I like to spend a bit of time reviewing matter, forces, and energy before I get started on Earth Science content because i feel like it provides the foundation needed to really understand Earth Science. Matter, forces, and energy is really the foundational building blocks that are used to understand some of the Earth Science phenomena we experience on Earth.

How I Start Off With Matter

I love using short videos in class. I incorporate videos in almost each class period because sometimes hearing me explain something and then seeing someone else explain the same concept with different visuals is exactly what my students need.

Here’s the first video I show.

After the video, we talk through my Intro to Matter slides. I read these to students one at a time while they’re working through guided notes. I have them keep these notes in their science binder so they can refer back to them later. I’m not sure about you, but we have midterms, and students ALWAYS forget the material we started learning back in the beginning of the year.

Of course, you can make your own slides for this, but I use my Introduction to Matter Slides. They cover matter, pure substances and mixtures, states of matter, changes of state, and mass versus weight.

I love these guided notes because they are super easy to fill in. At this age, I prefer this over asking students to copy every single word from a slide. It’s impossible to keep moving through the lesson without me hearing them ask for more time or tell me they’re not done yet.

Matter Continues…

We’re kicking off this day with these videos. The way our curriculum is structured, this information should be a review for the students. In addition, they go more in-depth with this information in chemistry.

As a big Disney fan, I LOVE the title of this video.

After the videos, students complete worksheets to understand matter. This worksheet is a 3-page no prep activity that allows students to actually review what they’ve learned in the last few days.

It’s the perfect homework or independent classwork activity to see where your students are in their understanding of the concept.

The Force Is With Us

My intro to this day starts with 3 short videos.

This first video is about the two different types of forces. One thing to know before showing it is that the video uses the term non-contact forces. Our textbook calls these field forces. They’re referring to forces that act without direct contact, so I point out the vocabulary difference before we move on.

Next, we watch contact forces, which focus on the various examples of contact forces.

I end the videos with a similar video to the contact forces, but this time showing non-contact force (field force) examples.

I like separating these because we’re about to do the contact versus field force whiteboard game. Students have already seen examples of each before I start calling out scenarios.

After these videos, we complete our forces and matter doodle notes.

As an incentive to make their notes pretty and neat, I give the students an extra point for coloring the doodle notes. The notes are kept in their binder to help them study.

A Group Game

Next, I bring out the whiteboards.

Students work with a partner or small group. I call out an example, say, “Ready, set, go!” and they race to write whether it shows a contact force or a field force/non-contact force. I use these individual whiteboards so I can give them to each partner

Here are the examples I use:

• Drop a ball: Answer is field force. Gravity pulls the ball toward Earth without touching it.
• Push a book across a desk: Answer is Contact force. Your hand touches the book to move it.
• Slide a book and let it stop: Answer is Contact force. The book and desk touch, creating friction.
• Bring two magnets close together: Answer is Field force. The magnets can attract without touching.
• Turn the magnets so they push apart: Answer is Field force. The magnets repel without touching.
• Stretch a rubber band: Answer is Contact force. You have to touch and pull the rubber band.
• Push a toy car: Answer is Contact force. Your hand touches the car to make it move.
• Pull an object with a string: Answer is Contact force. The string touches and pulls the object.
• Rub a balloon on your hair and hold it near paper: Answer is Field force. The charged balloon can attract the paper without touching it.
• Drop a pencil: Answer is Field force. Gravity pulls the pencil toward Earth without touching it.

Remember not to make this complicated. It should be a fun, engaging game.

I like doing this after students have already learned the definitions because it’s an informal assessment that helps me determine where the students are with learning the content.

Energy

Students first review the difference between potential and kinetic energy. This is an important concept because it helps explain Earth’s formation and some of Earth’s natural processes.

This introduces potential and kinetic energy and gives students a basic comparison between the two types of energy before we start our notes.

You can make your own presentation to discuss energy, or you can use my Introduction to Energy slides and guided notes.

The lesson covers potential and kinetic energy along with thermal, sound, electrical, magnetic, chemical, light, and nuclear energy. The resource also includes two graphic organizers. Please note that this is a very introductory lesson. I don’t need my Earth Science students doing a deep dive into every form of energy right now.

Physical Versus Chemical Change Hands-On Demo

After these two videos, we begin with our hands-on activity!

This quick hands-on activity helps students to really connect the concepts with real-world situations. When I say quick, I mean quick! This is one of those labs that doesn’t require a lot of materials, a bunch of prep, or a clean-up period.

I put the students into five groups and give each table one set of materials.

Station 1: Ice in a jar with a candle warmer
Station 2: Paper
Station 3: Effervescent tablet and water
Station 4: Milk and vinegar
Station 5: Salt and water

Station 1 turns on the candle warmer. Station 2 tears the paper. Station 3 drops the tablet into the water. Station 4 adds vinegar to milk. Station 5 adds salt to water and stirs.

I draw a simple table on the board with four columns: Station | Items | Type of Change | Evidence.

Then I go around the room one station at a time.

I ask the group: What did you do? What did you observe? Physical or chemical? What’s your evidence?

Everyone else records what happened at that station. Here’s what you can expect:

Station 1; turn on the candle warmer: physical change – state change, but the substance is the same
Station 2: rip up the paper: physical change – size/shape change, but the substance is the same
Station 3: drop the effervescent tablet in the water: chemical change – gas bubbles are evidence of a chemical change
Station 4: add the vinegar to the milk: chemical change – a new solid material forms
Station 5: add the salt into the water and stir. : physical change – salt dissolves, but remains the same substance

How do you incorporate matter into your Earth Science classes? Tell me in the comments!

This week, our theme is Thinking Like An Earth Scientist! I’ve broken this blog post down into 4 ways to start your Earth Science Class because each day I choose a different way to accomplish this theme. The second week of school for us always starts on a Tuesday after a holiday, so this structure is perfect for a four-day school week.

I want my students to understand what science is, why we study Earth Science, and get an introduction to some of the terms they’re going to hear all year.

What Is Science?

We’re kicking off the week with an independent, in-seat activity that will get the kids thinking about science in a different way.

I have the students complete this FREE What is Science Cube activity from TPT.

Students use their laptops/Chromebooks to work through the activity to complete their cubes. This actually took the students the entire class period to finish. I emphasized the importance of neatness, color, and thoughtful answers. These are major grading points for me, so this is a great opportunity for me to remind students of some of the class culture we talked about during Week 1 of Back to School.

