The end of the year is near…what better way to conclude the year than by assigning an open ended project? This rubric provides guidelines for students as they design and create an original project that reflects a concept they learned this year. So sit back and let students get creative as they SHOW you what they LEARNED this year!

Teaching the process of Mitosis is foundational to every life science class during your Cell Cycle Unit. Transform your lesson on the mitosis and increase student engagement with a fun and interactive QR Code Scavenger Hunt. At the end of this activity, your students will have shown you that they can differentiate and describe the the four phases of mitosis. Checking student understanding made easy with this interactive QR code scavenger hunt. As students review the functions of the different parts of the Central Nervous System, they will be provided automatic feedback on whether they are correct or incorrect, making this a resource that is all about giving students ownership of their learning. How is it designed? Students will move around the room to answer questions and search for the correct answer at the top of a different QR Code page. I have designed this activity in a loop so that if students get an answer correct they will be led to the next number in the sequence (for example, number 4 leads to number 5 and so on…). In this way, students will be able to know instantly whether or not they have answered the question correctly, providing INSTANT FEEDBACK! What concepts are covered? Putting the phases in the correct order Knowing what occurs during each phase Difference between chromosomes and chromatin The term centromere What’s Included? 12 QR codes each with a different question embedded for students to answer Student handout (two per page to conserve paper) Answer key This activity is always so much fun in my classroom and brings engagement as we review the process of mitosis.

During your evolution unit, use this as an engage or explore into the impacts of natural selection on humans. This activity is designed as an inquiry activity in which students investigate and seek to uncover the evolutionary connection between Sickle Cell Anemia and Malaria. I use this before showing my students the HHMI video over this topic in which they discuss the research and the evolutionary link between Sickle Cell Anemia and Malaria.

This graphic organizer is great for visual learners and for organizing the 12 body systems. Below are some ideas on how you can implement graphic organizer into your animal systems unit: -Complete it together as a class during notes. -Have students use their notes to complete it with a partner or group -Have students complete it as a formative assessment. -Have students research each organ system and complete the graphic organizer, then construct a Google slide presentation using the information they found.

Enjoy this small collection of six photographs which illustrate great examples of camouflage in nature. Use these pictures as a part of an ENGAGE activity to get your students excited to learn about the importance of camouflage as a means of animal survival. In addition, these photographs could lead to a great introduction over the concept of Natural Selection.

Teaching Protein Synthesis is foundational to every Life Science or Biology class during your Cells Unit. Transform your lesson on Protein Synthesis and increase student engagement with a fun and interactive Protein Synthesis Card Sort Activity. At the end of this activity, your students will have shown you that they can apply the concepts of protein synthesis as well as answer basic conceptual questions regarding the process. What’s Included? 7 Cards How is it designed? In the activity, students are challenged determine the correct order of the steps of protein synthesis. I love using card sorts in my classroom. They are such an easy way to do some formative assessment while also giving students the opportunity to get up and moving. You can use card sorts at any point during a lesson. -Use before a lesson to encourage student inquiry and discussion -Use mid lesson to gauge understanding -Use at the end of the lesson as an exit ticket activity -Use the day after a lesson to see how much students retained

Teaching Energy Flow is foundational to very life science class during your Ecology Unit. Gauging student understanding is made easy with this ready to go exit ticket over Energy Flow through an ecosystem. At the end of this activity, your students will have shown you that they know the amount of energy transferred between trophic levels, the difference between an autotroph and a heterotroph, and are able to identify producers, primary consumers, secondary consumers, and tertiary consumers. What’s Included? 1 Printable Exit Ticket Digital Version (Google Form) Answer Key What concepts are covered? Trophic Levels amount of energy transferred (10% rule) Autotroph Heterotroph Food Web Identify the following from a marine food web: producers, primary consumers, secondary consumers, and tertiary consumers. This activity is a quick way for students to show me what they know about energy flow in an ecosystem.

Start of the school year by encouraging students to take OWNERSHIP over their education with this fun and easy set-up for their interactive notebooks. Not only will they start the year off organized, but they will get to show their creative side as well! Included in this resource are the following: Title Page (students are to decorate it) All About Me Page Table of Contents Page All of the pages have been designed to fit easily on the pages of a composition notebook. This assignment could be used during the first week of school or could easily be adapted as a summer assignment.

This is my number one classroom management tool. If you don’t already have a daily bell ringer or warm-up assignment for students to complete once they enter your class, it’s a MUST. Seriously, the first 3 minutes of your class will be transformed! When students come in knowing they have something immediately to do, it helps them to get into the correct mindset for learning and makes it easier for you to handle basic housekeeping tasks such as taking role (which I’ll admit is not my strongest suit.) This template is editable so that you can transform your classroom starting TODAY!

Start of the school year by encouraging students to take OWNERSHIP over their education with this fun and easy set-up for their interactive notebooks. Not only will they start the year off organized, but they will get to show their creative side as well! Included in this resource are the following: Title Page (students are to decorate it) All About Me Page Table of Contents Page All of the pages have been designed to fit easily on the pages of a composition notebook. This assignment could be used during the first week of school or could easily be adapted as a summer assignment.