Mrsebiology

LATEST ARTICLES ( 139 )

• Screencasting Apps for the iPad

  

  I recently updated my 1st generation iPad by gifting myself with a 4th generation iPad for Christmas. I had to give this gift to myself because I am the only... Read more

  Posted on 01 January 2013 SCHOOLING, SCIENCE

• All This Flap Over the Flip.

  There's been a lot of talk recently about whether or not the flipped classroom is good, bad, of the devil, etc. I usually keep my mouth shut about things like... Read more

  Posted on 30 December 2012 SCHOOLING, SCIENCE

• So, Final Exams, We Meet Again.

  

  I'm not a fan of final exams. Every time I hear the words "final exams" my right eyebrow involuntarily raises out of pure snark. I can't help it. It did it... Read more

  Posted on 21 December 2012 SCHOOLING, SCIENCE

• Some Stuff About Labs.

  Teaching science, one thing I always wrestle with approximately 3 bajillion times a year is the science teacher version of the "chicken or the egg"... Read more

  Posted on 12 December 2012 SCHOOLING, SCIENCE

• Teaching Without a Textbook

  This year I am lucky enough to be presenting at Illinois' Raising Student Achievement Conference once again. My topic this year is how to teach without using a... Read more

  Posted on 04 December 2012 SCHOOLING, SCIENCE

• Finally Flipping

  So I'm finally flipping. I know, I know, it's about time. I've been checking out the flipped classroom for a while now, wanting to do it but letting other thing... Read more

  Posted on 28 November 2012 SCHOOLING, SCIENCE

• I'm Full of Grading Questions Today.

  

  Through a series of intensely strange events, I got to look at a grade book from my high school that is from the 1930-31 school year. (Yes, you read that... Read more

  Posted on 23 November 2012 SCHOOLING, SCIENCE

• Screencasting: Students Showing Skills

  

  One of the things at which I work very hard is trying to provide students with opportunities to achieve a level 5 understanding on my scoring scale. Read more

  Posted on 22 November 2012 SCHOOLING, SCIENCE

• They're Better Than This.

  I spent my morning giving feedback on student blog posts. Specifically, the posts of my Biology classes. The ultimate purpose of their blogs is to serve as... Read more

  Posted on 20 November 2012 SCHOOLING, SCIENCE

• Discussing Instead of Defending

  

  A colleague of mine passed me in the hallway yesterday and causally asked, "Hey, Terie--when are you free to talk about standards-based grading? I'd love to kno... Read more

  Posted on 17 November 2012 SCHOOLING, SCIENCE

• On Being Less Helpful

  Today my students were working on designing their Newton's Laws lab. They are realizing that this is not as easy as it looks, that this not simply a... Read more

  Posted on 06 November 2012 SCHOOLING, SCIENCE

• Some Tips on Starting Student Self-Designed Labs

  I often get asked about how I have my students design their own labs. It's always a hard question for me to answer, mainly because I have been doing this with... Read more

  Posted on 04 November 2012 SCHOOLING, SCIENCE

• Vuvox: Make Neat-o Presentations

  

  I am always on the lookout for new presentation tools for my students to use for their PBL presentations--and I especially look for ones where creativity tends... Read more

  Posted on 30 October 2012 SCHOOLING, SCIENCE

• Planning for Differentiation

  Below is a presentation I am giving this morning at my school's in-service day concerning how to plan for differentiated instruction based on pre-assessment... Read more

  Posted on 26 October 2012 SCHOOLING, SCIENCE

• Cranking up the PBL Again

  

  I'm starting to get back into doing PBL units again with my Biology students. This year in our Ecology unit we decided to start them on their path to... Read more

  Posted on 18 October 2012 SCHOOLING, SCIENCE

• Give Them Time to Practice Thinking.

  In our department, the issue of what should/should not be taught in our introductory-level courses is being bandied about. Specifically, the issue lies with... Read more

  Posted on 12 October 2012 SCHOOLING, SCIENCE

• Sometimes Worksheets Don't Work.

  

  My Physical Sciencers are special to me. They are all freshmen. A lot of them have severe reading difficulties. 70% of them are in our Algebra Block class, a... Read more

  Posted on 08 October 2012 SCHOOLING, SCIENCE

• Less is More

  In his most recent post, Will Richardson states:"My view is that we are teaching EVERY child way too much stuff, that EVERY child does not need nearly as much... Read more

  Posted on 07 October 2012 SCHOOLING, SCIENCE

• Writing Quality Assessments

  

  Image credit: dieselbug2007 via Flickr Yesterday I had the privilege of spending the day with Sycamore District 427's middle- and high-school teachers, where... Read more

  Posted on 06 October 2012 SCHOOLING, SCIENCE