All posts by Brad Grey

Scientific Method Worksheet

Scientific Method Worksheet

Why is teaching the scientific method so challenging?  Using these scientific method worksheets in sequence will help improve your student’s understanding.

Why does the sequence matter?

Scientific Method Worksheet

Teaching the scientific method offers several challenges. Using our sequence of scientific method worksheets and other scientific method practice activities your students will deepen their understanding of the scientific method.

Vocabulary is always a struggle for students especially if it is their first exposure to the terms.

Terms like independent variable, dependent variable, control, constant, hypothesis and  prediction are terms that are improperly used in everyday language.

How can you fix it?

Identifying student misconceptions is the first step in helping your students be successful in experimental design implementation.  Every class could have different misconceptions to address. To fix it, read on.

How to identify misconceptions?

One strategy you can use to identify student misconceptions is to simply ask them to define the terms in their own words. To do this, use one of my favorite strategies that many of my followers are already using. Click here to subscribe.

Use a beach ball(see related post).  Write the vocabulary terms on the beach ball using a dry erase marker and toss it around the room.

When the student’s left thumb lands on a term ask them to say what they think the definition of the term is.

Toss the beach ball around the room until you have a good understanding of their background knowledge and misconceptions of the scientific method vocabulary. Use this same technique after students have learned the words. This activity offers great repetition and can fill the last few minutes of class if you finish early.

Scientific Method-Inquiry

In addition, you can allow students to dive right in to designing an experiment using our Paper Folding Scientific Method Worksheet.

The Paper folding scientific method worksheet is the first in our sequence. The activity uses scientific inquiry and will allow you to see a wide range of your student’s ability levels and misconceptions on the first day of class.
Paper Folding Scientific Method Worksheet

After understanding and addressing your student’s misconceptions of the scientific method, you can present the  proper terminology to the students.

You can use our Experimental Design Notes. This presentation is part of our Scientific Method Unit  (experimental design) that you can access free.

Check out our Full Biology Curriculum

The second scientific method worksheet in our sequence allows students to practice only independent and dependent variables in a variety of scenarios.

Independent variable and dependent variable worksheet

Why does this matter?

Focusing only independent and dependent variable this Independent and dependent variable worksheet allows students the opportunity to truly understand the terms and apply them to scenarios without being overwhelmed by other vocabulary terms.

Notice:

The next scientific method worksheet requires students to analyze entire experiments in the Experimental Design Scenarios Worksheet.

In this sequence, your students start off  simple and progressively move to more complex tasks.

It Gets Better!

Next, students design there own experiment using mealworms (Super worms are best). Using the scientific method students make observations,  research, develop a question, hypothesis, identify variables,  write procedures, carry out an investigation, collect and analyze data and share their results in a lab report using our awesome lab report rubric and template that is included in our free scientific method unit!

Get access to our entire scientific method unit and more <click here>

Simple right?

Unfortunately, many teachers fail to use this simple approach because they just to do not have them time to sit down and create or find all of the worksheets they need.

We have them done for you! 

And a lot more! 

Sign up here for regular email freebies and access to our free scientific method unit!

scientific method lesson plans

Two Weeks of Biology Lesson Plans for Experimental Design

Deciding how you will start the year off is always a challenge. I choose to start with experimental design for several reasons.

First, it allows me to establish my procedures  and expectations for the lab  and the classroom right away.

Next, starting with experimental design allows me to easily engage my students in science.  I can grab their attention and then dive further into the content.

Finally, starting with experimental design helps me see my students’ understanding of science. With this knowledge, I can quickly make adjustments to my instruction to better accommodate my students.

I hope you enjoy these free lessons!

In these two weeks of Biology Experimental Design Lesson Plans your students will:

 

 

 

 

  • Design and carry out their own experiment.
  • Practice making observations
  • Write Hypotheses
  • Write Procedures
  • Identifying independent and dependent variables.
  • Choose the proper equipment
  • Create a Lab Report

You can get these lesson plans and more emailed directly to your inbox.  Download them below.

 

If you need a Full Biology Curriculum you can learn more here.

 

 

Do Not Plan For Biology!… It is Already Done For You!

Are you getting anxious about planning for the start of the school year?

While I was scrolling through my facebook feed I noticed many teachers are beginning to gear up for the next school year and some have already started back. I walked into the store the other day and my stomach dropped a little bit when I saw the back-to-school supplies and I had the urge to start gearing up as well.

However, I reminded myself to relax because I am planned for the entire year. Not just for the first day or week but for the entire year. I have spent the last two years after work, weekends and the summers building a biology curriculum to solve a major problem in education. Time!

 

Throughout my entire graduate program in curriculum and instruction there was a common theme among all teachers in the program. There is never enough time to do what we need to do!  On top of the day to day struggles with time, add in all of the initiatives administration wants to implement (that are  usually not sufficiently researched or tested) and teachers are left with their heads spinning and anxiety setting in.

I can imagine that is the source of anxiety for many of us as we return to school.

 

Last year I had the opportunity to have the convenience of  this biology curriculum and I must say it was a game changer, not just for my work life but for my life after work as well. At work, I could spend my time focusing on student learning, grading assessments, using data to improve my instruction and targeting students with specific needs to help them achieve.

