3 Kingdoms and 6 Domains Differentiated Foldable

Are you looking for an interactive, differentiated way to teach the 3 scientific domains and 6 kingdoms?  Then you need to read on to see how I make a taxonomic foldable for students' notebooks!

I created differentiated pages for students of various learning needs. The one shown below is the fill-in-the-blank version I distribute to most students.  

I differentiate in the following ways:

For students needing a challenge: I have them copy the notes by hand and/or give them copy of the foldable that doesn't have the kingdoms/domains written in.  They must use their resources to find the answers and fill in the blanks independently.  

For students needing extra assistance: I provide them with a completed copy (the answer key) to either copy the answers into the blanks, or to keep and highlight as we go over the answers as a class.

We start by folding a piece of paper in half vertically and hold-punching it (so it will go in our 3-ring binder).  The picture below shows how we cut, arrange, and glue the 3 domains information on the outside cover of the foldable.  

After the domain pieces are in place, students use their textbooks or online resources to write the appropriate domain in the blanks. 

Next, we work on the inside flaps.  

First, students glue the 6 kingdoms on the right.  Then, I have students rewrite the domains on the left and draw arrows from the domain to the kingdom under which it is classified.  

Finally, students write the correct kingdoms in the blanks on the right side of the paper.

This packet includes:

~Suggestions for how to use the foldable in differentiated instruction

~Step-by-Step directions for completing the foldable

~Pictures for completing each step of the foldable

~Answers written on the picture guide to serve as an answer key

If you'd like to pick up a copy, click here.

Do you teach classification?  Do you have any foldables or interactives you would recommend?  I'd love to hear about what you're using!

DNA Color-by-Number

Would you like an easy way to teach the nucleotides and base pairs of DNA?  Do your students like crafts and/or coloring?  Then check out my DNA Color-by-Number!

This Color-by-Number worksheet is meant to be an introduction into the nucleotides and bases that make up the structure of DNA.

I use this as an introductory activity, with no prior teaching. 

After it is colored, we talk about the matching patterns of the base pairs (A with T and C with G). 

I also explain to them that these pairs can happen in an infinite number of sequences, such as:

A-T, C-G, A-T, C-G

OR

C-G, C-G, G-C, A-T

I further explain that any mismatched pairing of bases, A-C or G-T for example, would result in a mutation of the gene.  This mutation could be inherited by the offspring of the organism.

Finally, we talk about how not all mutations are a bad thing because this is how evolution happens.

If you'd like to pick up a copy, click here.

How do you introduce the structure of DNA?  I'd love to hear about it!

3 Kingdoms and 6 Domains Differentiated Foldable

Are you looking for an interactive, differentiated way to teach the 3 scientific domains and 6 kingdoms?  Then you need to read on to see how I make a taxonomic foldable for students' notebooks!

I created differentiated pages for students of various learning needs. The one shown below is the fill-in-the-blank version I distribute to most students.  

I differentiate in the following ways:

For students needing a challenge: I have them copy the notes by hand and/or give them copy of the foldable that doesn't have the kingdoms/domains written in.  They must use their resources to find the answers and fill in the blanks independently.  

For students needing extra assistance: I provide them with a completed copy (the answer key) to either copy the answers into the blanks, or to keep and highlight as we go over the answers as a class.

We start by folding a piece of paper in half vertically and hold-punching it (so it will go in our 3-ring binder).  The picture below shows how we cut, arrange, and glue the 3 domains information on the outside cover of the foldable.  

After the domain pieces are in place, students use their textbooks or online resources to write the appropriate domain in the blanks. 

Next, we work on the inside flaps.  

First, students glue the 6 kingdoms on the right.  Then, I have students rewrite the domains on the left and draw arrows from the domain to the kingdom under which it is classified.  

Finally, students write the correct kingdoms in the blanks on the right side of the paper.

This packet includes:

~Suggestions for how to use the foldable in differentiated instruction

~Step-by-Step directions for completing the foldable

~Pictures for completing each step of the foldable

~Answers written on the picture guide to serve as an answer key

If you'd like to pick up a copy, click here.

Do you teach classification?  Do you have any foldables or interactives you would recommend?  I'd love to hear about what you're using!

Photosynthesis VS Cellular Respiration

Trying to teach the difference between photosynthesis and cellular respiration can be challenging!  As I was teaching this concept, I found the following: 

Pros:

On the one hand, my students are fairly familiar with the components of photosynthesis, which helps a great deal. 

Cons:

On the other hand, they have little or no experience with the parts of respiration, AND they have a difficult time explaining how respiration and photosynthesis are dependent on each other to exist.  

I found a solution to the problem:  A pop-up/Interactive Notebook page!  I was inspired by this product I found on TpT.  I had to add several materials and products to both sides of the equation and add extra symbols to make it more complete, but I knew this was what I was looking for!

When folded in accordion style, it fits nicely into a notebook for future reference.

The students had fun tracing, cutting, taping, and folding.  I love the art aspect of this assignment!  It makes teaching this concept a lot more fun.

