Secondary Science Simplified is a podcast specifically for high school science teachers that will help you to engage your students AND simplify your life as a secondary science educator. Each week Rebecca, from It's Not Rocket Science, and her guests will share practical and easy-to-implement strategies for decreasing your workload so that you can stop working overtime and start focusing your energy doing what you love - actually teaching! Teaching doesn't have to be rocket science, and you' ...
…
continue reading

1
173. 9 Quick Ways to Use AI to Simplify Your Life as a Teacher
22:04
22:04
נגן מאוחר יותר
נגן מאוחר יותר
רשימות
לייק
אהבתי
22:04Imagine having a virtual assistant to help with lesson plans, assessments, and student feedback. AI can make that a reality! In this episode, I’m sharing nine practical ways to use AI to streamline your workload, from generating transcripts to creating choice boards and assessments. You’ll hear quick examples, plus my favorite tools (including one …
…
continue reading

1
172. Content-Specific Differentiation Tips
27:19
27:19
נגן מאוחר יותר
נגן מאוחר יותר
רשימות
לייק
אהבתי
27:19In the final episode of our differentiation series, I’m sharing practical strategies for implementing content-specific differentiation. Whether you teach biology, chemistry, anatomy, or physical science, you’ll learn how to prioritize key concepts, adjust instruction for CP and honors students, and simplify your approach using built-in supports fro…
…
continue reading

1
171. Differentiating Within One Class Period (And How to Not Make It Obvious)
37:53
37:53
נגן מאוחר יותר
נגן מאוחר יותר
רשימות
לייק
אהבתי
37:53Are you juggling a dozen different learning needs in one class period? You’re not alone! Differentiation can seem daunting, especially when you’re trying to support all students without making it obvious. In the fourth episode in our differentiation series, I’m sharing practical, low-stress strategies to help you meet diverse student needs…without …
…
continue reading

1
170. Differentiating for Lower Achieving Students (Without Lowering the Bar)
28:21
28:21
נגן מאוחר יותר
נגן מאוחר יותר
רשימות
לייק
אהבתי
28:21Struggling to support lower-achieving students without lowering the bar? In this episode, I share nine practical strategies for using scaffolding and intentional support to help all students reach their full potential. These tips aren’t about making things easier but about making learning more accessible and meaningful. By making small, intentional…
…
continue reading

1
169. Differentiating for Higher Achieving Students (That Isn’t Just Extra Work)
23:25
23:25
נגן מאוחר יותר
נגן מאוחר יותר
רשימות
לייק
אהבתי
23:25In last week’s episode, I talked through practical ways to meet your students’ diverse needs without burning out. When it comes to planning, It’s common to put the majority of your energy into on-grade level classes or students who are struggling. But I know you want to serve your high achieving students just as well! In the second episode of our d…
…
continue reading

1
168. Differentiation in Your Science Classroom - Simple Tips to Decrease Overwhelm
24:43
24:43
נגן מאוחר יותר
נגן מאוחר יותר
רשימות
לייק
אהבתי
24:43Differentiation in your science classroom doesn’t have to feel overwhelming! In this episode, I share practical strategies to meet your students’ diverse needs without burning out. By shifting your mindset and focusing on sustainable practices, you can create an inclusive environment that supports all learners, from struggling students to high achi…
…
continue reading

1
167. Teacher Mental Health With Guest Dr. Hayley Watson
42:40
42:40
נגן מאוחר יותר
נגן מאוחר יותר
רשימות
לייק
אהבתי
42:40Teaching comes with relentless demands. Stress levels are high, burnout feels all too familiar, and breaks never seem long enough! These challenges take a serious toll on mental health, making it crucial for educators to learn effective strategies to manage it. That’s where today’s guest, Dr. Hayley Watson, comes in! In this episode, Dr. Watson div…
…
continue reading

1
166. How to Use Your Students to Work Smarter Rather Than Harder
20:07
20:07
נגן מאוחר יותר
נגן מאוחר יותר
רשימות
לייק
אהבתי
20:07Teachers are always balancing a mountain of responsibilities while trying to create more time for themselves and their families. Finding the perfect work/life balance and mastering time management can feel like a never-ending challenge. But what if the key to working smarter, not harder, is already sitting in your classroom? In this episode, I’m sh…
…
continue reading

