Top 3 Units for Middle School General Music. Organized Chaos. Ideas and resources for project based learning with middle school general music students. World music, composition, and careers in music.

Make teaching middle school music a breeze with this engaging Middle School General Music Mega Bundle! This bundle includes a variety of projects and activities that are perfect for learners of all levels of musical experience. In each of these projects and activities, students edit their own copy of a pre-made google slides presentation. Each project or activity is designed to be completed independently or in small groups, and they all require no prior music instruction. Simply provide your students with their own copy of the pre-made Google Slides presentation and let them explore the rich world of music. This bundle is perfect for use as sub plans, or for any music classroom scenario. With its user-friendly design and easy-to-follow instructions, your students will be engaged and having fun while they learn. This bundle is a great way to integrate technology and creativity into your curriculum. So why wait? Download this bundle today and take the stress out of teaching middle school music! And don't forget to leave a review for TPT credit. This Bundle Includes: 30 Fun and Easy Middle School Music Projects: -Genre Project -Careers in Music Research Project -Create your own Video Game Project -Compose a Commercial Jingle Project -Research a Broadway Musical Project -Musicians from my State -Create a Music Exhibit -Design your Own Broadway Musical -Introduction to Songwriting -Musical Time Machine-Music History Project -Musical Scavenger Hunt Music/SEL Project -Be a Hero SEL and Music Composition Project -Create your own Rock Band Project -My Musical Vacation Project -Compose a Movie Score Project -Diary of a Musical Artist-Research Project -Save the Talent Show-Composition Exploration Project -Name that Tune! Boomwhacker Aural Skills Project -Musical Amusement Park- Intentional Composition Project -Create a Social Media Profile of a Famous Composer -Create a Sports Team "Fight Song" Songwriting Project -Music Around the World Research Project -Audition for a Musical-Musical Theater Project -Poetry in Music Guided Research Project -Opera Research Project -Playlist for a Book-Music and Literature Appreciation Project -Music and Art- Appreciation Project -Comic Book Composition Project -Music For Change- Music and SEL Project -Playlist for My Future- Music Appreciation Project Seasonal Music Project Bundle: -Spooky Theme Songs: Music Composition Project -My Gratitude Playlist: Music and SEL Project -Gingerbread Theme Songs: Music Composition Project -A Musical Year in Review: Research Project -Musical Valentine Project -Springtime Songs Music Composition Project -Musical Traditions of Ireland Research Project -Summertime Theme Songs Music Composition Project Digital Music Student Workbook *DON'T FORGET TO LEAVE A REVIEW FOR TPT CREDIT!!! Please follow Music Is Life for more music education content and ideas!!!

Don’t get me wrong — I love candy. And, a jolly rancher, a tootsie roll, or a starburst can work wonders in the classroom for student motivation and enthusiasm. So can pizza parties, and cupcake days, and brunch, and…I’ve had so many types of food parties I can’t even keep track! Recently, however, I’ve been […]

This year make planning for your middle school general music curriculum easier by using resources that are ready to use. Find out more about…

Top 3 Units for Middle School General Music. Organized Chaos. Ideas and resources for project based learning with middle school general music students. World music, composition, and careers in music.

10 inexpensive rewards to use in your middle school class.

Teaching energy transformations in middle school can be fun and engaging. Learn the tips and resources to use for this unit.

Try these middle school drama lessons and ideas.

Looking for easy scientific method activities for your 2020 classroom? These activities are low prep and work great for distance learning!

We all know that helping students develop their fitness is important. It's one of our main goals as Physical Educators. But, how do you make fitness engaging? And maybe even more important, how do you

Top 3 Units for Middle School General Music. Organized Chaos. Ideas and resources for project based learning with middle school general music students. World music, composition, and careers in music.

Teaching the recorder can be a very rewarding experience. It can also be a very stressful one. What helps, besides experience, is planning. The best thing you can do before entering the music classroom is to have a clear plan of what you want your students to learn. Simply having a recorder curriculum is not […]

Use one of these systems to help get your middle school students engaged!