I created a rubric to use to grade the What I Science Cube activity. Feel free to save it below to use for your classroom as well.

Overall, this is a great slow roll into our second week of school. The students have something to work on, and I can circulate and help where needed.

Why Study Earth Science?

This is my day 2! My essential question for today is “Why study Earth Science?”

I start out class with this video as an introduction.

After the video, we have a discussion about why we study Earth Science. I do this because it’s important to me that the students don’t just think everything we learn is just information to regurgitate on their test. What we’re learning in class has real uses in our everyday lives.

For this next part of the lesson, I showed students this video about Tilly Smith. And yes, I already know this video is old. Be prepared that the students will let you know as well…they are middle schoolers after all, but it’s a great video, and I promise it’s memorable. The bit about the frothy beer tends to stick with my students the most, of course.

Tilly Smith learned about tsunamis in school and later recognized warning signs of a tsunami while on vacation with her family. It’s an easy example for students to understand how we can take Earth Science outside the classroom because Tilly was obviously a student too!

After the video, we talked about how learning science can help us understand what’s happening around us and sometimes help other people.

Students will work in groups to come up 3-5 different ways science can be used in their lives to understand what’s happening around us and to help other people. The examples have to be realistic for their actual life and make sense in the real world.

Models, Hypotheses, Theories, Laws, Data

Day three is where we’re starting to get into vocabulary they’ll be seeing throughout the year. Most of this should be a good science review for them.

I start the class with this video, and while they watch, I write down the definition on the board so they have the important terms in front of them.

Theory: A well-supported explanation of how or why something happens in the natural world. Theories EXPLAIN.

Law: Describes patterns and relationships in the natural world. Laws DESCRIBE.

After the video, I give students a handout they can complete while we go over these slides, which cover models, hypotheses, scientific theories, scientific laws, and data.

I use this lesson in several of my science classes because these aren’t just Earth Science terms; students are definitely going to see these terms again.

My goal for today is for students to complete the worksheet, but if they don’t have time, I give them a few extra minutes on day 4.

Earth Science Career Exploration

This is our last day of teaching my intro to Earth Science. I end the week with a Earth Science Career Exploration.

I give the students a list of careers: Geologist, petrologist, mineralogist, seismologist, hydrologist, marine scientist, meteorologist, astronomer, engineer, climatologist, and astrobiologist.

Each student picks one that sounds interesting and spends the rest of class using their chromebooks/laptops to complete the worksheet.

You can download the worksheet for FREE here.

This is the perfect way to end the week because it gives students a practical end to the information they’ve learned all week. They can see that people use these careers in real life and make a difference in our world.

If I have extra time, I will cold call on students to share some of what they learned.

I hope you loved these ideas for your second week of teaching Earth Science to your middle school students. At this point in the year, students are still learning routines and classroom culture, and I’m still learning names and personalities, so this is a great slow roll into our content.

Whether you’re a new flexitarian or you’ve been a semi-vegetarian all your life, getting helpful flexitarian tips can make your journey even easier.

As a busy mom, maintaining a flexitarian diet makes me feel healthier, saves money, and significantly decreases my impact on the environment. I am excited to share these helpful flexitarian tips that I use every day when making meals for my family.

In this post, you will learn about easy tips to add to your flexitarian diet including how to eat more plants, and how to remain consistent while eating less meat.

After you’ve learned these flexitarian tips, you will be motivated to maintain your flexitarian meal plant and create delicious meatless meals for your family.

This post is all about crazy helpful flexitarian tips to make eating less meat way easier.

1. Embrace the different tastes of foods in your flexitarian diet

When I first began to eat less meat and eat more vegetables, I found myself chasing after the taste of meat in meatless items. Here’s the thing, nothing tastes like meat, except for meat. I’ll talk about this more in tips number four.

For this flexitarian tip, it is important to truly embrace the different tastes of food. By eating less meat you are eating more other items, hopefully, more fruits, and veggies.

Open your mind to understand that these foods taste different than meat and are still delicious. When we are used to a particular diet, alternating to a more flexible diet does require a change in our brain to recognize that we are eating differently.

2. If you’re following a flexitarian diet plan, remember not to completely deprive yourself

The beauty of a flexitarian diet is that it is just that, flexible. If you have read any of my other blog posts you’ll know that I am not an “all or nothing” person.

I believe that our lifestyles as busy moms must be flexible to help control the chaos of our lives with our little ones. Similarly, our diet should be flexible too.

While our goals can be to eat less meat, we should also not completely deprive ourselves of occasionally having meat if we desire it.

The reason why I suggest not depriving yourself completely is that it helps to maintain your flexitarian diet.

According to this article what happens is that most popular weight loss regimens trigger the body’s starvation alert, which in turn triggers hormonal changes that essentially set up a rebound reaction.

Pull back on eating meat slowly, and remind yourself that being semi-vegetarian is okay!

3. Make your meatless meals absolutely delicious!

Make your food delicious! Delicious food is incredible! Everyone regardless of their food preference is entitled to delicious food.

There is this misconception that eating more plant-based foods means salads. While I definitely encourage a salad as often as possible, it is not the only way to practice a flexitarian diet.

Experiment with different flavors, seasonings, and vegetable combinations, and stretch outside your comfort zone.

Try different cuisines – Thai, Cajan, Asian, Italian, etc. There are so many delicious meals that don’t include meat.

4. Understand Umami

There are five major types of taste: sweet, bitter, sour, salty, and meaty (umami).

As I was explaining to my husband what umami meant, he couldn’t wrap his head around the taste. Umami is like a deep, savory taste. Those of us who eat meat (even on occasion) would say it is a meaty flavor.

However, umami can be achieved without eating meat.

What I learned from a food blogger named Sweet Potato Soul, is that a lot of times when we start our meatless journey, we are still wanting an umami flavor.

That doesn’t mean we have to eat more meat, it just means we have to understand how to achieve this taste without meat.

Just like we can have something sweet without adding sugar, we can accomplish umami without meat.

Here are some ways to boost umami in your flexitarian diet:

• Dried tomatoes
• Dried mushrooms
• Miso
• Olives
• Capers
• Nutritional Yeast
• Roasted nuts/seeds
• Onions
• Garlic
• Cheese
• Eggs

If you want more info on umami, here is a great article!

