It’s hard to believe that the start of another school year is just around the corner, which means that planning for the first day of school and your first units is starting to take place. The first day of school can sometimes feel chaotic, and teachers are often unsure what they should even be covering on that day. So, to help those teachers out, I’m sharing the four things I always do on the first day of school and an overview of my first units for each science discipline.

When it comes to the first day of school, I like to do a mixture of fun and expectations. I find it extremely important to set the tone for how your classroom will be run throughout the year and share personal examples of what this looked like when I was in the classroom. But on the flip side, adding in some fun science activities and getting to know your students lays the foundation for relationship-building and science knowledge.

And as quickly as the first few days come and go, before you know it, you’re diving into the first units of each of your courses. In the four science disciplines of physical science, biology, chemistry, and anatomy, I share a brief overview of topics I cover to begin those courses and the reasoning behind them. Although all four different disciplines, you’ll notice a common theme of reviewing and learning the basics before ever teaching content-specific topics.

With so many things to cover the first few days of school, it can be difficult to know what you should spend those days doing. However, it’s important to go back to what you care about most, which will help you and your students have a successful school year. So, if you’re looking for ideas on structuring your first day of school and first units of study in your science courses, this episode is for you!

Resources Mentioned:

• Virtual PD Courses for Science Teachers
• It’s Not Rocket Science Biology Basics Unit
• It’s Not Rocket Science Introduction to Anatomy Unit
• It’s Not Rocket Science Introduction to Chemistry Unit
• It’s Not Rocket Science Scientific Method Unit
• All It’s Not Rocket Science Complete Units
• Free Characteristics of Life Inquiry Activity
• Flinn Scientific
• Carolina Biological Supply
• Download your FREE Classroom Reset Challenge
• Send me a DM on Instagram: @its.not.rocket.science
• Send me an email: rebecca@itsnotrocketscienceclassroom.com
• Follow, rate, and review on Apple Podcasts

Show Notes: https://itsnot

Virtual professional development courses are OFFICIALLY HERE! If you love this podcast and want even MORE support in simplifying your life as a secondary science teacher, then you NEED to check out my newly revamped virtual PD offerings: https://itsnotrocketscienceclassroom.com/pd