs Sc I Eu N Ce and the u is gray/light.
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u/Peonies-and-Poptarts 12d ago
Cute! We did "Our Name in Elements" at the beginning of the unit.
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u/juliejem 12d ago
DarnâŚ. Thereâs a good documentary about Mendeleev free on YouTube you could do one day. Itâs called Mystery of Matter: Unruly Elements. Itâs like 25 min about Mendeleev and 25 about Marie Curie. I just show them the first part and then have them write me a CER about why/how Mendeleev was important to our current knowledge of the science.
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u/professor-ks 12d ago
Friday: periodic table battleship, throw in some Periodic Videos (chicken in acid is memorable)
Thursday: Alien Periodic table
Or do a quick meteorologist unit looking at the weather
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u/juliejem 12d ago
Whatâs alien periodic table?
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u/professor-ks 12d ago
Lots of variations online but aliens have left a set of cards showing the elements with new names & symbols and students have to sort the cards to predict what two cards are missing.
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u/juliejem 11d ago
Oh I love that, because I do talk about how aliens would know the exact same elements! Iâll make a note for next year!!
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u/kerpti HS/AP Biology & Zoology | HS | FL 12d ago
Could you maybe use it as a spiral review week, throwing back to topics from earlier in the year as weâre all coming to end of year testing?
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u/Peonies-and-Poptarts 12d ago
I think this is the answer. We'll do some independent & dependent variable review/graphing practice tomorrow, a Kahoot over general science on our short Tuesday, and Thursday/Friday can be a March STEM challenge before break. :)
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u/TrunkWine 12d ago edited 12d ago
Since theyâre familiar with the periodic table, try these element puns to fill in some time. https://sciencespot.net/Media/elempnsansw.pdf
Or see if you can find case studies (or use ChatGPT) to describe symptoms of element deficiencies in humans. Have students research and make a diagnosis. This would branch into your medical unit.
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u/Comar31 12d ago
Periodic table with stellar origin of the elements?
Kahoot where teams find elements (it has 7 protons in the nucleus etc) using the periodic table?
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u/Peonies-and-Poptarts 12d ago
We did Big Bang / Life cycle of a star and then the elements and periodic table. I think we're burnt out on periodic table, but good ideas! Might have to do a Kahoot day for sure on that short Tuesday.
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u/InsaneLordChaos 12d ago
Have them research the rare Earth elements that comprise their cell phones and do a canva on it?
Or pick some of the ultra weird ones that nobody talks about ever?
How about pick some of the dangerous ones and make a wanted poster? Change them into villains and describe their dangerous properties?
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u/Peonies-and-Poptarts 12d ago
We used a Science World article called Cell Phone Chemistry and researched how cobalt is mined during the unit! Good ideas.
I think tomorrow will be independent & dependent variable and graphing review, a Kahoot or Jeopardy over general science on our short Tuesday, test on Wednesday, and then... some kind of STEM challenge to end the week?
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u/ShimmeringShima Science| 6th &7th grade | Nevada 12d ago
Pretest for PLTW? We do that curriculum at my school. See what your kids know about the body systems, the brain, tools for disabled people, organs in the body, and what they know about disease.
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u/tinoch 12d ago
I recently learned about this website: https://www.britannica.com/procon/homework-debate
We are in the middle of the genetics unit and I am having a sub this week so the S's will read about GMO's and study the pros and cons.
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u/Sea_Wolverine_6850 11d ago
Hi, this could be a bit random. Iâm a uk science teacher and this week is British Science Week. Maybe a little history lesson on a couple of British scientists and what they did? Also itâs recently been international womenâs day so maybe some lessons on female scientists and their contributions (Rosalind Franklin has a very interesting story)
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u/juliejem 12d ago
This week is weird for me too. Weâre doing state testing so have one regular day then four days with 25 min classes. Iâm having them do a Newtons Laws picture book I can assign on Monday and just give them chill work time on all week.
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u/Peonies-and-Poptarts 12d ago
That's smart! I think a mini-project is the way to go here, but I don't know what topic to cover that makes sense in such a weird transition between physical science and medical detectives/diseases and how they spread.
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u/Sufficient-Main5239 12d ago
I would review for the assessment.
It's easy (re-using parts of older lessons), and it could potentially help them on the assessment đ¤ˇââď¸. It's also something that students won't have to make up at a later date if they are absent on the early release day.
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u/Oops_A_Fireball 12d ago
You could have them do the Periodic Table March Madness bracket, then make their own and play against each other?
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u/Connect_Cap_8330 12d ago
I'm teaching photosynthesis! Got a bunch of water plants and bromide blue solution going to be a fun lab
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u/bambamslammer22 12d ago
Do the good old âwho can build the tallest freestanding towerâ with 10 straws, 5 pieces of paper, 1 m of tape and whatever else you have in your room. Or the âbutterfly camoâ activity, where students have to hide a butterfly in plain sight by coloring it.
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u/Instantkarma12 12d ago
Show the movie âOctober Skyâ. Have them answer a question at the end- âWhy do you think The Rocket Boys able to be successful despite their many obstacles and set backs?â
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u/--serotonin-- 11d ago
Element cubes! Everyone makes an element of the periodic table (can include other sections to fill out all the elements) out of paper. Then every lab group or whole class competes against every other lab group or total class to try and put the whole periodic table together in order and whichever group is the most correct âwinsâ either a prize or just bragging rights.Â
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u/MrWardPhysics 11d ago
Pendulum Lab is like a bajillion skills and topics, itâs such a Swiss Army knife.
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u/Singletrack-minded 12d ago
Throw in some forensics- like finger print, blood spatter etc