1
165. How Naming What Matters Most Can Change the Rest of Your School Year
24:20
24:20
נגן מאוחר יותר
נגן מאוחר יותר
רשימות
לייק
אהבתי
24:20If you’ve been wondering where your “new year, new you” pep talk was, well you’re getting it in this episode! I love taking the opportunity to reflect, plan, dream, and set goals all year, but especially at the start of the new year. And while I usually have a list of things you can do to start the year off on the right track, this year I’m sharing…
…
continue reading

1
164. My Top Tips for Kicking Off a New Semester
29:10
29:10
נגן מאוחר יותר
נגן מאוחר יותר
רשימות
לייק
אהבתי
29:10Happy New Year, teacher friends! Can you believe we’re kicking off the FOURTH year of this podcast? Let’s celebrate with a super practical and helpful episode. As the new semester begins, it’s the perfect opportunity to start fresh with a new group of students to make meaningful changes with the same class. In this episode, I’m sharing my top tips …
…
continue reading

1
163. What I Wish I Knew in My First Year of Teaching High School Science: 5 Simple Tips
19:58
19:58
נגן מאוחר יותר
נגן מאוחר יותר
רשימות
לייק
אהבתי
19:58As we wrap up 2024, it’s only fitting to revisit the most popular episode of the year! Both new and experienced teachers are constantly searching for ways to make their classroom routines easier and more effective. I learned so many valuable lessons during my first few years of teaching, so in today’s replay episode, I’m sharing five things I wish …
…
continue reading

1
162. 5 Essential Teacher Hacks for High School and Middle School Science Teachers
27:31
27:31
נגן מאוחר יותר
נגן מאוחר יותר
רשימות
לייק
אהבתי
27:31We all love discovering ways to simplify our lives and make managing our classrooms easier. We’re constantly on the hunt for tips, tricks, and strategies to help everything run smoothly while saving us time and energy. That’s why this episode became the second most listened-to of 2024! In this popular replay, I’m sharing my top five essential teach…
…
continue reading

1
161. Relief for the Burdened Teacher: How to Deal With Caring More Than Your Students Do
28:22
28:22
נגן מאוחר יותר
נגן מאוחר יותר
רשימות
לייק
אהבתי
28:22Teachers everywhere are feeling the weight of their students’ lack of motivation, and it’s no surprise this topic has resonated so strongly—it’s the third most-listened-to episode of 2024! The pressure to carry the burden of student success is exhausting and unsustainable, leaving many educators burned out and questioning their future in the profes…
…
continue reading

1
160. 4 Proven Tips to INSTANTLY Decrease Your Grading Time
26:06
26:06
נגן מאוחר יותר
נגן מאוחר יותר
רשימות
לייק
אהבתי
26:06We all have unique experiences, but one thing teachers all seem to share is the overwhelming challenge of grading. When I talked about ways to cut your grading time in half on the podcast earlier this year, it was clear that it was a hot topic, so let’s dive into it again! In today’s replay episode, I’m sharing the number four most listened-to epis…
…
continue reading

1
159. My TOP TIPS for Helping Students Learn and Retain DENSE Topics in Your Science Classes
28:33
28:33
נגן מאוחר יותר
נגן מאוחר יותר
רשימות
לייק
אהבתי
28:33It’s crazy to think that we’re nearing the end of 2024! We’ve covered so many topics this year, so I wanted to spend the last five weeks of the year replaying the top five most listened to episodes. I want to encourage you to take this opportunity to either reinforce the routines, systems, and strategies in these episodes or prioritize them startin…
…
continue reading

1
158. How to NOT Feel Like You Are Teaching to the Test
18:24
18:24
נגן מאוחר יותר
נגן מאוחר יותר
רשימות
לייק
אהבתי
18:24In teaching, there are a lot of balancing acts, but none come close to preparing your students for success while NOT teaching to the test. I hear from many of you that struggle with this, and honestly I did as well while I was teaching, but I have since adopted a few philosophies that will help minimize the pressure you feel and start prioritizing …
…
continue reading

