If you've been here since Teaching Science in 3D — thank you. This short episode is for you.

I'm using this space to be honest about what's changing, why it's changing, and what you can expect from this feed going forward. The short version: iExploreScience: STEM in Elem is launching this week — a podcast for grades 3–5 teachers who want hands-on, rigorous science and math in their classrooms without the overwhelm.

If that's not your grade band, I get it — and I say as much in this episode. But if you're curious, or if you know upper elementary teachers who could use this, I'd love for you to stay.

New episodes start this week. Episode 1 drops Monday, April 13.

IN THIS EPISODE:

• What Teaching Science in 3D meant to me and why it's evolving
• Where iExploreScience: STEM in Elem is headed and who it's for
• An honest acknowledgment of the start-stop history — and why this time feels different
• An invitation to stay, and permission to go if this isn't your thing

📬 Stay Connected

• 📰 Substack: https://iexplorescience.substack.com/
• 🛍️ TpT Store: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/store/iexplorescience
• 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iexplorescience/
• 👍 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/iexplorescience/
• 💻 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolevantassel/

In this episode, Erin continues her conversation with middle school science teacher Char Ritchie.  Char explains how she builds on the community building practices discussed in the last episode to build a science routines that contribute to a safe classroom community. 

More Resources:

• Episode 121: Respect Agreements
• Check out Char’s resources on Teachers Pay Teachers

More Resources:
Teaching Science in 3D on Instagram & Facebook

Are you looking for a quick, easy and FREE way to improve your lessons?
 Download Erin's 3D Lesson Planner. Then, all you have to do is write down what you are already doing in class. She’ll send you instructions for EASY next steps. Click here to grab this FREE download.

You're invited to check out Bring Wonder Back, an on-demand video series designed to help you take your first steps to transforming your students into scientists with 3D teaching practices — what the NGSS is all about! Access the video series at iexplorescience.com/wonder and get ready to bring wonder, engagement, and a love for learning back to your science class.

📬 Stay Connected

• 📰 Substack: https://iexplorescience.substack.com/
• 🛍️ TpT Store: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/store/iexplorescience
• 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iexplorescience/
• 👍 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/iexplorescience/
• 💻 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolevantassel/

In the second episode of our 3-part series on building classroom community and expectations, Erin shares conversations with two special guests — Bailey and her 8th grade science teacher, Char Ritchie.

They reflect on their experiences with Respect Agreements (also called Community Agreements) and Community Circles — what worked, what was challenging, and how these practices shaped their classroom community. From both the student and teacher perspective, this episode offers practical insight into building mutual respect and trust in the science classroom.

More Resources:

• Episode 121: Respect Agreements
• Check out Char’s resources on Teachers Pay Teachers

In the final episode of the series, we’ll share strategies for putting these ideas into action in your own classroom.

More Resources:
Teaching Science in 3D on Instagram & Facebook

Are you looking for a quick, easy and FREE way to improve your lessons?
 Download Erin's 3D Lesson Planner. Then, all you have to do is write down what you are already doing in class. She’ll send you instructions for EASY next steps. Click here to grab this FREE download.

You're invited to check out Bring Wonder Back, an on-demand video series designed to help you take your first steps to transforming your students into scientists with 3D teaching practices — what the NGSS is all about! Access the video series at iexplorescience.com/wonder and get ready to bring wonder, engagement, and a love for learning back to your science class.

Support the show

Connect With Erin Sadler & Nicole VanTassel
Instagram: @SadlerScience // @iExploreScience
Website: Sadler Science // iExploreScience

📬 Stay Connected

• 📰 Substack: https://iexplorescience.substack.com/
• 🛍️ TpT Store: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/store/iexplorescience
• 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iexplorescience/
• 👍 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/iexplorescience/
• 💻 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolevantassel/

In this first episode of our 3-part series on building classroom community and expectations, Erin interviews a special guest — her daughter! Together, they reflect on the things that helped her feel seen, supported, and respected throughout middle school. From small gestures to classroom routines, this conversation offers a unique student perspective on what actually matters during those first few weeks of school.

In the next episode, we’ll dive into Respect Agreements (aka Community Agreements) from her point of view and from the perspective of her 8th grade science teacher.

