Classroom must-haves

 I am cleaning out my classroom to move to a new room in the same building next year.  I've been in the same room for 18 years and the whole building is getting an overhaul this summer. It will be interesting to see the new look in August but for now I'm focusing on what I need to keep and what can go... hence the list of must haves. Here is my short list.

A good pencil sharpener that doesn't have to be replaced every few years. This is my favorite. X-ACTO Boston School Pro

Upgrade your existing desk chair with new wheels.  These are quiet, smooth and fast ... and are my most favorite thing I have bought for myself! New Office Chair Casters

This three whole puncher is BEAST!  The kids can't move the position of the holes, and you can punch 45 pages at once.  You can also lock the arm in the down position for flat storage. Officemate 3 Hole Punch

I never knew there was another option than those old metal hole punchers, but these are so much easier to use and empty. They claim it takes 50% less force, and it feels correct. Bostitch Office EZ Squeeze One- Hole Punch

Can you survive without a paper chopper? Yes.  Would I want to? No thanks.  This makes cutting all those notebook handouts, half sheet quizzes and manipulatives so much easier and faster. Swingline Paper Cutter

I have so many more items I am sure I will come across as I continue to clean, purge, organize and pack.  So keep an eye open for more posts.  This move will be well documented.

**Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links and I could earn a few pennies if you purchase items using these links**

Summer to do list

 As the summer approaches I have a school to-do list and a relaxing-summer to-do list On my relaxing list read more and pool time (of course).  So I thought I would share some of my favorite books I have read lately.  

One of us is Dead by Jeneva Rose

Easily one of the best books I have read in a while. I love when I am so drawn in that I am talking to the book!  It's hard to pick a favorite from my list, but it's hard to beat One of Us is Dead.

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

I was concerned when I started this book, it seemed like it was going to be a romance-type novel, and I prefer a murder-type novel.  But Oh My Gosh!  This book is written half in science and half in fight the patriarchy!  The main character Elizabet Zott is my new hero.

Don't Ever Tell by Lucy Dawson

Lucy Dawson, you kept me guessing.  Don't Ever Tell is about cheating and secrets ... 

The Last Affair by Margot Hunt

The Last Affair was another book I was yelling at the book at parts.  Cheating, secrets, murder ... there seems to be a theme to part of this list.

The Perfect Marriage by Jeneva Rose

This book kicked off my latest book craze and I then read everything I could by Jeneva.  I found Jeneva on TikTok and I love her sense of humor.  The Perfect Marriage has the twists and turns that I need in a book.  

My Husband's Wife by Jane Corry

My husband's wife is centered around a lawyer, her artist husband and a little girl down the hall.  This has all kinds of complex relationships, lies, and of course, a murder.

Disclaimer: I listen to these books, becuase I don't feel like I have time to read.  But I can listen in my car as I drive to school and back.  I listen while I grocery shop, and do dishes, and even when I embroider.  My Husband checked out my audible book list and called to tell me that he wasn't having an affair.  I said "what? It's just a lot of books where a spouse cheats and then gets murdered."  He replied with, "And that is why I am calling to tell you I am not having an affair!  (insert laughter, we thought we were funny)

On my school to-do list I have to prep for a new AP class, plus attend an AP Summer Institute, edit the plan for all my existing classes, and help a co-worker plan a new class.

Scientific Method Notes

This is an example of the incomplete notes I would provide students.  For their note books - I print two pages per sheet of paper and it fits well into a composition book.  Then the students can add in information.  

This an example of the completed notes.  It's also handy to have these ready for students who have any accommodations for notetaking.

By providing notes you can also free up time to allow students to do quick labs like how water  temperature effects the rate of the color coating on skittles and how soap effects surface tension (water on a penny).  I include different parts of an experiment 

I have these handouts available on our TPT store.  They are ready to go and completely editable.

 

Teaching About Bacteria

I love taking everything a student needs to know and figuring out how to make it fit on one piece on paper.  Call it a one-pager, or summary sheet or anchor chart, it is so much easier to look back and find information than reading through pages of outline notes.  So I am sharing as many of these as I can on our TPT store.  There is a completed version and two levels of incomplete you can chose from for students to add information in.  I also love the idea of teaching kids how to do this for themselves.  I have been doing this though interactive notebooks for years. 

 

New Website

We have a new website ... because I forgot to keep the old one when things went crazy!  So welcome to WeTeachHS.com.  Same awesome people.  Hopefully some new content.  Thanks for hanging with us for so long.  

Bubble Lab and Cell Membranes

The bubble lab was a big hit with AP Bio.  I think a quick search on the internet will give you the guidelines.  I did some experimenting with the different components.  The groups with 10% soap, 10% corn syrup and 80% water had the best bubbles.

There is a lot of info on how cell membranes self heal, how things pass through membranes, and how membranes can provide separate environments inside a cell.

Easily the coolest lab ever. Pain in the butt to clean up after, but still worth it.  I am also giving my AP class Bubbles for graduation this year!

Biomes

I am going to say something unpopular.  I don't like teaching about biomes I think they are boring.  I have tried all kind of things to try to make this better for the kids and less torturous for me.

This year I provided an old PowerPoint with all pertinent information, I put two copies per 8 kids on long tables.  The kids made flipbooks from the powerpoints.  It was a nice change of pace.  They got to socialize a bit while they worked.  They were all working so well, they didn't even notice I was taking pictures.