In this episode, Nicole VanTassel of iExploreScience interviews Dr. Salina Gray about her experiences teaching virtually this year. They discuss the schedules, routines, and practices Salina uses to create a classroom culture where kids show up , take risks, and truly engage in their own learning.

Let's Stay Connected In 2021
You still have time to catch the replays from the totally free Bring Wonder Back: Creating Engaged and Active Science Learners workshop!

We dove into:
- why your students aren’t curious and what you can do, 
- redefining what it means to be an educator so that it really translates to less work for you and more ownership from students, 
- and how we can transform “students” into SCIENTISTS so that they really take on these critical thinking, creative skills and qualities that they are going to need beyond the classroom

You can register to access the replays and resources from this free program at https://iexplorescience.com/wonder


Get More Help With 3D Teaching

• Find the Teaching Science in 3D Podcast on Instagram & Facebook
• Submit a Question
• Explore phenomenon-based, discovery-centered learning with iExploreScience
• Get more information about the NGSS with Sadler Science

📬 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/

Have you ever had a really rough day where nothing worked?  Has that ever happened during a virtual observation?  That happened to Erin last week.

In the end, it wasn't perfect.  But she ended up finding out there were many good things happening that she totally missed.  Listen to hear more. 

Get More Help With 3D Teaching

• Teaching Science in 3D on Instagram & Facebook
• Submit a Question
• Explore phenomenon-based, discovery-centered learning with iExploreScience
• Get more information about the NGSS with Sadler Science.
• Get Erin's new 3D lesson self-assessment tool by signing up for her email list.  Click here to join.  
• Enroll in a Be Curious Community Cohort now.

📬 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/

You may call them an extension, elaborate, or enrichment activities. No matter what you call them, they often lack meaning in a traditional classroom. 

In this episode, Nicole and Erin discuss what these episodes look like in a traditional science classroom.  Then, they discuss why you might want to rethink some of these strategies.  Finally, they provide some ideas for what to do instead.  Click here for the full episode recap.

Other Resources:

• How to Really Use the 5E Model (Podcast Episode)
• Integrate Engineering: A How-to Guide for Science Teachers

Get More Help With 3D Teaching

• Teaching Science in 3D on Instagram & Facebook
• Submit a Question
• Explore phenomenon-based, discovery-centered learning with iExploreScience
• Get more information about the NGSS with Sadler Science

📬 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/

I've noticed a trend -- my daughter balks when I ask her a question. She is terrified of being wrong. And even if it's something that may not have a right answer, even if we are just exploring ideas, she hesitates.

Thinking back, I know my students did the same.

So how can you invite discussion, exploring ideas, interaction without putting students on the spot? Without scaring them away?

Introducing the... "I wonder why..." statement.

(I mean, I didn't invent it... but I noticed it works!)

Learn more in this episode.

Let's Stay Connected In 2021
I started off 2021 with a totally free workshop series - Bring Wonder Back: Creating Engaged and Active Science Learners. While the live workshops are over, you can still catch the replays and utilize the resources.

Over three sessions, we dove into:
- why your students aren’t curious and what you can do, 
- redefining what it means to be an educator so that it really translates to less work for you and more ownership from students, 
- and how we can transform “students” into SCIENTISTS so that they really take on these critical thinking, creative skills and qualities that they are going to need beyond the classroom

You can still grab your replays and resources for this free program at https://iexplorescience.com/wonder


Get More Help With 3D Teaching

• Teaching Science in 3D on Instagram & Facebook
• Submit a Question
• Explore phenomenon-based, discovery-centered learning with iExploreScience
• Get more information about the NGSS with Sadler Science
• Enroll in a Be Curious Community Cohort now.

📬 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/

Connecting with our students and engaging them in our science classroom is more important than ever if we aim to continue our work as educators… but right now, it’s hard. 

It’s hard, but it’s not impossible.

In this week’s episode, we are interviewing middle school teacher, Debbie Juracich — who, like you, is experiencing teaching through the challenges that 2020 brought and 2021 has not yet relieved. She has experienced the schedule changes, shifting admin demands, missing out on hands-on activities, and seeing black Zoom screens where she once saw real human faces. She gets it! 

