Maniacs in the Middle

STEM with the Makers of Ziploc Brand

STEM with the Makers of Ziploc Brand

Y’all know how much I love STEM projects! At my old school I even started up a STEM Club with some other teachers. I have a passion for STEM and think that we should be promoting it and STEM jobs to our students! Not only does STEM promote science, technology, engineering, and math, but it also promotes collaboration, problem solving, learning from failure, and creative thinking. Because of these reasons, I am always trying to incorporate STEM projects throughout the year. From the pumpkin stand, to the love bridge, to spaghetti towers, there is always a way to work them…

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Science Interactive Notebooks

Science Interactive Notebooks

Let’s talk interactive notebooks!!   To be honest, I truly don’t know if you would classify my notebooks as “interactive” notebooks! My thought process behind the notebooks is that before notebooks, my students would lose EVERYTHING. LITERALLY EVERYTHING. It didn’t matter that they had a designated “science folder.” It was as if someone would come in our class late at night & throw everything away because things magically disappeared. I started these notebooks because I wanted a place for EVERYTHING. We put all important items in here from notes, activities, reference sheets,  worksheets, labs, etc . Anything that I want…

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An Honest Reflection of the School Year

An Honest Reflection of the School Year

  Every year I always ask my students to reflect on their year in 6th grade, so why shouldn’t I do the same?! If I am being honest, this was the hardest  year of my teaching career to date. Granted I have only been teaching for four years, but everyone always talks about how tiring and exhausting your first year of teaching is! That was NOT the case for me. This school year I: moved schools, got a brand new curriculum for science that I had never taught before, coached 8th grade softball in the fall, completed my last year…

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Get to Know Me Q&A!

Get to Know Me Q&A!

What’s up, teacher-friends?! Long time, no post! When I first made this blog, I had such high expectations for myself. Well, reality set in REAL quick & I abandoned this blog. People frequently ask, “How do you do it all?” Reality is that I don’t. I am really good at saying “yes” to everything & I constantly have a new project I’m working on. (Everyone has their flaws, right?!) This school year has also been super challenging for me with all new curriculum. My number one focus has been on my classroom and my students. Unfortunately, that means that my…

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Classroom Tour

Classroom Tour

I walked into my classroom almost three years ago and immediately wanted to walk back out!! I HATED it! Our school was a high school in the past and was converted into a middle school, so our school is old. The layout is weird, there are random knobs everywhere, and I have no windows. It was dark. It was dreary. I knew I had to do a lot of work to add some life to this classroom! This is nowhere near what my room looked like during my first year of teaching. You add items as you go and your…

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