Managing the messiest lab in the world – making ice cream with 8th graders.

How to run this lab linking phase changes to ice cream. Student sheet, teacher notes, material and class management hints, and pics.

Actual “Backwards Planning”

Being forced to plan backwards from the assessment is I hate to admit, a GOOD thing, just like everyone said. Lots of resources included: some lab sheets with teacher notes plus a couple of tested assessments. Enjoy!

Nasty Cocktails: Density of Liquids Lab

Adding to the excitement of the approaching holiday, we had pajama day and worked out which layers to float on what in a nasty density cocktail. I’m sharing the exact instructions in case you’d like to try this stand-alone and engaging activity with your students in the new year. Hopefully not in your pajamas. Remember to get dressed before going to school

Physical vs Chemical Changes: Pancake Day

Using America’s Test Kitchen recipies, bunsens and tiny frying pans, we hammered (battered?) home the essential differences of chemical vs physical changes with no burns or deaths but alot of stickiness.