Episode 7: What I Do on the First Day in Chemistry Class

Today we’re hitting pause on the lab shifts and diving into something timely — your very first day with students. If you’ve ever dreaded starting the year with a dry syllabus read-through or found yourself doing all the talking, this episode is for you. I walk you through my Models in Science lesson — an interactive, movement-based activity that gets students collaborating, thinking scientifically, and laughing together. We’ll talk about how this lesson sets expectations, introduces scientific modeling (a major NGSS practice), and builds class community from the moment they walk through the door. This has been my go-to first-day lesson in Chemistry for over seven years, and I’m breaking it all down for you. 🧪 In This Episode, You’ll Learn: Why I don’t go over the syllabus on day one How I use call cards to connect and gather info about students The exact activity I use to introduce scientific modeling How ambiguous terms like “Ford” and “Pluto” help us discuss why models change My TPT Store Chem's Chemistry Classroom Free Year-at-a-Glance Planner Free Lab Station Laugh Cards Scientific Math Kit