Brain breaks for middle school students are extremely important not only for everyone's sanity, but for their brain development.

Middle School students explore the mindfulness of Zentangle, the benchmarks for math, and the elements of line and texture in this Zentangle art lesson.

Top 3 Units for Middle School General Music. Organized Chaos. Ideas and resources for project based learning with middle school general music students. World music, composition, and careers in music.

I’ve rounded up some of the best science movies for middle school here on my site Tina’s Dynamic Homeschool Plus.

These mariachi materials can be a stand-alone unit for your middle school general music class or a supplemental activity for classes on world music or Mexican Culture. Use it during Cinco de Mayo or within geography or Spanish language curriculum. All articles are created explicitly for Middle School students and are written at a grade 6-8 reading level. NOTE: you MUST extract the files from the zip file in order to open them. Right-click on the zip folder and select "Extract All." Each lesson includes: •A PDF article (middle school reading level) •A PPT version of the article for a class read-aloud or distance learning •Blank slides to embed videos or add text •Printable and digital copies of a fill-in-the-blank check for understanding •Answer key •High-quality photos •Links to videos and activities that demonstrate the topic •A pronunciation guide for non-Spanish speakers Lesson topics include: •Mariachi Traditions •Instruments •The Vihuela •The Guitar •The Guitarrón •The Violin •The Trumpet •Mariachi Vocal Styles •Dancing: Folklórico Each PPT file includes blank slides for embedding videos or adding additional text. PDFs - For copyright purposes, PDFs are password-protected from editing or copying, but buyers can view, print, and share all PDFs. If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions, please feel free to contact me through the “Ask a question” section on the product page. If this product worked in your classroom, don’t forget to leave a review and receive credits you can use to purchase other TPT products! For more World Music Units, Check-Out: IRISH MUSIC UNIT for Middle School General Music WEST AFRICAN MUSIC UNIT for Middle School General Music Thank you, Holly @ Music Room in Bloom

Help your middle school general music students practice rhythm values with these printable and digital worksheets. Use them as a review, homework, sub plans, or an assessment. These worksheets cover all the fundamental rhythmic values (quarter, half, whole, etc.). All values are in American terms (quarter, half, whole) and common time (quarter note = 1 beat). This set includes: Rhythm matching worksheet (basic pdf) Rhythm matching worksheet (fillable pdf) Rhythm worksheet one (basic pdf) Rhythm worksheet one (fillable pdf) Rhythm worksheet two (basic pdf) Rhythm worksheet two (fillable pdf) Rhythm worksheet three (basic pdf) Rhythm worksheet three (fillable pdf) Answer key (pdf) *NOTE: Basic pdfs may have more than one appropriate answer for the fill-in-the-blank portions. For more Music Theory activities for Elementary and Middle School, check out: PITCH PRACTICE WORKSHEETS

Looking for fun and easy music activities for your middle school general music class? Our product, "4 fun and easy online middle school general music projects," is perfect for you! This bundle includes 4 student-centered projects that are completely online and require no teacher prep besides assigning on google classroom. With these projects, students can edit their own pre-made copy of a google slides presentation, making them a convenient choice for music sub plans or distance learning. Give your students an engaging and educational music activity by adding our product to your TPT cart today! Also available for powerpoint: Powerpoint Version CHECK OUT!: Middle School General Music Mega Bundle 30 Fun and Easy Middle School General Music Projects for Google Slides 20 Fun and Easy Middle School General Music Projects for Google Slides 10 Fun and Easy Middle School General Music Projects for Google Slides Virtual Student Music Workbooks for Google Slides Seasonal Middle School General Music Bundle for Google Slides *DON'T FORGET TO LEAVE A REVIEW FOR TPT CREDIT! Click the link to follow my store for more projects and ideas: Music Is Life!