5. Create a flexitarian meal plan

Meal planning is one of the single best ways my family reduces food waste and remains mindful about what we eat.

When we don’t properly mean plan, I find that we eat out more often and eat foods that don’t feel good in our bodies.

Want to see our meal planning weekly calendar?

This weekly calendar is so functional and easy to use.

Each week my husband and I choose our weekly meals and write them on the calendar so everyone can see them. This calendar is highly rated on Amazon and a great addition for busy moms to help stick to a flexitarian meal plan.

Bonus Flexitarian Tip #1: Try Hungryroot

Let a personalized grocery service handle the flexitarian planning for you. Hungryroot is a grocery delivery service that pairs groceries with quick recipes tailored to how you actually eat, so a household that wants less meat some nights and a little meat other nights doesn’t have to build the week from scratch.

You start with a short quiz on tastes, dietary goals, and who you’re feeding, then SmartCart, Hungryroot’s personalized recommendation system, learns what you love and gets smarter every week. If you’re leaning into more plants, you can nudge deliveries toward Vegetarian, High Protein, or Gut-Friendly picks, swap anything you don’t want, and set a weekly budget the service sticks to. Skip a week, pause, or cancel anytime, so the plan bends around your family instead of asking your family to bend around a menu.

6. Be influenced by vegetarian/vegan food bloggers

Birds of a feather flock together, right? If you’re looking for helpful flexitarian tips and ways to continue eating less meat, follow other people with similar lifestyles.

Whether they are bloggers, influencers, or YouTubers, allow yourself to be inspired with delicious meal options.

Learning new recipes and watching others as they try and explore new foods helps ease the transition into eating less meat. Allow yourself to be inspired and influenced by these meals.

Here are a few of my favorite accounts:

The Chic Natural

Ellen Fisher

Sweet Potato Soul

7. Consider the flexitarian diet pros and cons

By considering the flexitarian diet pros and cons, you are able to understand how best to incorporate eating less meat into your diet.

Here are some flexitarian diet pros:

• It’s healthier! Flexitarian diets lower the risk of diabetes and heart disease.
• For adults, flexitarian diets help with weight loss
• For children and adults, flexitarian diets increase fruits and vegetables in the diet
• Save money (because meat is expensive!)
• Flexible! It’s not all or nothing.

Here are some flexitarian diet cons:

• Unfamiliar for heavy meat eaters
• Requires research for more vegetarian/vegan recipes
• Must be mindful to include nutritious foods into diet, not just carbohydrates (potatoes and pasta)

8. Environmental impact

Did you know that eating meat has a significant impact on the environment?

The reason why eating less meat is better for the environment is because animal products take up an enormous amount of space and produce greenhouse gases which are ultimately contributing to our human-induced climate change.

If you’ve ever considered how your actions impact the environment, eating less meat with a flexitarian diet plan is incredibly effective.

In fact, eating a vegan diet could be the “single biggest way” to reduce your environmental impact on the earth, a new study suggests (source).

9. Research food menus before you eat out

It is easy to fall into old habits when we’re in unfamiliar places. At home, we have more control over our menu and what we have in the fridge.

When we’re out at restaurants, it is easy to get intimidated by the menu and choose traditional meals over plant-based alternatives.

My best flexitarian tip for restaurant eating is to research the food menu before you eat out. When you arrive at the restaurant you should already have a good idea of what you are going to order.

If you don’t have the opportunity to look at the menu beforehand, ask the wait staff about their vegetarian options.

If I don’t like the vegetarian options, I chose an item off the regular menu and ask if they could make that item with no meat. Seriously, up until Taco Bell came up with vegetarian options for tacos I would order tacos with no meat.

10. Rethink your plate

In our society, we are used to building our plates with meat as the star of the dish and having items on the side. With a flexitarian diet, you’ll need to rethink your plate.

Instead of thinking of meat as the star of the dish, consider how you can fill your plate with vegetables and elevate your dish with starches and carbs.

11. Understand your protein options

You and your family will absolutely get enough protein, even when you’re eating less meat. A flexitarian tip to help eating less meat easier is to understand your protein options.

Here are sources of protein for vegetarians:

• Yogurt
• Hemp seeds
• Chia seeds
• Beans
• Edamame
• Nuts/seeds
• Nut butters
• Eggs
• Hummus
• Lentils
• Tofu/temph
• Protein shake

Bonus Flexitarian Tip #2: Flexitarian Diet Food List

Download this Flexitarian Diet Food List to help eat less meat easier! This is a week of breakfast, lunch, and dinner ideas that your family will love!

I hope these flexitarian tips were helpful!

Other Posts You’ll Love:

• 11 Crazy Helpful Flexitarian Tips To Make Eating Less Meat Way Easier
• What is a flexitarian? Discovering 5 benefits of eating less meat
• 50 Healthy, Gluten-Free Snack Ideas the Whole Family Will Love

Like a lot of new teachers, I could plan engaging back to school activities, but I struggled with what came next. How was I going to transition from icebreakers and classroom expectations into actual science content without losing students’ interest? How could I introduce concepts that feel meaningful without overwhelming them during the first few weeks of school?

One of the goals I set for myself during that first year probably seems overly simplistic and shallow, but it was simple and worked well as a guiding light all school year. My goal was to minimize the deer-in-the-headlights look whenever I started teaching. I wanted genuine interest and a desire to learn. If I were lucky, I wanted to see some excitement too!

Over time, I developed a flow that helped students ease into physical science while still making space for curiosity and building respect for the subject. Here’s exactly how I introduce physical science to my high school students.

Related: What I Do the First Week of School Middle and High School Science New Teacher (Ideas that Aren’t Boring!)

Day 1: “What Is Science?” and Why It Matters

On the first day of the unit, I challenge students to think about a simple question: What is science?

When I introduce physical science to my students, I want them to be able to define science, but more importantly, I want them to understand why science matters in their lives. We discuss why people study science and how scientific discoveries impact the world around us.

The three major reasons we learn science are that humans are naturally curious, we want to understand the world around us, and we can use scientific knowledge to help people and solve problems.

Many students enter physical science convinced it isn’t their favorite subject. Before we dive into content, I want them to see the value of what they’re about to learn.

I’ve found that by the end of the year, my students are often saying things like “I’ve never been good at science, but I liked this class,” or “This is the best I’ve ever done in science,” and “I was talking to my dad about what we learned this weekend.”