1
157. Serving ELLs With AI and MORE With Guest Alyse of Keystone Science
1:03:15
1:03:15
נגן מאוחר יותר
נגן מאוחר יותר
רשימות
לייק
אהבתי
1:03:15I don’t know about you, but I love growing and learning, especially when it has anything to do with teaching science. This is exactly what happened when I interviewed Alyse of Keystone Science. Throughout our entire conversation, we discussed a wide range of topics that will help students have success in a secondary science classroom, particularly …
…
continue reading

1
156. What to Do When You Are Micromanaged by Your Admin or District
21:55
21:55
נגן מאוחר יותר
נגן מאוחר יותר
רשימות
לייק
אהבתי
21:55Let’s talk about something that is all too familiar for teachers: navigating micromanagement from school administrators or districts. I’ve encountered my fair share of overbearing directives, from mandated curricula to unreasonable data tracking, and I know you have too. I’ve heard from many of you about the struggles you face with being micromanag…
…
continue reading

1
155. How to Create Active and Accountable Learners in Your Secondary Science Classroom
34:29
34:29
נגן מאוחר יותר
נגן מאוחר יותר
רשימות
לייק
אהבתי
34:29Over the past several years, one of the biggest complaints I’ve heard from teachers is the student apathy that exists in post-pandemic students. I’ve addressed this topic on the podcast before by the ways of classroom management and building resilience in students. And while those are important to tackling the problem, I want to share a new approac…
…
continue reading

1
154. AI and Chat GPT With Guest Mitch Wieland
34:49
34:49
נגן מאוחר יותר
נגן מאוחר יותר
רשימות
לייק
אהבתי
34:49If you’ve been around long enough, you know just how quickly technology changes and advances. But one of the most resourceful and useful technology tools out there is AI. AI, or Artificial Intelligence, is quickly becoming how our world plans vacations, assists us with our work demands, and even plans lessons and activities for our students. And wh…
…
continue reading

1
153. How to Make Boring Topics More Engaging
26:47
26:47
נגן מאוחר יותר
נגן מאוחר יותר
רשימות
לייק
אהבתי
26:47Even though you may love the science discipline you teach, that doesn’t mean that you’re excited to teach every topic, let alone your students enjoying everything you teach. Unfortunately, there are certain topics that are considered boring but still need to be taught! Knowing the topics that are deemed boring for you, how can you turn those around…
…
continue reading

1
152. Absences - How to Deal With Them
34:58
34:58
נגן מאוחר יותר
נגן מאוחר יותר
רשימות
לייק
אהבתי
34:58There are many elements of teaching that are unpredictable and out of your control, which can make it difficult to handle or prepare for. One of those things are student absences. Let’s be honest, it’s a miracle when all of your students are in class on the same day! So, you need to prepare and determine how you’re going to deal with the absences o…
…
continue reading

1
151. Ask Me Anything! Part 2: Differentiated Instruction, Difficult Conversations, Work/Life Balance, and More!
43:58
43:58
נגן מאוחר יותר
נגן מאוחר יותר
רשימות
לייק
אהבתי
43:58I love celebrating podcast milestones with my listeners so much that I couldn’t celebrate with just one episode! Last week, I hit 150 episodes and decided to answer questions sent to me from listeners. Although I covered a variety of different topics, I received so many questions that I needed to do another episode to answer them all. So, in part 2…
…
continue reading

1
150. Ask Me Anything! Part 1: Difficult Coworkers, Engaging Labs, Classroom Management Strategies, and More!
41:40
41:40
נגן מאוחר יותר
נגן מאוחר יותר
רשימות
לייק
אהבתי
41:40Wow, y’all, I can’t believe I’m at episode 150! I’m always amazed at all we cover on the podcast, so I like to celebrate every 50 episodes with a “Dear Abby” style episode. Since I started this podcast to reach and support more teachers, I want to make sure I’m giving y’all exactly what you need to succeed. So, in today’s episode, I’m answering all…
…
continue reading