Warm-ups are the perfect way to get students focused and engaged. Here are 5 reasons you should use warm-ups in your science classroom.

Hooray! It's May! In every single class last week, my students asked me their favorite spring question; "Can we please go outside?" I also adore going outside, but I like to keep our outdoor activities musical when possible. Here are some of my "go-tos" for when I take my music students outside! 1. Rhythm Dictation;

Hi everyone, this is Amanda Isaac. Middle School is a tough and fantastic age group to work with. They challenge you daily and demand your best; the most successful teachers serve that expectation and energy right back to them. Middle schoolers want to be both kids and grown up. I know I try to feed both halves of that personality split. Let them be goofy when appropriate and insist on professionalism when it’s time to work and perform. I also do as much as I can to lead them to certain things subconsciously for two reasons: 1. It’s good pedagogy and 2. Their subconscious usually doesn’t argue with me. During warm ups everyone vocalizes the fullest range of the voice (both girls and boys). We do at least one overall ascending exercise, one descending exercise, and either a range extender or a tongue twister. I teach them why we do certain vocalizes and what their instrument is as scientifically as possible; that knowledge gives them responsibility and accountability for their participation and performance in class and on stage. For instance my favorite warm up is what I call a lip bubble (aka motorboat sound). Ascending and descending the perfect fifth, either with a legato or glissando articulation, gives the students a limited range to manage or focus on. This exercise is wonderful for supporting and maintaining airflow as well as relaxation of many muscles. Occasionally adding the outstretched tongue, which can release some minor tongue tension, injects some purposeful silliness at the beginning of the rehearsal. I usually begin in E flat or E and ascend by half steps to D’. If the piano is used at this point, I try to only have the open fifth or adding the playing the do, re, and sol as a chord to get their ear active in tuning. As for voicing here’s how it works in my classroom. I teach them a short song or fragment and we sing it in multiple keys. I then bring the students up to the piano in small groups, eight to ten at a time, always of the same gender, and we sing thorough them again. I call this a Voice Check (like a doctor’s check-up). No one ever sings by themselves (which reduces anxiety) and I move around the circle "casually" listening to the individuals sing. I then ask them to identify which key felt best for them. The students know that I always take their opinion into account when deciding their voice part and that they don’t always get what they want. Their voice part is determined by how many singers there are in the ensemble, their ability to match pitch, overall tone quality, range, and level of experience. Students sing the part that fits their voice the best. What about the boys? I usually bring all of them up at once and first determine pitch matching ability and guesstimate (depending on my personal experience with the student) where they are in their vocal journey. We do the same exercise as above with modified keys. I use lots of analogies in my instruction and I teach the kids that their voice is like their foot: you can’t control when and how your foot grows, only how you use it. You wouldn’t wear a shoe that’s too big or small or not appropriate for a given activity, so your voice part is going to be as best a fit as possible for your voice where it is now. Boys in my groups sing soprano, alto or baritone. Since we do these voice checks at the beginning of the year and after each concert any student’s voice part is not fixed and can/does change during the year. This leads me to repertoire. The joy and vexation of repertoire! When possible and appropriate, I like to give the students some control of their repertoire. For our festival music I always program a folk song or “world music” type piece which may or may not be in English, an “art” piece which is typically not in English, and a spiritual or gospel style piece in English. I choose two to three pieces per category and present them to the students. We look at the judging form and talk about contrast of styles, genres, languages, and tempi and apply the criteria to the given pieces and together choose the literature. Where do I find my repertoire? The standard answer: everywhere! Repertoire lists found online, concert programs either passed to me or attended, honor choirs, youtube channels of some of my favorite children’s choirs, conferences, reading sessions, colleagues. Don’t be afraid of some SSA literature for a mixed voice chorus; some of those alto parts are in a good range for your changing voice boys. Or my favorite – if the music and/or text is so important to you to teach, make it work for your ensemble! I just rearranged the Peter, Paul, and Mary song “Light One Candle” (SATB) for my 3-part mixed choir because I knew they could handle the harmonies (arranging meant I could control the voicing and lines) and the text’s message was one I wanted them to internalize. Some of my favorite composers and arrangers in no particular order: Ruth Elaine Schram, Patrick Liebergen, Rollo Dilworth, Caldwell & Ivory, Susan Brumfield, Mary Goetze, Jim Papoulis, Henry Leck, Doreen Rao. So you’ve sorted them into voice parts, warmed them up, and have literature in hand. How to teach it? Literacy baby! The resources I use are: Directions to Literacy by Ann Eisen and Lamar Robertson (as a scope & sequence guide for me using different repertoire), One Minute Daily Theory Books 1 & 2 (Slabbinck), 185 Unison Pentatonic Exercises (Bacon) and Kodaly Exercises. They sight-read daily and their mantra is “Don’t stop and never give up.” They read an exercise rhythmically before adding the melody. When they struggle with an exercise I remind them of how far they’ve come (“better today than yesterday, better tomorrow than today”). When it comes to literature, my students write solfege into their music as often as possible. Lots of repetition is key (isn’t it always...). That dovetails into management (which I admit I am struggling with this year). Keep them busy! Moving swiftly in rehearsal is good for their attention span. My students also enjoy some freedoms within boundaries when appropriate. Give them some space when you can tell when they’ve hit their limit (usually occurring outside of class) and push them to develop some drive to move through and beyond the minor drama that distracts from the goal (which is sometimes just getting through rehearsal). We teach life skills as much as we teach legato most days. When I was asked to do this blog post I surveyed my friends as to what I should cover. I’ve tried to touch on everything they’ve suggested, saving my favorite for last: “How to keep your sanity”. When you figure it out can you let me know? I try to laugh and find goosebump moments as much as possible, both in and outside of class. Sometimes it’s remembering the small epiphanies the students have or connecting with a former student who is doing well in high school or beyond. In the moment – breathe – lots of breathing!! Restrain that inner voice that wants to be negative. Invest yourself in yourself. Take care of your physical/emotional/mental/intellectual/spiritual/etc needs. Connect with colleagues. I wish you sanity and success with your squirrels. You make a difference and they know it (though they rarely show it). Amanda Isaac currently directs twelve choral groups ranging between 5th through 8th grades, four of which are at the junior high, and teaches 2nd and 3rd grade classroom music at two elementary schools in the same school district in Bakersfield, California. Her junior high choirs consistently earn superiors or higher at festivals and her students regularly participate in county, all-state, division, and national honor choirs. After earning both a BA and MA in Music from California State University Chico, Mrs. Isaac furthered her professional studies by completing her Kodály Certification from McNeese State University with Lamar Robertson, Ann Eisen, and Susan Tevis. Mrs. Isaac has given presentations at both regional and state conferences for multiple organizations and enjoys guest conducting honor choirs. In 2016 she joined the faculty of the Colorado Kodaly Institute where she teaches the Level 3 Pedagogy and Folk Song Analysis courses. Named the Kern County Music Educators Association’s Choral Educator of the Year in 2013, Mrs. Isaac is currently serving her second term as the organization’s President. She also hosts the Kern County CMEA Choral Ratings Festival and holds active memberships in the California Music Educators Association, American Choral Directors Association, and Organization of American Kodaly Educators. Outside of academia, Mrs. Isaac is the Director of Music Ministries for First Congregational Church, UCC in Bakersfield. In her free time, she enjoys life with her wonderful husband and two young children.