Those comments light me up inside because they remind me why I love what I do! To be honest, though, these kinds of comments didn’t just happen by accident. I believe they came about because we established the importance of science from the very beginning.

If you’d like a ready-to-use PowerPoint that covers these concepts and includes an activity about science careers, you can find that resource on TPT.

Day 1 Assignment: Introduce Scientific Fields with a Choice Board Activity

To end Day 1, I have my students complete a career exploration choice board.

Students select a scientific field from a provided list and then choose one task from a menu of options. Their response should be 10–15 well-written sentences that demonstrate understanding of the field they selected.

I also encourage students to include at least two sources they used during their research. This is optional, but it holds them accountable and decreases the amount of cheating.

They tend to truly enjoy this activity because they’re learning about real-world careers and discovering how science connects to potential future jobs. Because the assignment is personalized, they tend to be more engaged than they would be with a traditional worksheet.

I typically assign any unfinished work as homework, and students rarely complain because the activity feels relevant and interesting.

Day 2: Models, Laws, and Theories Before the Scientific Method

On Day 2, we begin discussing how scientists explain and understand the world. I use my PowerPoint to teach students about the three types of models we use in science: physical models, conceptual models, and mathematical models. 

We also discuss the difference between scientific laws and scientific theories, which is a distinction many students have never considered before.

To check understanding, students complete a Scientific Theories, Laws, and Models Check Your Understanding activity before we move on. 

You can download this matching activity here.

Understandably, students often have misconceptions about theories and laws. Addressing those misconceptions early helps build confidence before introducing more complex scientific concepts later in the year. I try to use examples they’ll see throughout the year to make it relevant for them.

Day 2 Assignment: Concept Review Activity

After the lesson and the check for understanding, students complete a concept review activity that reviews what we’ve learned these last few days. If you don’t want to download my concept review activity, you can also have the students simply answer the questions in the review section of the chapter. The idea here is both practice and an informal assessment of what they’ve learned so far.

The concept review allows students to revisit key concepts independently before we move into the scientific method. As with most of my assignments, anything not completed in class becomes homework. In addition, it helps the students start developing the habit of using their notes to study and find answers. When I’m checking answers to these worksheets, I’m looking for the exact answers from my slides and their notes. This helps me know the students are actually doing the work and not just coping and pasting answers from the internet.

I’ve found that easing into physical science and focusing on the “why” before the content makes a huge difference throughout the rest of the school year.

Instead of immediately jumping into vocabulary, formulas, or the scientific method, students first develop an appreciation for what science is and why it matters. Once that foundation is established, the transition into more challenging content becomes much smoother.

If you’re a new physical science teacher or looking for some fresh ideas to start the new year, I hope this sequence gives you some ideas for introducing physical science without overwhelming your students.

Try these blogs next!

• What I Do the First Week of School Middle and High School Science New Teacher (Ideas that Aren’t Boring!)
• Back to School Organization Ideas
• I Pulled Off A Schoolwide STEM Day! Here’s What Happened and How You Can Do It Too
• 12 Best Eye-Opening Environmental Movies For Students to Inspire on Earth Day (with FREE discussion questions!)

These are the exact resources I mentioned in this blog post about how I introduce Physical Science to my students.

Everyone talks about the benefits of going screen free, but you hardly see any practical ideas about how to implement this idea. I find this especially true in the summertime when the kids are homeschooling less, and we find ourselves in less of a routine and more of a rhythm.

It’s so easy for one episode to turn into three or four, or for 30 minutes of iPad time to turn into two hours!

We’re not letting that happen this summer, though. This summer, we are going to focus on intentional parenting and some screen free summer activities.

Here are my best ideas for activities to keep your kids engaged and enjoying the summer without constantly being bored, behind a screen, or that mom burnout feeling.

Ice Excavation

Sink or Float Experiment

Lemonade Stand

We got this idea from the Blipee episode here!

Chalk Math Hopscotch (Outdoor)

DIY Bird Feeder

Pretend Restaurant

Baking Soda Volcano Science

Build With Cardboard

Nature Treasure Hunt

Planting Seeds in Milk Cartons

Recycling Crayons

Rock Walk and Sort

DIY Candles

Create Costumes and Have a Superhero Day

Smores Outside

Create a Summer Memory Book

Find the Icecream Truck

Make Homemade Playdoh

Make a Solar Oven

Looking for more ideas for the summer? Check this post out: The Chaos of Summer Homeschooling Without a Schedule (And the Simple Fix That Saved Our Summer)

“This summer will be relaxed. No rigid schedule. Just fun.” And every year by about week two of summer break, everything starts to feel absolutely feral.

My two kids are bored or bickering, the house is messy because we’re home all day, and someone is asking for a snack every 12 minutes. I feel like I’m spiraling.

The days start to blur into a random mix of activities, too much TV/iPad time, and me wondering how it is only 11:17 AM!

If you’re anything like me, at first, it feels freeing not to follow a schedule. But after a few days, I start craving structure.

If you have ever paused during these summer months and thought, “Why does this feel harder than the school year?” You are not alone!

Kids thrive when they know what to expect. And honestly, so do us moms!

Without any structure, my kids are waking up at different times, everyone is wondering what we’re doing today, our time for learning starts to evaporate, I’m choosing more screen-time than usual, and I spend my day reacting and surviving.

Instead of feeling relaxed, it starts to feel like you are managing chaos all day long.

Summer does not need a strict schedule. But it does need a rhythm.

The Summer Homeschool Structure That Helped Me

Instead of recreating a full homeschool day, I started using a simple daily flow for summer homeschool. It’s nothing complicated, but predictable enough to keep me from spiraling.

Our summer homeschool day usually looks something like this:

1. Morning outside time
2. Learning activity or project
3. Lunch
4. Quiet time or reading
5. Creative play or hands-on activity
6. Family time in the evening

Why a Summer Schedule Actually Makes Summer Feel More Relaxing

This sounds backwards, but a simple schedule actually makes summer feel more relaxed.

When kids know what to expect, they stop constantly asking for directions. When you have a loose plan, you stop scrambling for ideas all day, and when learning has a small place in the routine, you avoid the summer learning slide.

My Typical Go-To Summer Homeschool Day Looks Like

I’m a firm advocate of using the summer to start your homeschool journey. You can get in some sort of groove, before the school year starts, and understand your kids’ learning styles.

If you are not sure where to start, here is a simple structure that has worked well for us for years!

