These days, it’s common for kids to learn about coding and 3D printing. Don’t get me wrong – I’m glad kids are studying coding and printing. These are important subjects. However, I don’t think they should be the only exposure students get to technology during their educations. Unfortunately, hand-on exposure to physical technology is relatively … More Minimester Musings: Clocks and Motors
This Labor Day Weekend, I went to the beach and flew a kite. I hadn’t flown a kite in years, and at first, I had quite a lot of trouble getting it aloft. Eventually, my friends and I realized that the kite was assembled improperly – a tiny plastic connector was backwards, causing the kite … More Labor Day Lesson Planning
One of my favorite units for elementary school students is Motion and Design by STC. I took quite a few photos during the last lesson of the unit when I taught it last spring. I particularly like how the photos illustrate the collaborative nature of the work that the students did. This represents a major … More Elementary Physical Science: Building Vehicles and Teamwork
I used this lesson as part as a middle school physical science class. The curriculum STC/MS Properties of Matter provided the main structure for the class. This particular lesson is not part of the curriculum; it’s an addition that I wrote because I felt that the density unit would benefit from the presence of a … More Middle School Physical Science: Culminating Activity for Density Unit
This is a short unit that I’ve used to introduce upper elementary school students to pH and, more broadly, the concept of chemical testing. It is strongly influenced by the charming publication Of Cabbages and Chemistry by Jacqueline Barber. My teaching periods are quite long, so although I’ve organized this unit into three lessons most teachers … More Elementary School Science: Introduction to pH
Ms. Mathisen's Science Class 