iExploreScience: STEM in Elem

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/

Here's the thing: SMART goals don't work for everyone.

They don't work for me.

This year I learned about a totally *different* way to set goals and plan for what's ahead -- and (here's the important part!) actually make progress towards it! -- that resonates way better with my own approaches and work flow. And I know it's working, because I'm already seeing some of my goals come to life. <3

In this Thursday Thought, I want to share this process with you. I want you to be able to look ahead to 2021 and see the changes you want to make in your classroom, your teacher practice, your relationships, and your life in general -- and actually make goals that get you closer to your objectives!

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/

As we come to the end of the year - and especially this year, when you may feel like there’s so many doors you JUST WANT TO CLOSE and move on from - but really often any year, I think we tend to get excited about moving forward, focus all our energy on our new start, and we forget to look back on what came before.

And while it’s certainly not great to dwell on the past or live in it or anything like that >> there’s certainly value in giving ourselves a little space for reflection.

So I decided before I took time to look ahead, I was going to sit and reflect on where I’d been, where I was coming from, and then (here’s the important part) USE that information to help me look ahead — more mindfully, more realistically, really more usefully. 

So with that in mind, I wanted to challenge you this week — before you get caught up in New Years resolutions and all of that — to take a few minutes to sit, reflect, and process.

Then you can *use* that information to guide you forward: 

>> to help you identify the changes you may want to make (and what you want to keep the same!),

>> and to help you implement those changes in ways that will last.

So some questions or prompts you may want to consider:

1. What were my favorite memories? 
2. What advice would I give myself if I traveled back to the beginning of 2020? 
3. How do I truly feel about the past year?
4. What is my year in ONE sentence or ONE word? 

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/

How much do we know about what our students really think about a science concept before we start teaching?

We've all seen the studies about how important it is to activate prior knowledge before we start a new lesson or unit. Building on previous learning is an amazing way to deepen understandings and improve retention -- for sure!

But how often are we spending time identifying misconceptions?

Are we even aware our students have them?

And what do we do about them?

Here's a little Thursday Thought to get you started!

PS - If you'd like to connect personally with us on Instagram, you can find us at www.instagram.com/iexplorescience and www.instagram.com/sadlerscience! 

📬 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/

One of the last things I really “got the hang of” when it came to designing NGSS-aligned curriculum was the use of phenomenon.  The problem with this statement is that phenomena should have been where I started. When it comes to 3D learning, science isn’t about learning facts and figures for their own sake but rather in order to explain things that happen in the natural world -- phenomena.

Duh.

I missed the point there.

Learn from my mistakes in this Thursday Thought!

PS - If you'd like to connect personally with us on Instagram, you can find us at www.instagram.com/iexplorescience and www.instagram.com/sadlerscience! 

📬 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/

✨ Engaging our students is a key part of learning… 

… so how do we make it happen?  ✨

😬 

And what if we’ve been going at it the wrong way?

Let's take a quick moment to reflect on how we're engaging our students in this week's Thursday Thought, and consider... could there be a better way?

PS - If you'd like to connect personally with us on Instagram, you can find us at www.instagram.com/iexplorescience and www.instagram.com/sadlerscience! 

📬 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/