Posts by Brenda Kovich

ocean waves, teaching waves, transverse waves, waves

How can you teach ocean waves to your third, fourth, or fifth grade students? First, view some videos. Second, study some diagrams. Third, conduct a STEM activity. In it, kids…

Teaching the Water Cycle – Evaporation, Precipitation, Condensation

June 6, 2021

teaching the water cycle, water cycle

Teaching the water cycle is easy. Just use a solid learning cycle – instruction and inquiry, practice, and assessment. Your students will love the baggie project. You’ll love their mastery…

Teaching Properties of Water | Fun Science Activities for Kids

May 30, 2021

hydrology, properties of water, teaching about water, water activities for kids

Properties of water are fun to teach. A few simple activities can drive home important science concepts like evaporation, cohesion, adhesion, water as a solvent, and capillary action. Read on…

Hydrosphere Teaching Ideas | Water Activities for Kids

May 23, 2021

hydrosphere, NGSS 5-ESS2-2, teaching the hydrosphere

Engage, Plan

Introduce the hydrosphere with three types of interdisciplinary activities. First, ask kids to read about the hydrosphere and answer questions. Second, have them create pie graphs to show how water…

The Teaching Struggle Is Real – Embrace It and Experience Fulfillment

May 16, 2021

becoming a great teacher, being a teacher, difficulties teaching, teacher challenge, teaching struggle

The teaching struggle. If you’re a teacher, you know what it’s all about. Every day, when you get up in front of your class, you struggle to make them understand,…

Maximize Teaching to Make Every Moment Count | Effective Instruction

May 9, 2021

incidental vocabulary, interdisciplinary teaching, maximize teaching, review

Maximize teaching with these clever strategies from master teachers. Then, when you get up in front of your students, you’ll be teaching more than just your current lesson. First, make…

Encourage Autonomy in the Classroom | Student-Centered Learning

May 2, 2021

autonomous learner, autonomy, guide on the side, sage on the stage, student-centered learning

How can you promote autonomy in your classroom? First, put kids in the driver’s seat. Establish student-centered learning. Instead of the “sage on the stage,” be the “guide on the…

Improve Your Teaching Mindset | Lift, Don’t Push Kids to Greatness

April 25, 2021

improve teaching, scaffold

To improve your teaching, lift, don’t push. Mediocre teachers push their students through the curriculum. You know – coverage. But great teachers do something different. They scaffold instruction so every…

Teaching Slow Changes to Earth’s Surface | Geology Activities for Kids

April 18, 2021

deposition activities, erosion activities, geology for kids, slow changes to Earth's surface, weathering activities