Blog - Schilly Science

Classroom anchor charts leveled up my teaching game

September 22, 2019

My classroom game is on POINT this year! I am a secondary science teacher with limited wall space. I’ve wanted to figure out a way to spice up my classroom decor with authentic, colorful materials and anchor charts.

Anchor charts in my classroom — My anchor charts are colorful, creative, and my kids LOVE them!

As a science teacher, my wall space is covered with cabinets and whiteboards, leaving little room for posters and other creative decor. I want my classroom to be colorful and inviting. It should be a place that my students feel welcome and happy. I also want it to be a place that supports my instruction with anchor charts. Anchor charts are important because they are visual snippets that capture important content in the classroom.

This is a classroom anchor chart game changer!

I’ve struggled to figure out how to add anchor charts to my classroom in a way that is age appropriate and supports our life science curriculum. The key to my decoration prowess lies with this amazing chalkboard paper. I love it because It’s incredibly easy to use and looks great. Seriously, I put it EVERYWHERE and write on it with these chalk markers. I ordered several different types of chalk markers and these are by far the best and brightest.

Since I have a plethora of cabinet faces in my room, I decided to cover them with the chalk paper and add a new anchor chart for each topic that we cover in class. We started with lab safety, measurement in the lab, and scientific processes. We just finished prokaryotes & eukaryotes. Check out how adorable this one is!

Anchor charts in the classroom — Prokaryotes & eukaryotes anchor chart!

The chalk paper was a game changer. Like I said, I put it everywhere! It covers my desk, camouflages my ugly fume hood, and reminds me to get to work when I’m off task. 😉 I finished off my incredible classroom decoration with these LED strip lights from Amazon because, well….. just LOOK at them! I have definitely won the coolest classroom award in my school this year.

Simple to apply
Motivational fume hood
Important reminders
These strip lights are the coolest!

Looking for ways to curb cell phone use in the classroom?

Click here to see what I did to eradicate cell phone problems in my high school classroom!!!

A classroom pet… why I will always have one.

April 7, 2019

It was June of 2002 and I had just been hired for my first gig teaching middle school science.. I wanted to be a super cool teacher in a super cool room, so of course a super cool classroom pet is exactly what I needed, right? RIGHT!

Choosing a super cool classroom pet

What kind of animal would a super cool teacher have? Should I get something cute like a hamster or a guinea pig? Should I get something a little bit weirder like a frog or a turtle….or a TARANTULA?!? Since I wasn’t sure where to start, I took a trip to the local reptile store. As I wandered through the store, I decided that a turtle was probably the way to go. That’s when a salesperson approached me and asked if I needed help. I shared my vision of becoming a super cool teacher and he asked if I’d ever thought about a bearded dragon. To be honest, I didn’t even know what a bearded dragon was! The second he put that spiky little guy into my hand, I was head over heels in love. I named him Hector and he was the newest addition to my family.

Before leaving, the salesperson gave me a list and a research assignment on keeping my “beardie” happy and healthy. I went home that day with baby Hector and my bearded dragon starter kit.

Teachable moments

As the school year began, I realized just how amazing Hector was for my kids and me. The benefits of having an animal in the classroom are endless. My students absolutely loved him and Hector brought so many teachable moments to our science class.

Every week, my kids recorded his length and mass and then created a graph of his growth. They learned about his habitat and what is required for bearded dragons to thrive. As the year progressed, they also learned about the long-term responsibility that comes with owning a pet. I visited the reptile store weekly to buy crickets and worms. When his light bulbs went out, it was another trip and another expense.

My students learned how to respect animals and understood that having Hector in the classroom was a privilege. They learned how to properly hold him and pet him and that it was important to wash their hands after. I explained to them the importance of early socialization and handling, which led Hector to grow into a sweet, gentle soul. He never bit and encouraged even the most timid of students to be brave and touch him. Hector was my buddy for twelve wonderful years before he crossed the rainbow bridge. He touched countless lives in my classroom and my former students always remember him fondly.

Gone but not forgotten

I couldn’t imagine life without a classroom pet, so shortly after Hector’s passing, Elvis and Sunshine came into my life. With them came a lot more teachable moments. Not only were my students able to take their measurements, but when they were a little over a year old, Sunshine laid her first clutch of eggs!

Elvis & Sunshine feasting on tender worms seasoned with calcium atop a bed of fresh greens.

My students were beyond excited at the thought of hatching baby dragons. Together, we researched how to incubate and care for the eggs and gave it our best shot. Here is the incubator we used. When they began to hatch, my kids were so enthralled. I had students from all over the school stopping by my classroom to see the baby dragons. Out of all of the labs and learning that took place that year, I guarantee the best lessons came about because of our dragons.

