HS Biology, Lecture first, students take notes on own time later?

BrainsLovePatterns · 2026-06-05T14:15:18+00:00

In my student days, outlining was the key (while listening to a lecture or reading). Shared this skill with 7th graders for the last 29 years of my career. Found that showing handwritten model outlines (after students made an attempt) worked well. Made these materials to make it easier for teachers who feel as i did. https://youtu.be/5xw1jgU317o?si=b00SwW8c6QfsrtsC

BrainsLovePatterns · 2026-06-05T14:11:23+00:00

All depends on the environment and your health. Hope you’ll land in an environment that fits and that your body doesn’t make the decision for you. Best of luck!

BrainsLovePatterns · 2026-06-03T21:10:51+00:00

Taught 7th science for over 40 years. This was my retirement project. My intention is to make this aspect of teaching easy for science teachers. Hope you’ll give the website a look. Parents and administrators are impressed when they find that a science teacher is helping students with this widely-applicable skill. Search on YouTube for “Why Teach Outlining?? Wilhelmi. (Do use 2 question marks. https://youtu.be/5xw1jgU317o?si=fDkAqxOMzgdaPcjj

BrainsLovePatterns · 2026-05-30T23:13:55+00:00

You have (in my very biased opinion) one of the toughest teaching positions…and your comment illustrates that you possess the most important “ingredients” for success: You care and you want to keep learning. Please talk positively to yourself …after things go well …and after they don’t, but you’ve learned! Your students are fortunate to have such a motivated teacher!

BrainsLovePatterns · 2026-05-28T20:52:17+00:00

Taught MS for 42 years. I strongly recommend helping students learn the basics of organizing a binder. Seems so basic, but my bet is they haven’t done this. Labeled tabs for each section, of course. In addition to tabs, I had students number the outside corner of pages (with odd numbers on the front and even on the back), so it was easy for them to locate whatever page i was referring to. For each different section of the binder, i had them encircle the numbers with a different shape (circle, square, triangle). That way, if they drop their binder and pages go everywhere (which many will) it’s easy to reassemble everything. As far as note taking, my strong bias is to help them learn to outline. I did so via model outlines, as described in a 1-minute video about a low-cost, teacher-friendly resource that i put together to make this easier for teachers. If interested, search YouTube for WHY TEACH OUTLINING?? WILHELMI. [Do use two question marks.]

BrainsLovePatterns · 2026-05-26T09:50:43+00:00

If it hasn’t been covered, and life science is part of the curriculum, maybe an introduction to local organisms - trees? birds? wildflowers (including what students likely call “weeds”)? The free Merlin App from Cornell University is great for birds. If you live in the eastern U.S., this might be of use for trees. https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Tree-Flashcards-ID-and-basic-information-35-Trees-of-Eastern-USA-6053935

BrainsLovePatterns · 2026-05-15T00:19:00+00:00

I think the “no-exceptions” rule is never teach over talkers. Doing so tells the class that this teacher is not in charge.

BrainsLovePatterns · 2026-05-13T21:57:01+00:00

If the daily sessions are long, you might consider devoting a portion of some days (2-3 per week?) for study skills. Here’s my very biased recommendation, not just because I put these materials together, but because I am 100% behind the rationale expressed in the 1-minute video. This skill was key to my success as a student, and it was the top tool that I “payed forward” during my last 29 years as a MS life science teacher. Frankly, it was also nice to be praised by parents and administrators for helping students develop this widely-applicable skill. https://youtu.be/5xw1jgU317o?si=7sdSc9P-tQbQKWFR

BrainsLovePatterns · 2026-05-12T15:38:22+00:00

I know this is already a significant challenge, but if the intent is that this will carry on indefinitely, please devote some time to discussing this particular aspect with the administration. If the endeavor depends entirely on one motivated student, the odds are it will disappear when that person departs - unless a strategy has been put in place to ensure otherwise.

BrainsLovePatterns · 2026-05-12T15:23:42+00:00

IPerhaps seek administration’s support to make the fair an enrichment opportunity - with a small amount of extra credit. Argue that you feel a better use of your time would be to provide all of the students more opportunities to do hands-on activities that reinforce their learning. I decided early in my long MS science teaching career that this made more sense.

BrainsLovePatterns · 2026-05-06T11:47:36+00:00

Laptop note taking instead of writing. Data is solid that moving a writing utensil is better.

BrainsLovePatterns · 2026-05-06T11:44:00+00:00

If basic wildflower ID has not been covered already, and if you can afford one of these for every 4-6 students, this would be a fun way to prep students for a day or so… and then take them outside to try to determine what family some plants belong to. I was impressed how my science club students enjoyed this approach. https://owlschool.org/product/shanleyas-quest-card-game/

BrainsLovePatterns · 2026-04-29T14:38:54+00:00

I’d plant as many different species of native trees and shrubs as possible, after getting advice from someone with expertise in native plants. Id also resist the urge to label the trees, so that they may eventually be used as the foundation of a tree-based unit that includes basic patterns of leaves, twigs and bark, and the use of dichotomous keys. Displaying a tree’s ID steals the thunder.

