Exploring Chemistry Through Hands-On Labs Why are hands-on labs so important? What can a student learn from this approach? My favorite part of teaching science classes is performing labs. Experiments allow students to learn the material in a different way and for many...
The Beauty of the Timeline for History and Geography Projects When we study history, typically we move chronologically, discussing different topics and regions. It can be difficult to see the “big picture” of how events occur at about the same time across the world....
Unlocking Literary Depth: The Power of Creative Projects As an English teacher, you will never hear me discredit the merit of writing a good analysis paper. There’s something magical about formulating a well-tuned claim and finding the precise evidence and wording to...
Starting the DNA unit in biology each year in November is one of my favorite times of the school year! We start with a little introduction song to get us pumped up and also learn that the basic function of DNA is, well, to make protein! If you’re not sure about that,...
Prior to SketchUp, “friendly and forgiving” were not words that came anywhere near a conversation about 3D modeling software. Architecture students would spend semesters of their lives in classes solely dedicated to demystifying a computer program that would turn...
Would your students describe themselves as appearing on fleek? Or maybe they have moved on to using the term snatched to indicate a look that is just right. How many of our students would warm to being considered exquisite, of consummate beauty, or debonair? Would...
In English II: World Literature, we span history and culture to get a glimpse of lives very different than our own. Ruta Sepetys’ work Between Shades of Gray is the story of a sixteen year old girl from Lithuania who is exiled with her family to Siberia under Joseph...
Most of the time I write just to express a thought or communicate with others. Sometimes, however, I write because I have a dire need to process, to have a cathartic experience. That is what this blog is for me today. I hope you will indulge this cranky English...
In my live classes, we speak Spanish, recite Bible verses and read stories in Spanish, and learn Spanish grammar using a variety of activities. Outside of class, students are assigned written and listening comprehension homework to practice the skills they are...
This year, Excelsior Classes piloted a French IV class for students who wanted to take the next step in language learning. The focus of French IV is written and spoken fluency rather than just grammatical fluency. Over the course of the year, we read two introductory...
So, you’re a homeschooler taking online classes. There’s a great deal of flexibility and independent options that you have while sitting in an online class. The question is, are you doing the right things - the things that will help you get the most out of your...
Steps to Clearer Writing So your student can write a complete sentence, structure a paragraph, even craft an essay. Great! What’s left to improve? What makes writing engaging to readers? When meaning is easy to grasp, readers can follow a train of thought and be...