1. Morning: Outside Time

Kids wake up with energy. This is the perfect time for:

• nature walks
• backyard science
• gardening
• bike rides
• chalk drawing
• water play

Fresh air early in the day makes a huge difference.

2. Late Morning: Light Learning

Summer learning does not need to be heavy. Your goal should be about 20-30 minutes. This is the time where you are reviewing and making sure they stay up to date on what they already know. We’re not teaching new concepts at this time. Think about things like:

• reading together
• simple science experiments
• journaling
• math games
• themed unit studies

Here are some awesome workbooks we love during the summer:

The Summer Before Kindergarten

The Summer Before Second Grade

Math With Confidence

3. Afternoon: Quiet Time

This is the reset button of the day, AKA my favorite part of the day! I pour myself an afternoon coffee and try to do something other than cleaning up the house/doing laundry! Sometimes this is even our transition into our late afternoon acitivity and the kids fall asleep in the car. I’ll put on a podcast, bring my coffee with me, and relax on our drive to our next destination.

This is also a work in progress for my family. My kids do not do quiet time well. They get bored, restless, and if they start feeling sleepy, they fight it…hard. Here are a few things that we try to incorporate into quiet time. I usually pair this with lunch time too to help.

Here are some ideas we use:

• independent reading
• drawing
• puzzles
• listening to audiobooks
• journaling

Although we haven’t gotten this part down perfectly, I stress to the kids that it is everyone’s time to reset. We need to rest and give our bodies a break.

4. Late Afternoon: Creative Play

This is our big activity or playdate. Think high energy, peak activity to start the descent into the nighttime.

Some of our favoirtes are

• building forts
• crafting
• LEGO challenges
• Pinterest science experiments
• Trying new recipes

These are more hands-on learning activities.

5. Evening: Family Time

Time to start slowing down in the evening. This is my second favorite part of the day because my husband is off work and we’re all together. Here are some things we do during this time

• Family walks around the neighborhood (good for the dog and us!)
• Backyard games (swing set or those giant games like Connect 4!)
• Movie nights
• Grilling dinner outside (or smores nights!)
• Local events

These moments always create those summer memories my kids remember years later!

My Homeschool Summer Scheduling Survival Guide!

After realizing how much smoother our days were with a gentle routine, I created something for our homeschool. It quickly became one of the most helpful things I use every summer. So I turned it into a free printable to share.

This printable guide helps you create structure without making summer feel like school.

Inside the guide you will find:

• A simple daily homeschool schedule planning guide
• A blank schedule page to customize
• A screen free activity idea list for bored afternoons
• Monthly learning themes for the entire summer

It is designed to help you plan just enough structure to keep the day flowing while still leaving plenty of room for summer fun.

You can download it here

Summer homeschooling does not need to look like the school year. Summer homeschool should feel slower, more playful, and less rigid, but a tiny bit of structure can make the difference. Adding some structure to your summer homeschool schedule is the difference between me having a house full of bored kids asking for snacks every ten minutes and a summer full of learning, exploring, and peaceful afternoons.

Sometimes the secret to a relaxed summer is simply knowing what comes next.

If you are planning your homeschool year or looking for more hands-on learning ideas, you might also enjoy:

Do not forget to grab the Homeschool Summer Scheduling Survival Guide to make this summer feel a little calmer.

As a science teacher and homeschool mom, I learned that the best lessons happen when kids feel like they are discovering something instead of just memorizing vocabulary. That is exactly why I created my Forms of Water worksheets and use various activities to make sure my kids really get the concept down.

I need something simple, visual, and hands-on that helps kids truly understand what water looks like in different states.

In this post, I will show you how I teach the forms of water in a way that works for homeschool families and classrooms.

Here is my easy lesson introduction activity, lesson structure, discussion questions, and a printable activity you can use right away.

Items You’ll Need:

Before starting the lesson, you’ll need to gather a few items to help make this hands-on. It makes the lesson so much smoother if you already have these items gathered before you start going through the lesson.

• Ice cubes
• A clear glass of water
• A kettle or pot (for steam!)
• Paper and crayons (for drawing)
• Whiteboard
• Towels (for cleanup)
• I’ve included some great worksheets for you here! Forms of Water Activity Pack

These simple materials make the lesson feel like a mini science lab for young learners.

Here’s How I Introduce the Forms of Water Lesson:

Start with the idea of a water mystery to build curiosity. My kids get so excited when I build up the anticipation.

Grab your ice, water, and your tea kettle (steaming hot!)

Show the kids the ice, water, and steam, but make sure not to say what each of them are.

Then you ask the kids one question: “Are these the same thing?”

Kids almost always say no at first.

Now, you start to invite them to say why. Give them space to say those observations out loud.

Ask questions like

• What does the ice feel like
• What happens when the ice sits in the tray
• Where does the steam go

Forms of Water Lesson Plan

I first explain that water can change form depending on temperature. I show how this happens using the following examples:

Solid

I hold the ice cube and explain that cold temperatures turn water into ice.

Liquid

I pour water into a clear glass so students can see how it moves and takes the shape of the container.

Gas

I show steam rising from warm water and explain that heat turns water into a gas.

Remember to keep the language simple! Water can be a solid, liquid, or gas. It is still water in every form.

Hands-On Practice

1.) Draw

It’s time to invite the students to draw the three forms of water in their notebooks or use their forms of water activities packet.

Ask them to label ice (solid), water (liquid), and steam (gas)

2.) Act it out

I ask my kids to show me what a sold, liquid, and gas would look like. They LOVE this part.

Solid stands still like ice.
Liquid wiggles and moves like water.
Gas floats around the room like steam.

Kids love this part.

Discussion

This is the part where we’re making sure the kids actually got the information.

Here are some questions I ask my students:

• Where have you seen ice before
• When do you see steam in your house
• What happens to ice if you leave it outside
• What happens to water when it gets very cold

These conversations help students understand that the forms of water are part of everyday life.

You simplify the lesson with a ready to use printable

You can grab my printable activity here: Understanding the Forms of Water

This resource works well for

• Pre K
• Kindergarten
• First grade
• Homeschool science lessons

Inside the resource, you will find activities that help kids identify and understand the forms of water in a simple visual way.

I designed this resource because I needed something quick and clear for my own lessons.

More Forms of Water Activities Kids Will Love

If your students enjoyed this lesson, try extending the learning with a few more activities.