But her students are still engaged. They are still connected. It’s not perfect — and she explicitly wanted to point out afterward: not every day goes this way. But there are enough bright moments to carry her on and keep her focused on what matters.

So what’s her secret? What’s the secret sauce to creating a culture of engagement and connection — even in a virtual/hybrid/COVID-era setting?? 

Tune in to find out. <3


Get More Help With 3D Teaching

• Teaching Science in 3D on Instagram & Facebook
• Submit a Question
• Explore phenomenon-based, discovery-centered learning with iExploreScience
• Get more information about the NGSS with Sadler Science

📬 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 has been seeing the phrase "relationships over rigor" everywhere this year.  And, while relationships are incredibly important in the classroom, they don't need to come at the expense of rigor. 

Listen to this episode to hear Erin's thoughts. 

Get More Help With 3D Teaching

• Teaching Science in 3D on Instagram & Facebook or on the Website.  
• Submit a Question
• Explore phenomenon-based, discovery-centered learning with iExploreScience
• Get more information about the NGSS with Sadler Science
• Enroll in a Be Curious Community Cohort now.

📬 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/

Implementing 3D learning requires a growth mindset.   In this episode, we discuss three mindset shifts for science teachers that make the transition easier.

Other Resources to Help You Make the Shift 

• Season 1, Episode 10 - How to Teach for Student Discovery 
• Season 1 Episode 8 - How to Use the 5E Model 
• Using Student Questions in Your NGSS Storylines - Sadler Science 
• Core Values for 3D Learning and Life - iExplore Science 

Get More Help with the NGSS

• Teaching Science in 3D on Instagram & Facebook
• Submit a Question
• Simply Science Workshop - Curiosity Driven Storylines 
• Get more information about the NGSS with Sadler Science

📬 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/

The other day, while on a hike, my son yelled out, "I'm on the highest tree in the world!"

It got me thinking... what does it take to create such exuberance and pride in our learners? What do they need from us? How can we support them in building this agency and this confidence?

I have a few thoughts, and I hope you'll spend about 5 minutes with me to consider how you can help bring the same excitement and sense of achievement my 3 year old felt climbing a tree-root-ball to your students in your science class.

Let's Stay Connected In 2021
I’m starting off 2021 with a totally free workshop series - Bring Wonder Back: Creating Engaged and Active Science Learners.

We'll dive into:
- why your students aren’t curious and what you can do, 
- redefining what it means to be an educator so that it really translates to less work for you and more ownership from students, 
- and how we can transform “students” into SCIENTISTS so that they really take on these critical thinking, creative skills and qualities that they are going to need beyond the classroom

You can register for this free program at https://iexplorescience.com/wonder


Get More Help With 3D Teaching

• Teaching Science in 3D on Instagram & Facebook
• Submit a Question
• Explore phenomenon-based, discovery-centered learning with iExploreScience
• Get more information about the NGSS with Sadler Science

📬 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/

Are you having trouble implementing 3D learning in your classroom? Listen to the top 3 things that we have found hold teachers back. 

Nicoles Storylines Workshop: Curiosity Driven Storylines

Check out these 3D Learning Resources to help get you started: 

• Sadler Science: Your Questions About 3 Dimensional Learning Answered
• iExplore Science - 4 Ways to Engage Students with Phenomena During Distance Learning 
• Season 1, Episode 4 - How you know it's not NGSS
• 3 Exploration Activities that will Transform Your Remote Learning Classroom

For the full episode recap, click here. 

Get More Help with the NGSS

• Teaching Science in 3D on Instagram & Facebook
• Submit a Question
• Looking for a comprehensive professional development program that will give you a  step-by-step guide to "NGSSing" your science class? Check out the Explore To Aha! Academy.
• Get more information about the NGSS with Sadler Science

📬 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/

Teachers are working harder than they ever have before.  And often, we feel like there is so much more to do.  The solution isn't working more hours because there are only so many hours in the day. 

For Erin, multitasking hindered her productivity for years.  When she started batch working, her productivity increased significantly.  Learn about the changes she made and how they worked for her.

Get More Help With 3D Teaching

• Teaching Science in 3D on Instagram & Facebook
• Submit a Question
• Explore phenomenon-based, discovery-centered learning with iExploreScience
• Get more information about the NGSS with Sadler Science

📬 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/