Secondary Science Simplified™
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'll learn exactly what you need to do to simplify your secondary science teaching life so that you can enjoy your life outside of school even more. Head to itsnotrocketscienceclassroom.com/challenge to grab your FREE Classroom Reset Challenge.
Episodes
196 episodes
195. A Simple and Effective Process for Parent Communication With Guest Mandy Farrar
Confession time: I’ve been gatekeeping this conversation with Mandy Farrar because it’s that perfect for the start of the school year. Mandy, a high school chemistry and physics teacher, shares her simple yet highly effective system fo...
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48:08
194. The Importance of Inquiry-Based Learning - And How to Implement It Practically
Back-to-school season is the perfect time to breathe new energy into your classroom, and one of the most powerful ways to do that is through inquiry-based learning. In this episode, I’m sharing why inquiry matters, why students often push back ...
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31:17
193. First Year Teacher Reflections With Cienna Domke
What if you could hit pause after your first year of teaching and really process what just happened? That’s exactly what we’re doing in this episode with Cienna Domke. Cienna just wrapped up her first year teaching high school biology and chemi...
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41:19
192. Teaching Biology, Managing 6 Preps, and EOC Review with Macee Huseman
What would you do if you were the entire science department at your school? That’s the reality for my guest, Macee Huseman, a powerhouse high school science teacher from Texas who juggles six preps, engaging labs, and family life with ...
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36:48
191. Engaging Students, Serving ELLs, and Teaching Earth Science With Becca of Science Lessons That Rock
If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed trying to make earth science engaging and hands-on, this episode is for you! I’m joined by Becca from Science Lessons That Rock, a veteran teacher with over 15 years of experience and a passion for turning abstra...
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32:08
190. Student Mastery, Switching Schools, and Teaching Chemistry with Heather Bonanno
Have you ever met a teacher who just gets it—who knows how to challenge students, meet them where they are, and do it all with purpose and empathy? That’s exactly who you’ll hear from in this episode. I chat with Heather Bonanno, a high school ...
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42:40
189. True Life: I Grade Everything and Because of It, I Have No Life
If grading has taken over your life, this final episode in the True Life Teacher Confession series is here to help. I’m unpacking the hidden costs of grading everything, challenging the belief that every assignment needs a grade, and sharing mi...
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17:19
188. True Life: I Teach a Course With a High-Stakes Test and Don’t Care About It
“Help! I teach a course with a high-stakes test that I do not care about at all, but I need to care about it. How can I make myself care?” If you've ever felt this way, this episode is for you. In this True Life: Teacher Confessions ep...
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14:51
187. True Life: I’m Drowning
Are you juggling multiple preps across several grade levels, trying to run labs every week, and still show up for your family? Feeling overwhelmed by unrealistic admin expectations and a lack of student accountability? If it all feels like too ...
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18:55
186. True Life: I Am a Science Teacher Who Hates Labs
Do you find yourself absolutely dreading lab days? If so, you’re in good company. I’m kicking off a new series of Teacher True Life Confessions, and today’s episode is inspired by several of you who were brave enough to admit that you HATE lab ...
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21:50
185. When Is Preparation Worth It, and When Is It a Pipe Dream?
Feeling torn between getting ahead on lesson plans and fully embracing summer break? That’s exactly what we’re diving into in this episode. Inspired by a thoughtful listener question, I’m sharing a realistic and flexible approach to summer plan...
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29:51
184. End the Year Organized: Your Methods for Management
In this final episode of the “End Your Year Organized” series, we’re wrapping up by reflecting on the classroom management methods you used this year. I’m walking you through six simple but powerful reflection questions to help you evaluate wha...
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16:05
183. End the Year Organized: Your Classroom
Feeling buried in classroom clutter? Let’s fix that, before summer break hits! Last week, we talked all about organizing your digital and paper teaching resources so you’re not d...
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22:47
182. End the Year Organized: Your Resources
Feeling overwhelmed by a mountain of digital files, paper stacks, and half-used lab materials? In this kickoff episode of the “End the Year Organized” series, I’m sharing practical strategies to help you wrap up the school year with intention a...
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24:46
181. What to Do When Your Job Feels Stale (And Maybe Even Boring)
Teaching can feel like driving on autopilot - same route, same scenery, same old routine. So what happens when that journey starts to feel monotonous and uninspiring? In today’s conversation, I dive deep into a feeling that every teacher experi...
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27:54
180. Unpacking the NGSS With Christina Agurcia of Make Them Think
Over the past few episodes, we’ve been diving into all things NGSS, and it’s time to wrap up the series with someone who’s not only in the classroom but has been using the NGSS for the last decade! The Next Generation Science Standards are all ...
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30:29
179. Unpacking the NGSS: Phenomena and Storylines
Ever feel like your students are just going through the motions - memorizing facts without really connecting to what they're learning? I think we can all agree that we want our students to be able to apply their learning to real world context! ...
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26:03
178. Unpacking the NGSS: SEPs and CCCs
In part two of our NGSS series, we’re diving into its three-dimensional nature —specifically, SEPs (Science and Engineering Practices) and CCCs (Crosscutting Concepts). You’ll hear my take on what they are and how you can practically teach them...
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29:03
177. Unpacking the NGSS: What High School Science Teachers Need to Know
Navigating the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) can feel overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be! In this episode, I break down the three pillars of NGSS as I see them. I also share what I love about NGSS, where I think it falls short, ...
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28:09
176. Teaching AP Biology, Exam Review, FRQ Prep and MORE With Tiffany of AP Bio Penguins
AP Biology comes with big challenges—pacing, labs, and preparing students for that exam. But today’s guest, Tiffany from AP Bio Penguins, is here to help! Tiffany shares her best strategies for structuring class time, simplifying labs,...
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56:28
175. How and WHY I Teach Students to Take Notes
Whether we like it or not, teaching students to take notes is an important part of being a high school teacher! Is that an unpopular opinion? Maybe, but I still stand by it! Beyond just understanding the content, strong note-taking skills set s...
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21:50
174. 7 Ways to Teach Your Students to Use AI Productively
Is AI the future of learning or just another way for students to cut corners? In this episode, we’re talking all about how to help students use AI in a way that actually benefits their learning - without letting it do all the thinking for them....
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20:20
173. 9 Quick Ways to Use AI to Simplify Your Life as a Teacher
Imagine 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 ...
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22:04
172. Content-Specific Differentiation Tips
In 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 conce...
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27:19
171. Differentiating Within One Class Period (And How to Not Make It Obvious)
Are 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 differenti...
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37:53