Do you use bell-ringers or warm-ups in your high school science class?  Some teachers may call these “bell work” or “ticket out the door” I actually use them as both depending on the situation. I have found that students may understand a concept in class but when the concept is in a diagram, a graph, or a chart they get confused and have a tough time applying that knowledge.   I like to use them to review what the students have learned and have them apply it. We do this activity for no more than 1-2 minutes and because they are small they don't require a lot of paper. These are a nice way to get my students engaged in their learning from the second they walk in the door. They pick it up at the door and get started right away. When completed we then go over the questions.   By creating a “folder” in their Interactive notebooks they do not need to waste time cutting or glueing them in; it simply goes into the folder in that unit and minimal class time is u...

Do you use interactive notebooks in your classes? I've used my summer to create new interactive notebook pages called "Brain Breaks" of concepts that my students have struggled with in the past.  I cannot wait to use these with my classes this year! Here are some examples: Because you are one of my loyal blog followers I'm giving you a $5 discount...for a limited time only. You can buy them here:  24 Interactive Notebook Pages for only $10.00 You can see the rest of my products here: My TeachersPayTeachers Store Do you use interactive notebooks in your classes? If so...post them on Teachers Pay Teachers and I will most likely buy yours too!

Teachers! I need your attention... If you haven't seen Plickers then you need to go to www.plickers.com right now! (OK, after you read this blog post) What is a Plicker? A free and easy way to evaluate what your students know like you would with a "clicker" but with a card that you print out and the students can keep in their binders. No more handing out clickers, recollecting clickers, dead batteries etc. When you go to the Plickers website you can set up your classes and print out Plicker cards for each student.  Each card has a black box with a pattern on it, the student's number in your class, and the letters A, B, C, and D.  When going over multiple choice questions you can ask the students to hold up the card to represent their answer. The students rotate the card and the letter that they hold up at the top of their card is what they are choosing as their answer. You scan the cards with the plicker app on your smart phone o...

      A common problem for many teachers (especially special education teachers) is finding a way to be in two places at once. Especially when it comes to students with testing modifications especially those students who need to have tests read out loud to them. Several years ago; with the help of a special ed teacher Jenny Beyer; we started a project to help other teachers in the school record their test questions for students to play back on a district owned iPod nano. Here was our rationale: To provide students with an audio file of each test question in order to make customized testing accommodations for each individual student. Teachers will record an audio file of the individual test questions and these questions will then be loaded onto an iPod for student use during the test.   This will allow each student an opportunity to take the test at their own pace while still having the test read to him/her.   Frequently students feel anxiety when h...

     Last year I was introduced to a fantastic web-based software known as eDoctrina .       If you're a data junkie like me, this program will fill your life with not only hours but days of enjoyment. Since I teach a New York State Regents-level biology class (The Living Environment) I have analyzed the BOCES statistics about every single question on every single exam but I was looking for a way to analyze the different components of the curriculum and my in class assessments. I am also an avid user of technology in my classroom and I want to be able to help every student in my class be the best they can be in the class...so this is how I got hooked on eDoctrina . They like to call people like me "Super-Users" but really I see myself as a "Heavy-User" it is actually more of an addiction than something I am forced to use. It is important for you to know that my district is supporting eDoctrina but is in no way forcing me to use it. ...