The pencils are sharpened, your classroom is clean and the bell rings…gulp…here they come! My feelings on the first week of school are conflicted. On one hand, it’s one of the most important weeks. Explaining and practicing the class procedures and expectations sets the tone for the rest of the school year. Success is vital. On the other hand, I’m so excited to start teaching my historical content that waiting until all the expectations are explained requires a lot of patience! Every teacher has their own plan of action for that pivotal time. Here are 5 things I can’t live without during the first week of school: One: An Icebreaker. I aim to try and make kids feel comfortable in my classroom on day one. One of my favorite little activities is Fact or Fiction. Each student receives a small slip of paper and they’re instructed to write one fact and two fictions. Then each person (including myself!) introduces themselves and we all try to guess which statement is the fact! It’s a great way to quickly learn about each other. Two: Classroom Information and Expectations. This is every teacher’s staple, I know, but it had to go on the list because it’s a must-have! When you’re making your own, spell everything out – from the obvious grading procedures and late work policy to how to pass back papers and when to sharpen pencils and go to the bathroom. Trust me, leave no stone unturned. Your classroom will function much better if you set the tone from day one. (Oh, and don’t forget a seating chart!) Three: Fun and Games. On the second day of school, I love to start class with a little game. It’s a great way for the kids to start practicing our classroom procedures and expectations while getting familiar with their teacher and classmates. Here are some of my favorite games that I use during the first week of school: (P.S. Some of these activities can be found in my Back to School Activities resources! Click the grade level you’re teaching to check them out: Sixth, Seventh, Eighth) InstaFriend: This activity gets students moving around the room and interviewing fellow classmates! Their InstaFriend paper has a series of descriptions and characteristics. When they find a student who matches the description, they write their name in the box. Each name can only be used once! Right or Wrong: I love skits. LOVE THEM. I like to introduce students to the idea of skits during the first week by allowing them to create their own based on our class expectations. I first divide students into small groups of 2-3. Each group then randomly receives one of our class procedures or expectations. As a group, they have to work together to create two mini skits – one showing the RIGHT way to follow the expectation, the other showing the WRONG way. They get to be silly and I get to reinforce my class expectations. After each skit I happily point out all the positive behaviors as well as each time a class policy was violated. It’s a light-hearted way to grab their attention and create a positive atmosphere all while practicing the laws of the land. Classmate Bingo: I love to play this game at the end of the first week. I give each student a blank bingo board with a large selection of personal characteristics, hobbies, etc. at the bottom. The students choose 16 off the list and create their customized board. Then, I randomly select characteristics from the list. If a student has that characteristic on their board, they have to write down a student’s name that matches the characteristic – but no cheating! They have to use what they’ve learned about others during their first week of school to try and win the game. Four: A Pre Test. After a few days of class information and fun, it’s time to start getting down to business. Each year, I make a short pre-test on the information they’ll learn about that year. It gives me a chance to see what the kids already know and gives them a feel for what subject matter they’ll be learning about in the coming weeks. FYI: Your pre-test probably won’t take the whole class period. Make sure to have plans for other activities, too, on the day you give your pre-test! Five: A Writing Activity. True fact: when I tell kids they’re going to do a writing activity, they groan every time. It’s a signal that the “real work” is about to begin. Luckily, they’re always relieved when I assure them that this activity will require very little research because it’s about a subject they’re experts in – themselves! I have a few different activities to choose from each year. Here are some suggestions: Student Survey: What are your strengths? Weaknesses? What do you hope to learn in this class? These are just some of the questions I ask students in the survey. The more I know about my students, the better I can help them achieve success in my class. Write Away: A staple of many: write a letter to a future you! I ask students to write goals for the year, dreams they wish to see realized, and questions they want to ask their “End of the Year” self. I tuck these letters away and revisit them during the last week of school. I’m Ready: Like every middle school history class, we do a lot of writing and students always have to back up their reasons, statements, etc. with evidence to support their claim. In this writing activity, students have to identify which class rule or expectation they believe is most important and provide evidence to support their claim. This activity both reinforces my classroom policies and secretly gives me a preview of their writing proficiency. Have I left anything out? If you have any fun plans for the first week of school, share them in the comments. I’m always looking for new ideas for my classroom!