Do you have any resources you like to use to teach the difference between respiration and photosynthesis?  I'd love to hear about them!

Using Sweets to Teach Mitosis and Meiosis

What better way to teach a complicated concept like Mitosis than to use candy!  I find that students are naturally more receptive to anything that involves the use (and consumption) of sweets.  This is a no-brainer, right?

To demonstrate the stages of Mitosis in the Cell Cycle (Interphase, Prophase, Metaphase, Anaphase, Telophase, Cytokinesis), this group used gummy worms to represent the chromosomes.  As an added bonus, gummy worms are perfect for talking about genes (the stripes) and alleles (imaginary letters on the stripes).

Another group used Oreos to demonstrate the stages of Mitosis.

I had them watch this video, which helps a lot for replicating the stages on the Oreos.

Other groups used sugar cookies, icing, and sprinkles to demonstrate Mitosis.  This required two sheets of paper, as opposed to the one sheet used for the Oreos.

This group used jelly beans to show the stages of Meiosis (Interphase, PMAT twice, Cytokinesis).

Another student went all out and made a stop-motion video. So neat!

Do you have any activities involving sweets that teach Mitosis/Meiosis?  I'd love to hear about them!

Using Candy to Teach DNA

How to teach the structure and shape of DNA?  Why, with sweets, of course!  Specifically, Twizzlers and marshmallows.

First, we completed a color-by-number model of DNA.  You can learn more about how I use this sheet as a teaching tool by reading this post.

We talked about how the base pairs (A, T, C, G) match up and recreated that with our candy models.  The students made a key and decided what base pair each color of marshmallow would represent (see the toothpick flags in the pictures below).

We talked about how the spiral shape is called a double helix, and part of their grade was to demonstrate that they had this knowledge.

There were some projects in which the students had to get creative with their supplies for one reason or another. Below are some examples. I think they did rather well!

If you don't have marshmallows, try gum drops or gummy bears. 

If you don't have Twizzlers, try straws. 

What do you do to make DNA more "concrete"?  I'd love to get some new ideas!

DNA Color-By-Number

How do I teach that DNA is made of nucleotides and base pairs?  A coloring page, of course!  I mean, why not?  Everyone loves to color and having this page in my students' Interactive Notebooks serves as a reminder of the structure of DNA.

This Color-by-Number worksheet is meant to be an introduction into the nucleotides and bases that make up the structure of DNA.

I use this as an introductory activity, with no prior teaching. 

After it is colored, we talk about the matching patterns of the base pairs (A with T and C with G). 

I also explain to them that these pairs can happen in an infinite number of sequences, such as:

A-T, C-G, A-T, C-G

OR

C-G, C-G, G-C, A-T

I further explain that any mismatched pairing of bases, A-C or G-T for example, would result in a mutation of the gene.  This mutation could be inherited by the offspring of the organism.

Finally, we talk about how not all mutations are a bad thing because this is how evolution happens.

If you'd like to pick up a copy, click here.

How do you introduce the structure of DNA?  I'd love to hear about it!

Creating Physical Models of Food Chain Models

Anytime we can bust out the art materials   in science class is a good day. This is a simple activity that concretely models the food chain and uses some higher-level vocabulary at the same time.

First, we folded our paper into fourths (in half vertically and then in half vertically again).  

Then, we cut the strips on the folds (each student needs six strips). 

Then, we labeled our strips with the levels of the food chain. 

Students illustrated the terms. 

Then we looped the strips together and glued the ends to make a chain.  Each student's decomposers were linked to the next student's sun, thus creating one large food chain/food web. 

After every student attached their chain, it looped up and around my desk area.  We reference this anytime we are talking about consumers, food chains, or food webs. Since this is many food chains put together, it is actually also representative of a food web. It's a great physical reminder of the concepts. 

Do you have any hands-on activities to demonstrate energy flow in ecosystems?  I'd love to hear about them!

Growth Mindset, Art, and Science Activity: Edible Neurons

We've been using Mindsets in the Classroom: Building a Culture of Success and Student Achievement in Schools by Mary Cay Ricci in our county. It is honestly one of my favorite district initiatives because believing in yourself and perseverance are two of life's most important skills. 

Many of the activities in its sister book, Ready-to-Use Resources for Mindsets in the Classroom: Everything Educators Need for School Success, are geared toward elementary students or Language Arts, and I teach middle school science. So I decided to combine art and science in my first Growth Mindset activity: Edible Neurons. 

Since cells are such a big part of our curriculum in Life Science, I was able to tie this activity into cell parts when I showed them the following diagram.

So, we grabbed the Twizzlers and Fruit Roll-Ups and started creating our own edible models.  I did have them use hand sanitizer before beginning.

Finally, we got to EAT them!  This was easily their favorite part.

I created a document that gives step-by-step instructions and a materials list.  
This document includes:
~A materials list
~A procedure list
~A neuron diagram
~Pictures of partially and completely finished edible neurons

If you would like to pick up a copy, click here.

Do you have any Growth Mindset activities that mix well with science?  I'd love to hear about them!