1
149. Teaching on a Block Schedule - Why It’s Not as Bad as You Think
16:54
16:54
נגן מאוחר יותר
נגן מאוחר יותר
רשימות
לייק
אהבתי
16:54Over the last few weeks, I’ve been discussing how to cover all of your content in so little time. And while every teacher feels like they’re limited on time, if you teach on a block schedule, you actually have the least amount of instructional time in a school year. If you’re someone who teaches on a block schedule, you’re probably thinking about w…
…
continue reading

1
148. When You Have Too Much to Do and Too Little Time
15:56
15:56
נגן מאוחר יותר
נגן מאוחר יותר
רשימות
לייק
אהבתי
15:56I know it's early in the school year, but at some point this year, you're going to ask yourself, "How am I going to get through all of this content before the end of the year?" And if I'm being completely honest, you're probably not. While that might seem harsh or pessimistic, that's unfortunately the reality. I'd love to be able to give you practi…
…
continue reading

1
147. Content Coverage - How to Get Through All of the Standards
25:49
25:49
נגן מאוחר יותר
נגן מאוחר יותר
רשימות
לייק
אהבתי
25:49I don't have to tell you all how much is on your plates and everything you have to deal with as teachers on a daily basis. You're constantly juggling student behaviors, building relationships, parent communication, feedback and professional development from your administration and district, and so much more. But with all of those, one of the things…
…
continue reading

1
146. How to Nail Your Next Observation - Planned or Unannounced
28:21
28:21
נגן מאוחר יותר
נגן מאוחר יותר
רשימות
לייק
אהבתי
28:21I remember being a new teacher and feeling nervous and panicked every time an administrator came into my room for an observation, either formal or informal. I had a pit in my stomach and wondered if I was doing what they wanted or anything right. However, as time went on, I got used to observations and actually welcomed the opportunity to have othe…
…
continue reading

1
145. How to Build Resilience in Students Post-Pandemic
26:43
26:43
נגן מאוחר יותר
נגן מאוחר יותר
רשימות
לייק
אהבתי
26:43I always tailor my podcast episodes towards topics that I know my listeners need, ask for, and would find helpful in a secondary science classroom. Today’s topic is one I know will resonate with y’all, which is seeing a lack of resilience in your students. Teachers are constantly struggling with this issue, so I’ve worked to find solutions and come…
…
continue reading

1
144. 4 Ways Having “No Rules” Has Changed My Life (And Could Change Your School Year)
23:44
23:44
נגן מאוחר יותר
נגן מאוחר יותר
רשימות
לייק
אהבתי
23:44In the past, I’ve always chosen a word of the year to help guide what I want for myself, my family, and my career in the upcoming year. However, this year, I chose a mental mindset for the year, which was “no rules.” I was so used to finding efficient ways to run my business and classroom when I was in it that I wanted to make a change and make dec…
…
continue reading

1
143. My Top 5 Favorite Teacher Hacks for the New School Year
26:34
26:34
נגן מאוחר יותר
נגן מאוחר יותר
רשימות
לייק
אהבתי
26:34Whether you’ve been in school mode for a while or are still enjoying your summer, I always try to spend August helping teachers prepare for the upcoming school year. We all know how stressful and demanding the year can be, so I wanted to really be intentional about finding ways that were super helpful and simplify your life as a secondary science t…
…
continue reading

1
142. Reflections From a First-Year AP Teacher With Guest Laura Tice
48:19
48:19
נגן מאוחר יותר
נגן מאוחר יותר
רשימות
לייק
אהבתי
48:19I’ve talked many times about my experience teaching AP science courses before, and I even did an entire series talking to teachers who teach various AP science disciplines, so y’all know how challenging it can be. However, think about if you’re still a beginning teacher and being thrown into teaching an AP course. That’s what happened to my guest o…
…
continue reading