Ice Melt Observation

You place an ice cube on a tray and let students watch what happens over time. Ask them to describe the change.

Steam Watch

You boil water safely and let students observe steam rising. Talk about how heat changes liquid water into gas.

Freeze and Predict

You place water in the freezer and ask students to predict what will happen overnight.

These small experiments help young learners see the science in action.

You might also enjoy these related activities on the blog:

• The Best Homeschool Ideas For Teaching Living and Nonliving Things
• 20  Tips To Help Kids Play Outside More (Helpful Ideas!)
• The Best Ways To Use Shapes To Teach Kindergarten: Awesome Ideas To Know and Love

Teaching the forms of water does not need to be complicated. Kids learn best when they can see and explore the concept in real life.

That is why I love using simple demonstrations and printable activities that keep the focus on curiosity and discovery.

If you are teaching early science at home or in the classroom, this resource can make the lesson feel simple and engaging.

You are already doing something powerful by helping kids notice the science in everyday moments. Keep going. The small lessons you teach today are building lifelong curiosity.

The idea of schoolwide STEM Day was sparked by my previous profession as an education and outreach professional who participated in hundreds of STEM Days. As a teacher, I knew that I wanted to find a way to bring real STEM professionals to the school to show students that what they’re learning in class can really translate into the real world. What’s more, choosing local professionals helped the students learn about STEM events and opportunities happening in their own community.

Last month, my school hosted our first schoolwide STEM day, which was both memorable and rewarding for the students. Instead of stations being run by teachers or student leaders, I invited community STEM vendors to partner with us!

Every student group met with our vendors for about 5 minutes, then rotated. They were able to connect with real professionals in a high-impact, fun way.

In this post, I’m breaking down exactly how I planned the schoolwide STEM Day, how I ran the day, and the lessons learned so your school can do it too! Also, even if you’re not in a formal school setting, I’ve attending these with a homeschool coop, and it still works well!

Why I chose a Vendor STEM Day

I chose a vendor STEM day because I wanted students to hear real voices from STEM fields. I didn’t just want them to learn what STEM stood for, I wanted to see it happening in the realworld. Our school is pre-k through 12th grade, so it was important that our STEM Day was highly engaging and varied for multiple age groups. I didn’t want the kids waiting in long lines or being bored, so we structured the day to be broken into short, five minute rotations to keep everyone’s energy high.

As a teacher, I also looked at this event from my perspective. Although we always love to have opportunities for our students, we don’t necessarily want extra work in order to participate. I made sure that this was a guiding principle while I was planning the schoolwide STEM Day.

I asked for permission to plan this event from my admin about 14-20 weeks before I planned to have the actual schoolwide STEM Day. My administration allowed me to lead the planning and run the event with periodic update meetings throughout the planning process.

Choosing Vendors

In full transparency, I have been in the STEM field in my community for over 10 so I already had a lot of built-in contacts. However, I wanted to make sure I had a wide-range of vendors to peak various student interests.

First, research! This is your brainstorming stage.

When you’re looking for vendors, make a list of all the vendors you want to invite. Check their website, social media, and if possible, fill out their vendor request form. For each potential vendor, write their name, contact number, contact email, and the contact person’s name.

For your first schoolwide STEM Day, double the number of vendors you want to attend. My goal for this schoolwide STEM day was 10 vendors. I reached out to 20 vendors and received confirmation from 11 vendors.

What To Say To Vendors

My first form of contact for each of the vendors was email. This was easiest for me to reach out to a large number of people at one time. Later, some vendors set up a phone call with me to brainstorm and talk about details, but initially, I reached out via e-mail.

At this stage, I didn’t have a lot of details to send about the event. My goal here was to make sure interested vendors saved the date and reserved their calendar to attend. At this stage, you still have time to plan the details.

Suggested Timeline: Send an email request for vendors 8-10 weeks before the event. Here is my sample e-mail.

Subject: STEM Day Invitation + Date

Hello!

My name is [Teach Go Green] and I am a ]middle and high school science teacher] at [insert school]. Our [school/co op] is excited to expand STEM opporuntities for our students in order to deepend their undersanding of how science, technology, energineering, and mathmateics connect to the real world. We are especially intersted in helping students learn STEM career paths in our local community. On [insert date], we are our hosting our first STEM Day and would love for you to host a table.

Our students are [insert adjectives: curious, engaged] and always excited about new opportunties like this! STEM Day will be a schoolwide event designed to reach [grades] in hands-on STEM experiences with organiations like you!

Please SAVE THE DATE for [school name] STEM Day on [date] and [time].

An exact schedule and number of students, along with more details will be forthcoming as the event gets closer. Snacks will be served during a “vendor break” as well as a catered lunch provided at the end of the event.

Please RSVP no later than COB [date]. Suggestion: 4-5 weeks before event date.

We hope you can join us on [date]!

Let me know if you have any questions or concerns.

Planning the Details of the Schoolwide STEM Day

This is the meat and potatoes of the event. In my opinion, this is my favorite part because I love details. For me, the more details, the better.

I planned out the day based on my goal number of vendors I wanted to attend the event. Once I received confirmations from the vendors, I was able to make mild adjustments according to my actual numbers.

1. I divided our students by grade level.
2. I assigned each group a starting vendor station
3. Timed out each rotation for 5 minutes.

Here is what my rotation system looked like:

Communication with Vendors, Staff, and Students

Communication is so important!

Throughout this process, I kept an active Google Document with my admin so they could see any updates in real time. This helped keep them informed if they needed additional information. I also set up a meeting with the admin once a month to give updates and ask any logistical questions I had at the time

For teachers, we sent out a flyer with all the information teachers needed to know, including times and location. They were also made aware of their roles and student expectations.

Communication with Vendors

For vendors, I sent out an email with the schedule, objectives, and answers to questions they may have had.

Email to vendors one month before – please customize for your event specifics.

Subject: [school/coop name] STEM DAY DETAILS: [date of event]

Hello, and thank you so much for signing up for our STEM Day!

We are incredibly excited to have you visit next month. Below you will find additional information for the day. Please feel free to reach out to me if you have any questions or need further information.

Event Details: On [date], students will enter by grade level starting at [time] and rotate every 5 minutes to a different table. Students will have a bingo card to get stamped, marking that they have visited your table. During your 5 minutes with each group, please provide a hands-on engagement activity related to STEM and your organization. There will be a short break between elementary students (Pre-K – 5th) and middle/high school students (6th – 12th), where we will provide snacks and give you time to reset.  We have chairs for everyone, but please bring your own table*. If you do not have a table, let me know. 