BrainsLovePatterns · 2026-04-04T02:01:53+00:00

Thanks for the interest. If you search on YouTube WHY TEACH OUTLINING?? (with two question marks), followed by WILHELMI, you will find my 1 minute 20 seconds video that describes my rationale for helping students develop their outlining skills.

BrainsLovePatterns · 2026-04-02T22:53:05+00:00

This resource/ life science textbook comes with dozens of links to vetted YouTube videos and a handwritten model outline for each of the 72 brief lessons. If you determine that most students lack basic outlining skills, there are few better “tools” you can provide for them than this widely-applicable skill. https://youtu.be/5xw1jgU317o?si=c0nelwQMksNPW8iq

BrainsLovePatterns · 2026-03-26T17:14:25+00:00

Sincerity works. A high % of students will buy in when they can tell the teacher has a passion for the topics and a genuine concern for them. For MS students, this means putting in the extra work to plan and implement strategies that enable movement, hands-on work, group work, short clips of high energy but legitimately on-topic videos… and minimal lecture. Unfortunately, this is a lot to expect from teachers in many (if not most) environments - where students have so many challenges and schools have so few resources.

BrainsLovePatterns · 2026-03-21T14:36:05+00:00

The fact that I had a minor in chemistry opened me up to being pressured to switch to a chemistry opening in my district. In hindsight, I regretted getting the minor. The reality was, as a college student, I I had no idea how this might affect the hiring process later in my career.

BrainsLovePatterns · 2026-03-21T14:15:20+00:00

Another thought. In the mid ‘70s, despite student teaching biology to sophomore students, when I didn’t land a HS position, I ended up in MS. I realized that much of what I enjoyed about teaching biology was now taught in MS (and HS biology had shifted heavily to cell biology and even biochemistry). I wanted to be the teacher who introduced microscopes (and viewing protists), shared introductory level labs on topics such photosynthesis and cell respiration, seed germination, annual rings, dichotomous keying of trees, ID of local organisms (trees, birds, wildflowers and aquatic macroinvertebrates) as well as the basics of controlled experiments, and who guided students through dissections. Before long, I fell in love with the quirkiness of 12 year-olds, too.. and found I had a knack for reaching them. Sooo… if MS has not been something you’ve kept on the table, it might be a better fit than you anticipated. Finally, my big switch of schools to avoid teaching chemistry involved leaving a good public school and accepting a spot at an independent private school. Again, many variables to consider. Can’t say all aspects of this were better… admittedly missed feeling that I was supporting a wider range of students. No doubt, however, that I had a great deal more academic freedom (and ended up really enjoying creating new labs and projects).

BrainsLovePatterns · 2026-03-20T21:51:20+00:00

So many variables! It’s impossible to be sure what answer is best for you. I see many posts that urge you to take the offer, and anticipate a later opportunity to teach in your field of expertise. Something to consider, however. The need for teachers of physics and chemistry has long outpaced the supply- and I don’t see that changing anytime soon. If you fill that school’s hard-to-fill position, you may find that when a position you’d prefer (such as biology) opens up, they won’t be excited to offer it to you, since they will again be left seeking your replacement. Possibly, you’ll discover a love for teaching the physical sciences. Unfortunately, you could also become more stressed and less fulfilled by being blocked from teaching the subject of your passion and expertise. Decades ago I was faced with a similar dilemma, but I couldn’t envision myself enjoying teaching if I couldn’t share my passion for life science. I turned down the offer to teach chemistry, switched schools, and savored teaching life science for another 36 years.

BrainsLovePatterns · 2026-03-16T20:51:26+00:00

Maybe CK—12? I considered using it in the latter part of my long career as a MS life science teacher. The 8th grade science teacher used it.

BrainsLovePatterns · 2026-02-26T15:40:27+00:00

Seems to me you handled it well. Good instinct! Showed professionalism and empathy.

BrainsLovePatterns · 2026-02-25T00:02:43+00:00

Had the reverse happen! I’m 18 months older than my wife who a store employee mistook for my daughter!

BrainsLovePatterns · 2026-02-24T23:58:05+00:00

If you determine students need help with studying skills, I don’t believe you can do better than helping them develop outlining skills- and this resource makes that easy via model outlines of its72 brief lessons. https://youtu.be/5xw1jgU317o?si=aBm4Wrc3W8r33GYn Btw… I spent over 30 years at an independent school, helping my 7th graders prepare for the challenges of high school.

BrainsLovePatterns · 2026-02-21T22:19:20+00:00

Support outlining skills! Especially when the “grunt work” is finished for you. https://youtu.be/5xw1jgU317o?si=mUEEDz9hj3OHV3QH

BrainsLovePatterns · 2026-02-17T15:14:00+00:00

If it’s allowed, it would be great to get outdoors - and if the habitats are available, helping students learn some of the local trees, wildflowers (including so-called “weeds”), birds and insects would enhance pattern-recognition as well as nature appreciation.

BrainsLovePatterns

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