1
141. First Day of School Tips + What I Cover in My First Units of the Year
33:28
33:28
נגן מאוחר יותר
נגן מאוחר יותר
רשימות
לייק
אהבתי
33:28It’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…
…
continue reading

1
140. 5 Tips for Teaching Chemistry
28:43
28:43
נגן מאוחר יותר
נגן מאוחר יותר
רשימות
לייק
אהבתי
28:43With the school year quickly approaching, many teachers are getting their jobs and starting to figure out what science courses they’ll be teaching. And if you see chemistry on your course list, you might be hitting the freak-out button! Especially as a new teacher, chemistry can be intimidating to teach, but it also gives a lot of fun and freedom t…
…
continue reading

1
139. Sunday Scaries - How I Use Friday Planning to Prevent Them
17:52
17:52
נגן מאוחר יותר
נגן מאוחר יותר
רשימות
לייק
אהבתי
17:52These days, I'm all about doing things now that serve my future self. In last week's episode, I shared five principles I do in my business that serve my future self and how they can translate to the classroom. However, since those principles might serve you next month, quarter, or even school year, I wanted to share an immediate benefit for your fu…
…
continue reading

1
138. Serving Future You - How to Work Smarter, Not Harder
29:56
29:56
נגן מאוחר יותר
נגן מאוחר יותר
רשימות
לייק
אהבתי
29:56I frequently think about how much the principles I've learned from running a business (and parenting) have changed my perspective on teaching. This got me thinking about what I would implement based on what I know now if I ever return to the classroom. And whenever I realize something useful and helpful, I want to share it with y'all! So, in today'…
…
continue reading

1
137. Work/Life Balance as a Mom and AP Teacher With Guest Kimberly Leary
45:10
45:10
נגן מאוחר יותר
נגן מאוחר יותר
רשימות
לייק
אהבתי
45:10As teachers, we know how hard it is to manage and balance our work and personal lives. But when you add being a new mom and an AP teacher to the mix, it makes that even harder. We’re always looking for tips and secrets to find that balance. My guest on today’s episode, Kimberly Leary, just might have figured it out! In today’s episode, Kimberly is …
…
continue reading

1
136. Building a Team Mindset Into Your Classroom Culture
21:34
21:34
נגן מאוחר יותר
נגן מאוחר יותר
רשימות
לייק
אהבתי
21:34When I was a classroom teacher without any kids, I had no idea of the correlation or commonality that being a parent and a teacher would have. Now, being a parent, I would do some things differently and have a different lens on, which is why I’ve loved doing this series on things I’ve learned from parenting that can apply to teaching. In this episo…
…
continue reading

1
135. Using Anticipatory Conversations to Diffuse Classroom Chaos
25:40
25:40
נגן מאוחר יותר
נגן מאוחר יותר
רשימות
לייק
אהבתי
25:40If you’ve been listening each week, you know that this month, I’ve been doing a special series where I’ve reflected on things I’ve done and learned as a parent and how they can transfer to the classroom. I’ve been surprised by how much is transferable and have loved hearing your responses to these ideas as well. Today’s topic is something I’ve talk…
…
continue reading

1
134. Prioritizing Relationships Over Being Right
18:59
18:59
נגן מאוחר יותר
נגן מאוחר יותר
רשימות
לייק
אהבתי
18:59As you all know, my outlook and perspective on life are usually black and white. Especially when it came to teaching, I gave clear rules and procedures that needed to be followed in my classroom. However, when I became a parent to three children, my perspective started to shift and change. This got me thinking about how what I’ve learned through pa…
…
continue reading

1
133. Using Refrains When Teaching
30:39
30:39
נגן מאוחר יותר
נגן מאוחר יותר
רשימות
לייק
אהבתי
30:39If you openly ask your students, What’s something I say often? You might be surprised by their answers or know exactly what they’d say. I know when I was in the classroom, there were certain phrases that I was known for saying and that I repeated to emphasize certain behaviors or life skills I wanted my students to learn. Now as a parent, I’m doing…
…
continue reading