Address: [insert address here]

Set Up Time: *insert time here. We allowed set up 1 hour before the event

Catered lunch served at: *insert time here. We opted for a catered lunch as a thank you to our vendors. This, of course, is optional.

Additional notes: [include event specifics and day of contact name and phone number]

Roles for Vendors, Staff, and Students

Vendor Roles

Ensure vendors know to bring hands-on activities. I told the vendors our students love activities that are messy, uses technology, is a competition or game, and anything helps them think of everyday items in a new way. Make sure to find out if your vendors need electricity or access to water, and whether they need a table and chairs or if they will bring their own. Vendors received a “stamp“/dot marker to mark the sheet of each of the students who came to their table to count as attendance for the student. I left a welcome sheet and a schedule of the day on each table.

Staff Roles

I created signs for staff to keep their students together in groups. The teachers were responsible for making sure the students were broken up into groups before they came to the gym for the schoolwide STEM day.

Student Roles

The students received a STEM bingo card. They were required to have each vendor stamp their name on the bingo card. On the back of the bingo card are reflection questions that their teacher can use with them in class after the event.

Lessons learned

Now that our first schoolwide STEM Day is done, I will incorporate an FAQ. This will help answer questions before they’re asked outloud. I will also add some sample questions for the students to ask the vendors. This will help the students stay engaged while at each of the vendor tables. I will also do a morning huddle with the vendors and staff before the event to make sure everyone knows how the day is going to go.

Integrating real STEM careers into a schoolwide STEM Day elevated student learning in ways that felt authentic, exciting, and unique. The 5-minute rotation worked so well because it kept the energy high for every class.

Whether you’re in a small school district, a large school district, or a local homeschool coop, I encourage you to plan a schoolwide STEM Day. This model is adaptable for any size.

Products you may like

Check out these guest speaker worksheets for your next career day event or guest speaker presentation! Keep your students engaged with these activities to pique their interest, encourage critical thinking, and prepare them to make the most of the guest speaker’s insights.

Other Posts You May Like:

• Proven Guest Speaker Worksheets That Will Keep Your Students Engaged
• What I Do the First Week of School Middle and High School Science New Teacher (Ideas that Aren’t Boring!)
• 12 Best Eye-Opening Environmental Movies For Students to Inspire on Earth Day (with FREE discussion questions!)

When I’m teaching living and nonliving things I’ve found that some students actually have a hard time with the conept! When we start this unit, students have an easy time catorizing items like “a dog” or “a rock”, but when it comes to things like “clouds” or “fire” or even “a leaf that fell of the tree”, the kids have a harder time categorizing.

As a homeschool mom, it’s important to be prepared for this potential confusion and be prepared to meet the students where they are and help them understand the concepts of living and nonliving things, even when the choices seem less clear.

When something moves, changes, or looks alive, even if it technically isn’t, it can get confusing. However, with simple language, real-life examples, and hands-on experiences, kids can build a strong understanding that actually sticks.

What Living and Nonliving Things Really Mean

Keeping it simple, here are some characteristics of living things.

A living thing is something that needs food and water to live! Living things can grow and change.

Criteria for living things:

• Need food, water
• Need air
• Need shelter
• Grow and change
• Can reproduce
• Move or respond to their environment
• Need care to stay healthy

A nonliving thing does not need food or water. Nonliving things do not grow or change on their own.

Criteria for nonliving things:

• Do NOT need food, water, or air
• Do NOT grow or reproduce
• Can move or change, but only because something else causes it

Remember, movement alone does not mean something is living. Once kids understand that living things meet their own needs, I’ve found that everything becomes clearer.

Real-Life Ways to Teach Living and Nonliving Things

You don’t need the perfect lesson plan to make this work! Honestly, this is such a great lesson to teach outdoors, especially during the springtime. Here are a few ways to teach living and nonliving things with a real world connection.

1. Nature Walks

On a nature walk you’ll find plenty of living and nonliving things.

One way we extend this living vs. nonliving exploration is with nature walks using this nature journal. Being able to actually see different living and nonliving things helps bring this lesson to life.

2. Everyday household items

As we know as homeschool moms, everyday household items are an excellent opportunity for learning. Even when I’m teaching in the classoom, I can guide students to pull from things found in their home rather than having them identify items that may not have as much meaning to thing.

The home is already full of so many examples!

Living: pets, houseplants, people

Nonliving: furniture, toys, dishes, books

Talking about these familiar objects helps kids connect science to real life instead of seeing it as just a school-only topic.

Hands-On Living and Nonliving Activities Kids Actually Enjoy

3. Planting

You can build on these living vs. nonliving observations with simple planting activities.

Planting is one of the easiest ways to reinforce living and nonliving concepts. Kids have an opportunity to observe seeds change over time, notice how plants need water, sunlight, and care, and even compare a growing plan to nonliving soil or pots.

4. Living and Nonliving Sorting Activity

This sorting activity is such a great way to help kids practice decision-making related to the topic of living and nonliving things.

Here are some questions to make sure to ask your students:

• “Why did you place this here?”
• “What made you so sure or unsure?”

Having conversations about their choices helps to utilize critical thinking skills and check for deeper understanding.

5. Simple Science Investigations

If you have a microscope, this is a perfect opportunity to compare living and nonliving things under the microscope!

Creative & Visual Ways to Reinforce Living and Nonliving Concepts

6. Drawing and Labeling

Drawing and labeling the characteristics helps slow down your kids’ thinking and deepen their understanding.

7. Journals, Mini Books, and Anchor Charts

My kids LOVE anchor charts. These anchor charts with characteristics of living things can be incredibly powerful when confusion comes up later. You can refer back to this visual tool to remind the kids the difference between living and nonliving things again and again.

Teaching Living and Nonliving Things Through Play and Movement

8. Scavenger hunts

My default is a scavenger hunt as often as possible! They require little to no prepa and help get the kids up and moving. It also allows them to make connections to the real world!

Have you kids search for living and nonliving things around the yard or at a part and you can either sort them as they go or have them do it all at the end.

FREE Nature Scavenger Hunt for kids

A free, no-prep printable activity.

Color it, head outdoors, and explore nature with this free scavenger hunt.