Research says that the middle school years are critical to developing a student's interest in science. Come see what middle school science should look like.

This comprehensive music history unit is designed to enrich your high school curriculum by delving into the captivating history of the music industry. Teach your students about phonographs, records, tapes, and more! While specifically tailored for high school students, it can also be seamlessly integrated into middle school general music classes. This unit explores the following key topics: Understanding the music industry The impact of the printing press Pioneering tinfoil recordings The evolution of the phonograph The development of the LP vinyl record The introduction of 8-Track tapes The reign of cassette tapes The era of compact discs The contemporary music streaming industry This product includes the following resources: A 93-page presentation available in both PDF and PPT formats (video links included!) Student cloze notes complete with answer keys A unit assessment accompanied by detailed answer explanations Guidance on formatting and sharing materials for versatility and ease of use *Please note that PDFs are secured against editing for copyright protection. While the PPT version allows you to augment content and modify links, slide content remains unalterable. The unit assessment intentionally lacks point values to accommodate various grading systems. Should you have any inquiries or suggestions, please don't hesitate to reach out via the Q&A section on TPT. Thank you for choosing Music Room in Bloom – your partner in music education excellence!

A three-step process for teaching your students how to identify,

Are you looking for STEM activities for middle school students? These Fall STEM activities for middle school students are perfect for tweens and teens.

Ignite curiosity in middle school with our STEM curriculum. Hands-on learning for future innovators. Explore now.

Oh, that first day of Middle School Chorus... :) We sure hit the ground running, don't we?! I've taught Middle School Chorus and General Music for 14 years and have created this 1st Day Lesson for you! Included in this .pdf: -One 45 minute Chorus lesson complete with *Easy warm ups for the first day *Music for a simple round *Movements and video for a fun activity / song to end your class Enjoy and GOOD LUCK!!

Liven up the first few minutes of class with our Bell Ringers for Middle School! Get your students thinking critically & ready to learn!