Are you looking for a quick, easy and FREE way to improve your lessons?
 Download Erin's 3D Lesson Planner. Then, all you have to do is write down what you are already doing in class. She’ll send you instructions for EASY next steps. Click here to grab this FREE download.

You're invited to check out Bring Wonder Back, an on-demand video series designed to help you take your first steps to transforming your students into scientists with 3D teaching practices — what the NGSS is all about! Access the video series at iexplorescience.com/wonder and get ready to bring wonder, engagement, and a love for learning back to your science class.

Support the show

Connect With Erin Sadler & Nicole VanTassel
Instagram: @SadlerScience // @iExploreScience
Website: Sadler Science // iExploreScience

📬 Stay Connected

• 📰 Substack: https://iexplorescience.substack.com/
• 🛍️ TpT Store: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/store/iexplorescience
• 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iexplorescience/
• 👍 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/iexplorescience/
• 💻 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolevantassel/

In the third episode of this "Start Small" series, Nicole shares some ways we can deepen learning by replacing *quantity* with *quality* in our science classrooms. 

More isn't always better, and while it can sometimes feel counterintuitive, cutting back on the amount of work we assign can open the gateway for richer discussions, natural differentiation as opportunities to extend and reteach emerge, and better student learning. Let's invite our students to move away from the "I just need to get it done" mentality to focus on the actual content and skills they are learning!

More Resources: 

• Teaching Science in 3D on Instagram & Facebook

Are you looking for a quick, easy and FREE way to improve your lessons?  Download Erin's 3D Lesson Planner.  Then, all you have to do is write down what you are already doing in class.  Then, she will send you instructions for EASY next steps.   Click here to grab this FREE download. 

You're invited to check out Bring Wonder Back, an on-demand video series designed to help you take your first steps to transforming your students into scientists with 3D teaching practices — what the NGSS is all about! Access this video series at iexplorescience.com/wonder and get ready to bring wonder, engagement, and a love for learning back to your science class.

📬 Stay Connected

• 📰 Substack: https://iexplorescience.substack.com/
• 🛍️ TpT Store: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/store/iexplorescience
• 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iexplorescience/
• 👍 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/iexplorescience/
• 💻 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolevantassel/

In the second episode of this "Start Small" series, Nicole shares a few strategies to create a better THINKING science classroom -- you know, the kind where students actually NOTICE that the bird isn't giving its energy to the worm or that it just doesn't make sense for a pencil to measure 8 meters! 

More Resources: 

• Why You Need Vertical Whiteboards In Thinking Classrooms
• Building Thinking Classrooms For Mathematics (Don't let the math scare you away! There really are some great ideas that can be applied to science classrooms, too!)
• Teaching Science in 3D on Instagram & Facebook

Are you looking for a quick, easy and FREE way to improve your lessons?  Download Erin's 3D Lesson Planner.  Then, all you have to do is write down what you are already doing in class.  Then, she will send you instructions for EASY next steps.   Click here to grab this FREE download. 

You're invited to check out Bring Wonder Back, an on-demand video series designed to help you take your first steps to transforming your students into scientists with 3D teaching practices — what the NGSS is all about! Access this video series at iexplorescience.com/wonder and get ready to bring wonder, engagement, and a love for learning back to your science class.

📬 Stay Connected

• 📰 Substack: https://iexplorescience.substack.com/
• 🛍️ TpT Store: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/store/iexplorescience
• 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iexplorescience/
• 👍 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/iexplorescience/
• 💻 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolevantassel/

In the first episode of this "Start Small" series, Nicole shares three ideas to consider implementing this fall that will engage your students in three-dimensional learning in a way that builds skill through consistency and practice -- all without eating up huge chunks of class time OR creating a sense of overwhelm for you or your students.

1) Notice and Wonder Warm Up -- with ideas for extensions that deepen learning and connect to your content!

Relevant Links

• iExploreScience Blog: Classroom Procedures (Science Starter)
• iExploreScience: Notice & Wonder Curiosity Kickstarter (Winter Theme)
• iExploreScience Notice & Wonder Intro Activity (TpT - Free!)

2) What's Going On In This Graph?

