KLEIN's
GUIDE TO
SCIENCE EDUCATION
PHOTO CREDIT: Nadene Klein at Tuolumne Meadows Yosemite National Park
I rarely miss school. It is a lot of work to properly and thoroughly prepare for a substitute teacher. It is so much easier and less work to be at school than it is to prepare to be gone and then recover from being gone. As a science teacher, I know that it is unlikely that the guest teacher will be qualified and capable of teaching most of my science classes, particularly physics. I don't want my students missing a day of instruction. When I do miss school it is for a good reason...like, say, traveling to Texas in April to witness the full solar eclipse. I'm already thinking about the sub plans I'll be writing. So here's some advice from this veteran teacher to you: What kinds of lessons will work for a sub and meet these guidelines? Think about those skills that need continuous development. You could have students find current science news articles related to what you are learning in class from reliable sources, document the sources, write a summary, and explain the connections to your class content. You could have students graph data from a data set related to your current content. Any other science literacy lessons including vocabulary development also are easier for substitute teachers to manage. Then don't forget to have a little something for the guest teacher to use for those students who finish early. The more you plan the less likely students are going to cause discipline issues. I always leave a crossword puzzle or word search for students to complete for fun. I usually give candy prizes when I return to those who get them right.
I can't wait for my trip in April knowing that I can have solid plans for the substitute. Then I will return to school able to share my experience with all of my classes and really nerd out with my astronomy class.
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AuthorNadene Klein, M.Ed. has been an educator for over 25 years. She brings a passion and love for science to the classroom and through this blog to you. Archives
March 2024
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