Hey guys! It's Erin from I'm Lovin' Lit and I'm so happy to be a part of this wonderful new blog! Today I'm going to talk about my feelings about the first day of middle school. Whether you're a new teacher, new to middle school, or just pressing the reset button for the year, I hope you find some new and different things to think about because, well, I'm somewhat opinionated! :) What to Do (and What Not to Do) on the First Day of Middle School Let's start with what NOT to do, shall we? Do NOT: 1. Spend the entire 50 minute period discussing your rules, expectations, and telling kids about what they'll be doing this year. *YAWN* 2. Do that "elementary thang" and have your class (community of learners) collaboratively come up with a list of rules and expectations and discuss the meaning and need for rules, blah blah blah. DON'T. You really don't need to do that. Third grade? SURE! Middle school? NOT. 3. Spend over half of your time doing some really complicated and/or awkward ICE BREAKER type activity where the students are forced to completely leave their comfort zone by speaking in front of the entire class or even making a fool of themselves in front of a hand full of not-familiar classmates. Seriously. Have you NOT been a middle schooler before?! 4. Ask students GENERICALLY to a) write a paragraph about or b) tell the class (EVEN WORSE) about "what they did" or "where they went" on summer vacation. RESIST THE TEMPTATION. DON'T DO IT. Now that you're not doing those things above (you're not still thinking about it, are you?) here are *MY* suggestions on what to do the first day of school. These numbers will coordinate with and complement the numbers above. DO: 1. Spend a reasonable portion (definitely half) of the class time introducing yourself (briefly, you can tell more later) and laying out the expectations that are most important to you. Keep it simple for the first day. The students need to know especially these things: a) How to enter and leave my room. (Wait at the door/line up in hall until invited in; leave only after *I* dismiss, not the bell.)b) What to do when you walk in the door every day. (bell ringer, DOL, sponge, daily, whatever you like to call it - you should have SOMETHING but keep it SIMPLE and SHORT)c) What supplies you'll need to buy (if a list was not provided) or which supplies should be labeled for your class and any instructions on using supplies or storing any of them in locker for later use.As far as I am concerned, most of the other stuff can wait. These kids are being bombarded today by 7 or 8 different teachers. Take it easy. Give them the most important information ONLY. 2.TELL THEM your expectations. They don't need to formulate them with you. These kids know why there are rules, and they don't need to come up with 8 different "community" rules for each class. Can that stuff and just tell the kids what you want/expect from them. Consequences/rewards/etc. You know, just the most important stuff for now. 3. Do something ACADEMIC. Teach a little bitty mini lesson. Give students a PREVIEW of how you teach. Isn't that better than just telling them about it? Just a little tiny lesson. Ten minute quickie. This is important because it SETS THE TONE for the rest of the year. You know I'm all about hidden messages, right? Doing something academic on that first day carries the message "We are here to learn about literature (insert your subject) and we are not wasting any time getting there!" And save those group activities for another day. These middle schoolers are overly-concerned about whether or not their hair is still "just right" or how their shirt looks from the back or WHATEVER. Give them a break and save the "in front of the class" stuff for later. Those ice breakers are totally lame. Yes, even that one you found on Pinterest. If you can SOMEHOW mesh that icebreaker with something academic, I *might* approve. But be careful. Pointless ice breakers are.. well.. pointless. 4. OK - Let's review. Now that you've outlined your most important procedures and expectations and done something ACADEMIC, you really, really want to do something summer related? OK. Fine. You can - just be careful how you word this. Some of your students toured Europe over the summer. Some of your students spent the entire summer walking two miles a day in the heat to participate in the free lunch summer program. Some of your students didn't leave the neighborhood. Some of your students went to Disney World AND Schlitterbahn. Get my drift? Let's not outline these differences on the first day. If you want to do something about SUMMER, word it in a better way. Here are some suggestions: Who did you enjoy spending time with the most over the summer? or What did you do on the FIRST day of summer (or the LAST day) - {more likely to NOT be one of the things mentioned above} or If you had one extra week of summer, what would be the perfect way to spend it? All of these are, of course, my own opinions, and we all know what opinions are like.. everyone has one, right? I honestly hope I've at least given you some things to consider before you start your year, whether it's your first or your tenth. Some of my opinions might not mesh with your style, and that's okay. Some of yours might not mesh with mine. Thanks for reading, and get to planning that PERFECT first day!

Last school year, I had very ambitious dreams about starting a classroom economy system in my room. I was desperate for a way to tie in the ...

How to engage students in science - This is a topic that I get questions about a lot from teachers. How do you engage your...

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A few years ago, I teamed up with my friend Noelle from Maneuvering the Middle to put together our favorite teaching strategies and class management ideas as

Too many classroom icebreakers require students to take big social risks with people they barely know. Or they don't really help students get to know each other. Or they are just plain cheesy.

Six getting to know you activities to learn about your middle school math students at the beginning of the school year or marking period.

Get some help with the difficult older students by using these 10 music activities for middle school with your students right away. [DETAILS]

GUYS. I was shook when recently a music teacher friend of mine had told they had never heard of a stretchy band. SHOOK. This got me thinking....how many other music education must-haves are other music teachers missing? Here is a list of 7 music education tools that I consider to be GAME-CHANGING in my music

As a middle school science teacher, I always love teaching the scientific method to my students. There are so many routes you can take with teaching it, and I’ve tried many of them. If you’re gearing up to teach the scientific method, then you might benefit from reading this post. (See what I did there?) You probably have many questions. When should I teach the scientific method? What all should I include in my unit? What order should I teach the topics of the scientific method? How do I go about teaching the scientific method? In this post I’ll share what’s worked for me. Plus, you’ll find some links to FREE resources to help get you started. When Should I Teach the Scientific Method? I want my students to have a good handle on lab safety before getting started with the scientific method because it involves labs, tools, and sometimes harmful chemicals. The scientific method is important for studying science in general, so I teach it as early in the year as possible. It is my second unit (right after lab safety). I bring the scientific method up throughout the year, whenever we have labs. After winter break I have a week-long review to brush up on the more difficult aspects of the scientific method. What Should I Include in My Scientific Method Unit? In What Order Should I Teach the Topics? Obviously, all groups of students are different. My seventh graders always come in with very, very little experience with the scientific method. Knowing that, I start with the basics and go over everything I think they need to know to successfully use the scientific method. I recommend giving your students a preassessment before the unit to gauge what topics you can skip and which you need to hammer into your students’ skulls. Here are the topics I always include in my scientific method unit and the general order in which I teach them: The Steps of the Scientific Method Independent and Dependent Variables Scientific Questions Hypotheses Observations and Inferences Research and Procedures Constants/Controlled Variables Analyzing Data/Graphs Scientific Conclusions How Do I Go About Teaching the Scientific Method? In my class, each of the nine topics listed above starts with interactive notebook notes in combination with a PowerPoint. (See the video below of the interactive science notebook pages I use. They're all available in my store and you can get the INB pages in my Scientific Method Interactive Notebook Pages Bundle.) After introducing the topic via notes and a PowerPoint, the students get practice in the form of stations, activities, and/or worksheets. Lastly, I assess each topic with an exit ticket to determine if we need to keep working on the current topic or if we’re ready to move on to the next. The single most important scientific method resource I have is my Scientific Method Stations. I use them at least three times in the unit because they’re so versatile. They give students practice identifying variables, writing good hypotheses, designing procedures etc. I just post them around the room at the beginning of the unit and they stay there until the day of the unit test. I truly believe they are a great resource for the middle school science classroom. They are one of my most loved and best selling resources, so I decided to make a second set. I added my Scientific Method Stations V2 to my store in September 2023! But Really, What Do You Do for Each Topic? The Steps of the Scientific Method: I go over what the scientific method is, what it’s used for, the order of the steps, and what each step might look like. Independent and Dependent Variables: I go over the definitions of independent and dependent variables and how to identify them in an experiment. Then we practice. And practice. And practice some more. Eventually it clicks and then my students HAVE GOT IT DOWN. Scientific Questions: Students learn about what a good scientific question needs to have. We review variables again while examining good and bad scientific questions. Group work and games can be fun with this. Hypotheses: Students learn what a hypothesis is and how to write a good hypothesis. Even my best students need to learn the If/then version of writing a hypothesis because they have only been taught the “I think blah blah blah will happen” version. Hypotheses typically need a lot of practice. Here is a free coloring worksheet to help your students write good hypotheses and identify independent and dependent variables. Observations and Inferences: Students learn the definitions of qualitative and quantitative observations and how to use those to make inferences. Here is a free observation activity you can use in your class. Research and Procedures: Research is straightforward so we briefly discuss where to find accurate information. For procedure, we learn what it is, why it’s important, and what happens if a procedure is poorly written. Constants/Controlled Variables: This is hands down the hardest part of the scientific method for my students. We go over what constants are, why they are important, and how to identify them in experiments. Students need TONS of practice with this. Here is a free exit ticket to check if your students have mastered constants. Analyzing Data/Graphs: I go over where independent and dependent variables go on graphs, what good graphs include, and types of graphs. Then we practice interpreting graphs. I try to include as much data analysis throughout the year as possible because my students always need practice with this. Here is a free data analysis worksheet and a free data analysis Boom Deck. Scientific Conclusions: Students learn what should be included in a good conclusion and practice writing a good conclusion using a data table and graph from an experiment. I hope this post gives you a good starting point for planning your scientific method unit. I love teaching the scientific method and have created many resources for my students. You can find my scientific method resources here, including interactive notebook pages, activities, worksheets, and assessments. If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to post a question below or message me. Thanks for reading and have a great school year! You can get another free scientific method resource just for signing up for my newsletter. Sign up for my newsletter here. I added an option in my store to get all of my scientific method resources in one discounted bundle: Scientific Method HUGE Bundle.

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