Relevant Links:

• NY Times
• iExploreScience Blog: 3 Ways To Incorporate Data & Data Analysis Strategy Guide

3) Crosscutting Concepts Interactive Bulletin Board

Relevant Links:

• Crazy Science Lady (Side Note: I hope she has found more value in the NGSS since writing this post, but either way, I love her idea!)

More Resources: 

• 111 Rethink Your Classroom Management Plan Now
• Teaching Science in 3D on Instagram & Facebook

Are you looking for a quick, easy and FREE way to improve your lessons?  Download Erin's 3D Lesson Planner.  Then, all you have to do is write down what you are already doing in class.  Then, she will send you instructions for EASY next steps.   Click here to grab this FREE download. 

You're invited to check out Bring Wonder Back, an on-demand video series designed to help you take your first steps to transforming your students into scientists with 3D teaching practices — what the NGSS is all about! Access this video series at iexplorescience.com/wonder and get ready to bring wonder, engagement, and a love for learning back to your science class.

Support The Show

📬 Stay Connected

• 📰 Substack: https://iexplorescience.substack.com/
• 🛍️ TpT Store: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/store/iexplorescience
• 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iexplorescience/
• 👍 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/iexplorescience/
• 💻 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolevantassel/

Erin discusses her recent ADHD diagnosis. She recorded this episode in hopes that it may potentially help other people who suspect they have ADHD or who want to know more about what its like having ADHD.  

In this episode: 

• Deciding to be assessed - 4:25
• Being a kid with ADHD - 9:45 
• Struggles as an adult and in the classroom 22:00 
• Deciding on medication - 30:15
• Things that have helped at work and home 34:40 

Recommendations: 

• Book - ADHD 2.0 (affiliate link)
• Book/Planner - The ADHD Focus Friend (affiliate link)
• Planner - Future ADHD 

Other episodes:

• Podcast: Your ADHD Bestie
• Season 10 Episode 2: Things we want teachers to know about ADHD 
• 122 Rethinking That Class: What to Do When Classes Feel like a Challenge 
• 111 Rethinking Your Classroom Management Plan
• 101- The Brain Science Behind Your Students' (Missing) Engagement

You're invited to check out Bring Wonder Back, an on-demand video series designed to help you take your first steps to transforming your students into scientists with 3D teaching practices — what the NGSS is all about! Access this video series at iexplorescience.com/wonder and get ready to bring wonder, engagement, and a love for learning back to your science class.

Are you looking for a quick, easy and FREE way to improve your lessons?  Download Erin's 3D Lesson Planner.  Then, all you have to do is write down what you are already doing in class.  Then, she will send you instructions for EASY next steps.   Click here to grab this FREE download. 

Support the show

Connect With Erin Sadler & Nicole VanTassel
Instagram: @SadlerScience // @iExploreScience
Web

📬 Stay Connected

• 📰 Substack: https://iexplorescience.substack.com/
• 🛍️ TpT Store: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/store/iexplorescience
• 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iexplorescience/
• 👍 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/iexplorescience/
• 💻 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolevantassel/

Both Nicole and Erin are parents of children with ADHD. Erin was recently diagnosed as having ADHD herself.  In this episode, they share the things they've learned in the last year that they wish they would have known.  

More Resources: 

• 122 Rethinking That Class: What to Do When Classes Feel like a Challenge 
• 111 Rethinking Your Classroom Management Plan
• 101- The Brain Science Behind Your Students' (Missing) Engagement

Support the show

📬 Stay Connected

• 📰 Substack: https://iexplorescience.substack.com/
• 🛍️ TpT Store: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/store/iexplorescience
• 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iexplorescience/
• 👍 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/iexplorescience/
• 💻 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolevantassel/

It's been two and a half years since we recorded our last episode. So, where have we been!?!

In this episode we talk about: 

• What we've been up to
• Big changes and life updates 
• What this season will entail. 

Support the show

Connect With Erin Sadler & Nicole VanTassel
Instagram: @SadlerScience // @iExploreScience
Website: Sadler Science // iExploreScience

📬 Stay Connected

• 📰 Substack: https://iexplorescience.substack.com/
• 🛍️ TpT Store: https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/store/iexplorescience
• 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/iexplorescience/
• 👍 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/iexplorescience/
• 💻 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolevantassel/