It’s the end of the school year and we are hanging by a thread over here in room 516! I’m tired, my students are tired, and to be honest….I have been looking for activities that will keep my seniors grounded while we finish out our last few weeks. This week,
I am always looking for innovative ways to engage students in my Forensics class. One way I achieved this was by setting up a classroom body farm during my forensic entomology unit. In this blog post, I will share how I set up a classroom body farm and how my
My Death Investigation Unit is my all-time favorite topic to teach in my Forensic Science class! It’s filled with interesting content, fun activities, engaging labs, and my students love it just as much as I do. When a fellow forensics teacher, Jason Briski, shared the idea to use a hot
I love teaching fingerprinting in my Forensics course, but students sometimes struggle when it comes to identifying minutiae patterns. Fingerprints can be difficult to analyze on paper, so I have started using this fingerprint balloon activity to help my students identify minutiae patterns. Essentially, students enlarge their fingerprint on a
Hosting a mock crime scene is an exciting way to bring your curriculum to life and engage your students. If you’ve been wanting to execute a mock crime scene in your Forensics classroom, but aren’t sure where to begin, I’ve got you covered! Today, on the blog, I’m sharing my
It’s no secret that I love a good ole classroom review game. I discovered grudgeball a few years ago and love how engaged my students become when we play. Not only is it easy to set up, but I love that it encourages team work and friendly competition. My students
Introduction I absolutely love teaching arson to my high school students, but I often get asked for ideas for middle school students as well. The purpose of today’s blog post is to share one of my favorite digital lab activities for teaching arson. It can be used with both middle
My students love a good lab and this one doesn’t disappoint. What makes it so great? It’s completely STUDENT directed! Oh…and the students get to stand on the lab stations- which they LOVE. I use this lab as an inquiry lab, meaning that my students conduct the lab BEFORE the
It’s that time of year (Ho! Ho! Ho!) and I am excited to incorporate some holiday cheer into my classroom. I love decorating my classroom tree and playing soft Christmas music in the background during the month of December. I also love adding fun holiday twists on the topics that
About 5 years ago, I started hosting “Starbucks Mode” in my classroom leading up to Christmas break. It’s always a hit with my students and I enjoy whipping up a batch of my famous classroom crockpot hot chocolate and serving my students. As my students enter the classroom, I give
It’s that time of year (Ho! Ho! Ho!) and I am excited to incorporate some holiday cheer into my classroom. I love decorating my classroom tree and playing soft Christmas music in the background during the month of December. I also love adding fun holiday twists on the topics that
I love teaching cellular respiration! One of the main contributors to the love of this topic is the BARF BAG lab. I find it oddly satisfying to watch the students’ expressions when I announce, “Today in the lab, we will be making barf in a bag.” This lab is easy
I look forward to GLOW DAY every year! For me, it’s the excitement on my students’ faces when they enter my classroom to realize that it has undergone a total transformation! You might be wondering what is GLOW DAY? It’s a special theme day that radiates through your classroom with
Prior to teaching cell transport in my Biology class, I like to take a deep dive into the cell membrane, its function, structure, and behavior. I truly feel that an extra few days to establish a strong understanding of the cell membrane helps my students better understand cellular transport. Today
I’ve got a super fun and engaging activity that your students will be talking about long after it’s over! I have been hosting my cell organelles speed dating event for many years and it never fails to fully engage my Biology kiddos. It’s easy to set up, student-directed, and is
In the words of the infamous father of forensics, Edmond Locard, “Every contact leaves a trace.” Locard’s Exchange Principle is the cornerstone on which I build my Introduction to Forensics unit. Over the years, it has become one of my favorite topics to teach in the first few weeks of
As teachers, we put so much thought and intention into our classrooms. It is our home away from home for us and our students. An organized and well thought out classroom shows your students that you care about them and that you take pride in your job. It also makes
Today on the blog….a fun activity for teaching lab procedures. Setting the stage for the school year involves teaching procedures and routines. I spend the first two weeks of school teaching my students how my classroom works and this includes discussing lab procedures and expectations. After reviewing basic lab rules,
A few years ago, I introduced podcasts into my Forensics classroom. It started as a desperate attempt to fill a 30-minute time void in my block class and I stumbled across Crime Junkies. I honestly thought, “There is no way a group of teenagers are going to be entertained by
Today, on the blog, I’m sharing one of my favorite teacher hacks and walking you through how to create an emergency sub binder! Note: This post contains affiliate links for Amazon. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. By purchasing an item on the Amazon site using these
Today, on the blog, I am sharing how I execute my Arson Inquiry Lab- A Forensics Activity. A few years ago, arson was my least favorite topic to teach in Forensics. It was dry, boring and difficult to find engaging activities for my students. In a desperate attempt to get
Can I be honest? Teaching macromolecules could very well be one of the most boring topics in Biology! Well….it was for me….until last year, when I decided to re-vamp my lesson plan to include more engaging activities. Today, on the blog, I am sharing some ideas for Teaching Macromolecules in
Deductive reasoning is an essential academic skill for forensic science students. Activities that help students develop their deductive reasoning can be implemented to complement many areas of the curriculum and are always a lot of fun. As students participate in engaging deductive reasoning activities, they develop foundational knowledge for using logic
A new school year is upon us and setting the stage for a great year is my #1 priority in the first week of my Forensics classes. I have rounded up a collection of the activities that I do with my Forensics students and am sharing them with you today
If you teach Forensics, you know how much fun a mock crime scene can be. This Dill Pickle Autopsy activity is a student-favorite and can be used in so many different ways. Today, on the blog, I will show you how to prep for this fun and engaging activity. I
One of my favorite topics to teach in Forensics is toxicology. This topic always fosters deep conversations with my students and they are always engaged in the activities that comprise this unit. Today on the blog, I am sharing 7 activities to add to your Forensic Toxicology unit. If you
As a new school year approaches, Forensics teachers across the world are scrambling to find virtual labs and activities for their Forensic Science classrooms. In my collaborative Facebook group for Forensic Science teachers, the question “How do we virtually teach such a hands-on course?” comes up in conversation on a
Amazon is my JAM! It’s my go-to for some of my classroom favorites. Check out these 15 Amazon MUST-HAVES for Teachers! Note: This post contains affiliate links for Amazon. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. By purchasing an item on the Amazon site using these links, I
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