At home, I was far less stressed and was able to enjoy my time with my wife and two kids. I didn’t have to grade papers at dance class. The papers were already graded because I had time during planning/prep because I was already planned out for the year. I could actually watch my daughter practice.

 

I know the rigorous curriculum is going to challenge your students and help build your repertoire
your instructional practices. I have made every effort to ensure all of the things you asked for in the survey were included.

In addition, the curriculum is going to improve with the feedback from the founders (you). The overall goal is to create the best possible biology curriculum with community of teachers all supporting the growth of the curriculum and eachother. Do not miss out on your chance to be a founding member.

 

If you are new teacher, a teacher who hasn’t taught biology in years,  a teacher that just wants to try a new approach, a teacher with 4 preps and just want one less to worry about then this is the biology curriculum for you.

In the creation of the curriculum the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) were used as a guide. I have experience teaching in two different states and have met people through from all corners of the country at various conferences and training. When we discuss biology curriculum, there a minor difference if any at all in the foundations that we are teaching and those foundations drive this curriculum.


As an “Exemplary Employee of the Year ” recipient in a school district with 1200+ teachers, I am excited to share with you the same instructional strategies I used that allowed be to be recognized.

I have finally been able to package this curriculum for others to use and continue to build on it regularly. We are still in the final stages of testing and tweaking the technical aspect of this website and will launch the biology curriculum on August 10th.
Here is your first two weeks of school already planned out:

If you like what I am doing please the support the cause: comment/Share my facebook post on this curriculum to let other biology teachers know about this. Thank you!

Your First Two Weeks –> click here and they will be sent directly to your inbox.

More details will follow in an email in a couple of days so sign up for email.

Thanks  to those of you who provided input on the survey that helped shape this curriculum. It includes everything that was requested.

Full Biology Curriculum

Biology Lesson Plans-A Full Biology Curriculum

 

Become a Member of the Community!                                  

Biology lesson plans for teachers, by teachers Daily Agendas, Bell Ringers, Presentations, Guided Notes, Printables, Labs, Worksheets and Assessments. Bell-to-bell activities & Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) tied in! A  biology curriculum for grades 9-12 already done for you!

 

Daily Opening Activities & BellRingers! 

  • Every biology lesson plans comes with opening activities/bell ringers that will help get your students quiet, focused and started before the bell rings.
  • Our opening activities and worksheets engage students and help them practice or review the content so you can easily assess their progress and make adjustments to help increase their performance.
  • We also include daily agendas for every lesson so you can avoid answering the “What are we doing?” question a thousand times a day. Students will know exactly what to expect out of the class period.

Biology Curriculum

>>Get your Full Biology Curriculum Here<<

 

 

All  Biology Lessons Plans Come with Detailed PowerPoint Presentations.

  • No need to spend the countless hours it takes to create detailed presentations, they are already done for you.
  • Also included are guided notes so students can follow along and fill in the blanks!
  • Every biology PowerPoint is content rich with great pictures to that help reinforce the biology content.

 

Hundreds of Worksheets Including Labs, Hands on Activities!

  • USBiologyTeaching.Com has great activities that are going to keep your students engaged and learning. The biology lesson plans are rich with a variety of instructional practices that will help you improve your teaching craft.
  • Students need a variety of instructional strategies to keep them engaged, focused and learning. Engaged students are less likely to cause problems so you can focus on teaching instead of writing discipline referrals.
  • Great biology lab activities that will have your students loving biology and you loving your job as teacher. The lab activities are budget friendly for teachers who are not given a budget for their courses.

 

Great  Biology Videos and Instructional Technology included in all of our Biology Lesson Plans!

  • Lessons include excellent short video clips that are pre-screened and will help your auditory/visual learners excel in biology.
  • Lessons include Quizlets already made with all of the vocabulary words so your students can use their devices to play quizlet live to review for their test/quiz or you can simply print the flash cards for your students from quizlet.

>>Get your Biology Lesson Plans Here<<

 

Daily Exit Activities, Test and Quizzes and Reviews 

  • Each unit includes a test with an answer key to help you quickly grade the assignments.
  • Tests are zipgrade friendly so you can simply hover your phone/device over the student bubble sheet and receive their score in seconds.
  • Lesson plans include a variety of exit activities to help you assess what your students have learned that day so you can easily make adjustment and help improve student learning.

 

A Community of Teachers 

  • Inside the members area you can connect to other biology teachers to chat, share ideas, worksheets/files and build relationships.

Take Back Your Life!

  • A common theme among all teachers is that there is never enough time to do what we need to do. USBiologyTeaching.Com is here to help you take back your life so you can enjoy your life after the last bell rings.
  • Improve your health. Spend more time with family. Go to the gym. Take leisurely strolls because you do not have to worry about planning anymore. We have done the work for you and have saved you hundreds of hours.

>>Get your Full Biology Curriculum Here<<

#biologyteaching #takebackyourlife #engagestudents

A Quick Exit Activity

In this  exit activity, teachers can assess or pre-assess their students comfort level as they walk out of the door.

For this simple exit activity or pre-assessment activity all the teacher needs to do is draw and label the graph on the board.

The students are then able to walk up and place their “sticky note” in the column that represents how comfortable they are.

That quick the teacher has a graph of what would likely represent the distribution of scores if a quiz or test was given that day. Of course this all depends on the honesty of the students so encourage them to answer honestly.

To get more biology activities sent to you regularly sign up here.