What do you think? Are you ready for a classroom pet?

Animals are not limited to science classrooms. An old colleague of mine had a guinea pig in her language arts classroom. That little pig was the main character in so many student stories and poems and they loved to tell me all about her and how I should also get a guinea pig. Personally, I am partial to my beardies and highly recommend them for life in a classroom. They are gentle, hardy, and fairly low maintenance. Once you know what they need to live a happy, healthy life, they are quite easy to care for. They don’t make big messes, they don’t make noise, and they only poop once or twice a week!!! It really doesn’t get much better than that.

Over the years, I have figured out the best ways to keep my bearded dragons healthy and lively. If you’re considering a dragon for your classroom, check out some of the following links to get an idea of how much your initial investment will be.

Aside from a tank, which will vary depending on the beardie’s size, they need both a heat lamp and an ultraviolet light. This bulb is my absolute favorite because it contains both heat and the UVA/UVB rays that a bearded dragon requires. You’ll also need to decide on a substrate. I’ve tried them all. My current favorite is this one, which is technically snake bedding, but it safe, dust-free, and it looks nice. One of the most important things that your beardie will need is a calcium supplement. There are lots of different brands on the market, but I’ve been happy with this one. There are tons of other accessories that can turn your classroom terrarium into a work of art, but stick to the basics, get yourself a little friend, and watch your students connect, learn, and grow from having an animal in the classroom.

Are cell phones a problem in your classroom? Check out what I did this year to nip that problem in the bud!

The storm before the calm… and why teachers need a “reset” button.

December 13, 2018

Let’s face it… the week before a break (winter, spring, summer, etc.) is a tough one for teachers. We are trying to cram that last bit of curriculum, give finals, contact parents, analyze data, and submit grades while our students have regressed to acting like toddlers with a sugar high. I don’t know about you, but even trying to contain my high school students is like herding cats. The hallways are crazy, the lunch room is crazy, and teachers all over my school are at their wits end. What students don’t realize that we teachers need the break even more than they do.

How do we keep our kids engaged during this trying time? It’s so important to be consistent in our classrooms. Those high standards and expectations that we set for our kids (and ourselves) on day 1 need to be adhered to until that last bell has rung, regardless of the pandemonium that seems to be happening around us… but what if that doesn’t happen?

The awesome thing about teaching is that there is a definite beginning and end to every situation. If we have a tough year, we can push a reset button and start anew the next. If we realize that our subject area isn’t our favorite, we can take steps to teach something different. If we realize that our age group isn’t the best fit for us, we can take steps to change that as well. If there is one thing that teaching isn’t, it’s monotonous. I can’t imagine having a job where I do the same thing all day every day indefinitely.

How to push the reset button…
It’s easy to be overwhelmed, whether you are a first year teacher or a longtime veteran. Resetting our classroom identity is like the scientific method. We need to break things down one at a time.

Step 1: Identify the problem
Step 2: Research
Step 3: Form a hypothesis
Step 4: Test your hypothesis
Step 5: Analyze data
Step 6: Draw conclusions
Step 7: Use this information to identify further problems and start again

Let’s say that you’re having a classroom management issue with cells phones. They are the bane of many teachers’ existence. In fact, it was the biggest issue of my life last year. Click here to read about what I did in my classroom to nip this problem in the bud. I treated the cell phone issue like a science experiment and the results have been phenomenal.

-I identified the problem: My students are distracted by cell phones in class.
-I did research: I looked up methods online and observed other teachers.
-I formed a hypothesis: If students are off task because of cellular devices, then removing them from their reach will result in greater academic success because they will be less distracted.
-I tested my hypothesis: I require students to “park” their phones in a designated area of the classroom upon arrival and they pick them up when they leave.
-I analyzed data: I have had ZERO (yes, zero) referrals or repeat offenders with anything relating to cell phones. The biggest issue has been that students sometimes dilly dally plugging their phones in which makes them scramble for their seat after the tardy bell.
-I drew conclusions: Removing cell phones has indeed resulted in less distracted students and less stress for me because I no longer have the headache of arguing about it.
-I have used this information to identify further problems: Upon return to class in January, I will be holding students accountable for having their phones parked and in their seat when the tardy bell rings or they will have the same consequences as arriving tardy to class. Utilizing the charging station is a privilege, not a right!

One thing that makes a great teacher is adaptability, or the ability to admit that something isn’t going perfectly and change it. Coming back from a break is the perfect time to change or tweak something that needs adjustment. Be honest with yourself and your needs, be firm in your convictions, and be consistent for those first few weeks back and I can assure you that the rest of your year will go more smoothly.

Now go take some much deserved time for YOU!