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9. Act it out (grow, move, stay still)

This one is so fun because it allows kids to use their imagination! Personally, my son LOVES the opporutnity to act it out.

Here are some ideas:

• Pretend to grow like a plant
• Breath like a living thing
• Freeze like a non living object

Movement really helps cement abstract ideas in a memorable way!

How We Approach Living and Nonliving Things in Our Homeschool

TIPS: Adapting Living and Nonliving Lessons for Different Ages

For Younger Learners

• Focus on observation
• Fewer words
• Repetition

For our little learners, here are some great age-appropriate science ideas to incoporate at home.

For Older Learners

• Life cycles
• Needs vs wants
• Environmental connections

For older students, you can connect living and nonliving concepts to the life cycle of a compost pile.

Simple Nature Tools We Actually Use for Homeschool Science

We don’t bring much with us, but having a magnifying glass or small observation tool really helps kids slow down and notice details.

• Kids binoculars
• Magnifying glasses
• Bug viewers
• Clipboards
• Bug inspector

Outdoor Essentials for Year-Round Homeschool Learning

Getting outside is always easiest for us when eveyone is comfortable and prepared.

• Rain boots
• Weather-resistant jackets
• Outdoor mats or picnic blankets
• Small backpacks for kids

Get a full Living and Nonliving Things Mini Packet Here

Other Blog Posts You May Like:

• Easy DIY Activity: How To Start Seeds in Cartons (Living vs. Nonliving Lesson)
• How to Make a Nature Field Journal for Students
• Best Science Educational Activities for 3–5 Year Olds at Home
• Making Composting Understandable for Kids

You can do this in your homeschool or classroom. If you work alongside other teachers, you can set up these stations in a central location, like the library or the resource room, and have each class rotate into the room. Coordinate with the other teachers in your grade/subject and make a schedule so each student has time to rotate.

These Earth Day stations can be adjusted for different grade levels too! I’ve done this even with high school students, just make each station applicable to what they may be learning in science or important Earth Day concepts. Below, I’ll give some examples to help inspire you.

Earth Day Stations: Transform your classroom into an Earth Day celebration with multiple stations:

Below is your detailed guide to running 4 Earth Day-themed stations, complete with activities for each. Grab your supplies, set expectations, and let’s make Earth Day hands-on and memorable for your students!

Step 1: Prep Your Station Rotation Plan

• Decide on your group size — I recommend 4 groups with around 5-6 students per group (adjust for your class size).
• Timing: Plan for 15-20 minutes per station. The whole event will run about 1.5 hours, including cleanup and transitions.
• Print and prep materials — Print all printables ahead of time, prep sensory bins, gather rocks, planting materials, and recyclables.
• Label your stations — Use signs or posters: “Story Time Station,” “Rock Station,” etc.
• Create a rotation chart — Display it so students know where they’re headed next.

Step 2: Introduce Earth Day Stations

Before jumping in, gather your class and explain:

• What is Earth Day?
• Each activity
• Rotation expectations (quiet voices, clean-up, teamwork)
• How they’ll rotate (timer/bell will signal when to switch)

Tip: Use a fun Earth Day video or read an Earth Day book to kick things off!

Step 3: Run The Stations

Step 4: Rotation Logistics

• Set a timer or bell for 15-35 minutes per station.
• Give a 5-minute warning for wrapping up and cleaning.
• Have students rotate clockwise to avoid traffic jams.
• Assign one adult/volunteer per station if possible for smoother flow.

Step 5: Wrap-Up and Reflect

Gather your students back together:

• Share what they loved most
• Let students show off their crafts (books, rocks, handprints)
• Recap what we learned about Earth Day and taking care of the planet

Extra Tips for Success

• Play soft nature sounds or Earth Day music during stations
• Have a clean-up plan ready for the sensory bin, paint, and planting
• Take photos to create an Earth Day bulletin board or digital slideshow
• Send home student creations with a short Earth Day info sheet for parents

Station Idea #1: Trace and Color Pages

Students trace Earth Day words and color the pictures.

Station Idea #2: Earth Day Bingo

Play a round (or two) of bingo using printable cards. Reward winners with a sticker or small prize.

Station Idea #3: Earth Day Bookmarks

Students color bookmarks with Earth-friendly messages.

Station Idea #4: Earth Day Book

Students color and staple their mini book to read later.

Station Idea #5: Rock Hunt

If you can go outside, students search for unique rocks (if not, provide rocks in a bin).

Station Idea #6: Rock Sink or Float Activity

Students predict, test, and record if rocks sink or float in a tub of water. Keep towels nearby!

Station Idea #7: Rock Sensory Bin

Set up a bin with rocks, dirt, sand, and magnifying glasses for exploration.

Station Idea #8: Rock Bingo

Play rock-themed bingo based on rock types, textures, or colors.

Station Idea #9: Happy Earth, Sad Earth Habits

Students write whether each practice is a happy or sad environmental actions.

Station Idea #10: Earth Day Coloring Spinner Wheel

Students color their spinner and play by spinning and landing on actions.

Station Idea #11: Recycling/Trash/Compost sort

Use printed pictures. Students sort using the provided sheet.

Station Idea #12: Earth Day Handprint Activity

Students make a handprint Earth using the printable below by dipping their hands in the paint and adding it to the paper.

Station Idea #13: Planting seeds in old egg cartons, cleaned keurig cups, or small plastic cups

Use egg cartons or yogurt cups. Label them for students to take home.

Station Idea #14: Gardening Bingo

Play bingo with garden-themed words or pictures.

Station Idea #15: DIY Seed paper

Use shredded scrap paper. Mix with water, press into shapes, and dry to plant later.

Station Idea #16: Garden Rock Painting

Students paint rocks with flowers, Earth symbols, or words like “Grow” or “Recycle.”

Read more here: Best Creative Rock Painting Ideas For Earth Day (Easy + Fun)

Station Idea #17: Window Sill Herbs

Station Idea #18: Ecosystem Coloring Pages

Station Idea #19: Earth Day Scattegories/Fact or Fiction

Station Idea #20: Create an Earth Day Poster

I hope you enjoyed this blog post all about Earth Day Stations!

Related Posts:

• What Is Photosynthesis? And 24 Other Earth Day Jeopardy Questions
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• The Most Adorable Earth Day Treat Ideas and Gifts From Teachers (Easy + Fun!)