1
132. End-of-Year Personal Reflection - 6 Questions to Ask Yourself
16:25
16:25
נגן מאוחר יותר
נגן מאוחר יותר
רשימות
לייק
אהבתי
16:25I love taking the time to reflect both professionally and personally because it helps me grow as a teacher and as a person. So when I was in the classroom, I made it a habit to spend some time at the end of the school year to reflect on how the year went. In last week’s episode, I had you reflect on your instructional resources in order to help pre…
…
continue reading
With the end of the school year quickly approaching, your mind is on summer, relaxing, and taking a break from school. The last thing you probably want to do is start thinking about next school year. However, that’s exactly what I want you to do! While everything is still fresh in your mind, it’s important to take the time to reflect on the year an…
…
continue reading

1
130. First Year Teaching? 5 Things I Wish I Had Known
20:43
20:43
נגן מאוחר יותר
נגן מאוחר יותר
רשימות
לייק
אהבתי
20:43Something that I remember so vividly is my first year teaching. I was bright-eyed, bushy-tailed, and couldn’t wait to have my own classroom and make it my own. I had wanted this for so long that I was ready to jump in and do all that I could to be the best teacher I could be. And while that sounds like the right thing, it actually made me tired, st…
…
continue reading

1
129. 4 Things I Learned From Other Teachers That Changed How I Teach
24:19
24:19
נגן מאוחר יותר
נגן מאוחר יותר
רשימות
לייק
אהבתי
24:19As a former secondary science teacher, I know how hard y’all work and plan to create meaningful lessons and activities for your students and are always striving to do what’s best for them. That’s why whenever Teacher Appreciation Week rolls around, I want to take time to say thank you and appreciate the teachers in my life, which includes you! To h…
…
continue reading

1
128. Admin Appreciation - The Best Ways My Admin Ever Supported Me
24:18
24:18
נגן מאוחר יותר
נגן מאוחר יותר
רשימות
לייק
אהבתי
24:18A group of people who are educators who don’t always get a lot of credit but also put in a lot of work are administrators. And with National Administration Appreciation Day a few days ago, I wanted to take some time to give some praise and kudos to those administrators who are trustworthy, support teachers, and care about the students in their scho…
…
continue reading

1
127. Teaching AP Chemistry With Guest Zach Matson
1:27:34
1:27:34
נגן מאוחר יותר
נגן מאוחר יותר
רשימות
לייק
אהבתי
1:27:34We’ve made it to our final episode in our AP science teacher interview series, and I’ve saved the best for last! When I sent out a survey several months ago, y’all requested to have him make another guest appearance, so here he is, Zach Matson! Teaching AP Chemistry for several decades, he has gained so much experience, knowledge, and tips that are…
…
continue reading

1
126. Teaching AP Environmental Science With Guest Ashton Allgood
45:51
45:51
נגן מאוחר יותר
נגן מאוחר יותר
רשימות
לייק
אהבתי
45:51I’ve had so much fun and really enjoyed listening to my guest science teachers during my AP science teacher interview series. Each guest has given incredible insight about the AP exam and helpful tips for other teachers in their respective science disciplines. But out of all the AP science courses, I received the most questions about teaching AP En…
…
continue reading

1
125. Teaching AP Biology With Guest Beth Hines
1:02:34
1:02:34
נגן מאוחר יותר
נגן מאוחר יותר
רשימות
לייק
אהבתי
1:02:34As we move forward with focusing on the different AP science classes, this week, we’re focusing on AP Biology. This class comes with a lot of content, material, reading, and prior background knowledge to help students succeed and prepare for the end-of-year AP exam. I’m so lucky to have guest Beth Hines be the expert on this class since she is a ve…
…
continue reading

1
124. Teaching AP Physics With Guest Laura Preiser
54:45
54:45
נגן מאוחר יותר
נגן מאוחר יותר
רשימות
לייק
אהבתי
54:45It’s the beginning of April, and with the spring air around us, it reminds me of something fresh and new, so I decided to start a new series about teaching different AP sciences. Even though in my podcast episodes, I share ideas and strategies that will benefit all classes, I get a lot of questions targeted specifically toward teaching an AP class.…
…
continue reading