Features...

Noteworthy...

QuickLinks...

Forum 
A place to ask questions or share information with other science teachers.

Curriculum 
Includes frameworks, project requirements, sample research report, and instructional strategies.

Professionalism Licensing, professional development, keeping up-to-date on science education.

Events
Science events worth knowing about, including workshops, seminars, courses in NYC area, television and film, science events.

Links
Content, professional organizations, institutions, science news, data resources for student projects, etc.

New! Teacher Resources for Regents Living Environment (6/19/04)

Title pretty much sums it up.  It's a new addition for MiddleSchoolScience.org, a departure from my usually negative attitude towards teaching high school regents courses in grade 8. I've explained the change of heart in a blog entry. I will be continually adding to this section over the summer and into next year.

Teacher Resources for Regents Living Environment

My Blog

Student Pages

Frameworks

Licensing

Grants

Summer Institutes

Data Sources

Activities

Project Requirements

Performance Standards

Observation Protocol

NYC Dept. of Education

NY State Education Department

Regents Living Environment Blog Project (5/19/04)

My own blog, documenting and reflecting on strategies for teaching NY State's Regents Living Environment.

Student Pages  (5/19/04)

I've split MiddleSchoolScience.org into two sections - student pages and teacher pages.  I wanted to provide a central location for my students to go for help and support in getting through regents living environment next year. 

Webloggers (3/28/04)

I've added links to some weblogs that I frequent - some for the education, some just for fun.  

More Dichotomous Keys (3/28/04)

Colorful flags for practicing dichotomous keys. I cheated a little and made the flags uniform in size & dimension, but if you want to use your own choice of flags and keep the aspect ratios, they are readily available online for copying. Here: flags.net for example. 

Introductory flowchart style dichotomous key for different shapes. Single worksheet, pencil & paper activity, yes/no questions, separating objects in a set.

Worksheet
Flowchart style dichotomous key for skulls found in owl pellets. You may need to provide pictures of skulls to demonstrate some of the descriptions (gap between the front teeth & back teeth, e.g.).  Details...

A space & time saving option for project presentations is a mini poster.  Use 11 x 17 paper available at office supply stores, print and copy templates for essential elements. View sample and download templates.  Templates print on letter size paper and have been sized to fit mini posters but can be edited or adapted to fit your own needs.

I have added links to some websites that contain reading material suitable for middle school students.  Some of them don't print that well directly from the web, so I copy & paste text & images into MSWord & edit font size, margins, etc. for better printing.

Pendulum activity for teaching experimental design.  Three stages that introduce vocabulary gradually - variables, constants, control, etc.

This collection of homework ideas is a work in progress. Includes general activities that can be re-used for different topics. Includes "Reading Cartoons" strategy.

New material on the way

As the new school year progresses (2003/2004), I hope to add more links to content and resources for teachers, including: articles on particular topics that students can read, data sources, curriculum units, and individual activities to enrich your curriculum. Also in the pipeline will be another weblog of my teaching experience this year. If anyone else is interested in keeping a weblog, let me know and I will help you get started. 

Revised Licensing Information (7/7/03)

New regulations take effect on February 2, 2004.

The New Paradigm (6/26/03)

As of today, June 26th, 2003, District Six effectively ceases to exist.  Therefore this website will undergo some changes over the summer.

Recent Additions

Curriculum Recommendations (4/7/03)
Science curriculum modules, textbooks, and major material items such as microscopes.  Aligned with SMART Process curriculum frameworks and NYC fastrack approved in most cases. These purchases will most likely have to be done at the school level next year.

Revised Project Scoring Questionnaires  (1/04/03)
For controlled experiments, design projects, fieldwork projects, and secondary research.  We've taken the rubrics and turned them into questionnaire or checklist format. We believe this makes them easier for teachers or students (with proper training) to use as assessment tools, and will be using them this year for the Science Expo.  Print to legal size paper (8 1/2 x 14). 

Sample Research Report (12/7/02)
A research report based on an controlled experiment investigation into surface tension.  The goal of this sample is to demonstrate the format of a research report and to offer concrete examples of the essential elements of a project.  Aligned with our Project Requirement Guidelines.

Project Requirement Guidelines Booklet (11/6/02) 
Includes project descriptions, rubrics, samples of data table format, graph format, bibliographic format and more.

Archives...

MiddleSchoolScience.org is maintained by Michael Gatton, science teacher in New York City.  I am solely responsible for the contents of this site.  

Updated: 08/30/07

©2000
Founded September 1, 2000

mgatton@vzavenue.net