Virtual Dissections

We've all had that student that has no interest in dissecting, or the one that just sits back and lets the group do his or her work. Absences can also be a problem. A few years ago I wrote a DonorsChoose project for digital dissection software and it turned out to be the solution to many of my dissection problems.

Dissections- Why go digital?

There are times during traditional dissections when students become more preoccupied with the cuts and guts, instead of actually learning the anatomy of the animal. Students often make incorrect cuts, get a bad specimen, are absent on critical lab days, or let their partner or group do the work for them. This assignment will solve a lot of these issues and help squeamish students dissect in a less intimidating way. While there is still a place for hands-on dissections in science, I think it is beneficial for students to experience alternatives as well or pair these with pre-lab activities so students come in to lab ready and better prepared. This computer program ensures students obtain the critical knowledge intended by dissection labs, without the smell or cost of preserved specimens. Students will have a chance to go at their own pace, repeat any areas in which they struggle, and hopefully gain a better understanding for and appreciation of animal anatomy.

So have I convinced you to go digital? I've posted a few digital dissection worksheets on TeachersPayTeachers. Please Check them out!

Virtual Frog Dissection

 Virtual Sea Star Dissection

There are MANY virtual dissection options for FREE online, like the Froguts program I used to make the above TPT worksheets. 

However, I really like the programs I purchased from Carolina Biological (they are expensive so I also did Donors Choose Projects and grants for some of them). Here are a few of my favorites. I do have worksheets to go with these as well so please reach out if you decide to purchase the programs. *I was NOT paid by Carolina Biological to promote these products in any way.

Carolina Bio Lab: Invertebrates (earthworm, crayfish, starfish, and squid)

https://www.carolina.com/preserved-organisms-classroom-resources/carolina-bio-lab-invertebrates/FAM_399011.pr

Carolina Bio Lab: Fish (perch, shark, and lamprey)

https://www.carolina.com/preserved-organisms-classroom-resources/carolina-bio-lab-fish/FAM_399013.pr?question=Bio+Lab

Carolina Bio Lab: Pig

https://www.carolina.com/preserved-organisms-classroom-resources/carolina-bio-lab-pig/FAM_399014.pr?question=Bio+Lab

Carolina Bio Lab: Frog

https://www.carolina.com/preserved-organisms-classroom-resources/carolina-bio-lab-frog/FAM_399009.pr?question=Bio+Lab

I have not yet tried their Cat or fruit fly genetics labs but I hope to soon:

Carolina Bio Lab: Cat

https://www.carolina.com/preserved-organisms-classroom-resources/carolina-bio-lab-cat/FAM_399012.pr?question=Bio+Lab

Carolina Bio Lab: Fly

https://www.carolina.com/preserved-organisms-classroom-resources/carolina-bio-lab-fly/FAM_399008.pr?question=Bio+Lab

2020, what a year!

So it is my 17th year teaching and it is one unlike any other.

With the COVID-19 global pandemic schools are shut down all over the world. Governor DeWine shut down Ohio schools starting March 16th and we jumped right into online instruction as best we could. Thank goodness my students and I were already familiar with and using Google Classroom; we have all been able to manage pretty well since going to 100% online instruction. I enjoy creating new materials and using technology so while the change has been stressful, in some ways I'm really enjoying it.

I miss my students and the normalcy of a school day though but I know I'm very fortunate to be healthy and still have my job. Many people got laid off when non-essential businesses were told to shut down. My mother is in a high risk group, and I worry about her if she catches this. Since I have an autoimmune disease I too am more at risk than others. I leave the house only to walk the dog or go to the doctor or pharmacy. We order groceries online and get them delivered to avoid stores. The world is so different right now. I haven't seen friends or family in weeks and have no idea when I will be able to see them again. A coworker made masks for my boyfriend and I this week to wear when we do finally go out in public. 

We're all just putting our faith in scientists and hoping they are successful in a vaccine as soon as possible. Health care workers are rock stars right now as they battle this war and the devastation it has created. Truck drivers, grocery store workers, all other essential employees are heroes in this.

I tune in daily to the Governor's 2pm updates. We're up to 11,602 cases in Ohio, at least that is the number we know about. So many people that are sick aren't able to get tested, and many others are infected and don't even know it.. Ohio has 471 deaths so far, which is relatively low to other states that had first cases around the same time as us. I'm glad Governor DeWine was proactive early on as these numbers could be even worse. I'm wondering what he will announce this week though about the status of schools. Ohio schools were scheduled to open back up May 4th, but I don't see that happening now. I imagine we'll continue with online instruction for the remainder of the year. What to expect for next year though is the really big question for teachers and students. I can't imagine starting out a school year this way, but I may have to start thinking about it and preparing in case.

Well, in this world of virtual learning teachers have started to use Bitmojis to create their virtual classroom. So tonight I will end my post with my virtual classroom. Stay safe & healthy!

Goodbye Summer

Wow, one week left until school starts- how did that happen so fast?!?!

I just had my post-op appointment on Wednesday and got the approval to resume normal activities. I feel like that student that procrastinated and now it is cram time. I have so many things to get done and still need to head to school and set up my classroom! Yikes!

I've spent the last week of my down time trying to fundraise to get my projects funded on DonorsChoose. I still have a ways to go but I'm hoping with back to school some generous individuals will donate to my projects:

• Forensic Science Goes Virtual: My students need two Forensic Science Activity CD-ROM licenses to complete virtual lab activities.
• Science Detectives Investigate DNA Profiling: My students need a class set of gel electrophoresis equipment and a DNA Electrophoresis Lab kit to explore DNA fingerprinting and other biotechnology topics.

So, what do you do for back-to-school? Are you feeling prepared? Here is my go-to back to school activity:

Until next time. Happy Teaching!!

Hello again!

Wow, it has been way too long since I've updated this page!


This past school year was crazy! I stayed very busy with teaching but also battled a lot of medical issues and had several surgeries. Now that I'm finally getting back on my feet again I wanted to update!


First to share some good news... my coworkers elected me as Teacher of the Year again <3 It is nice to know that they recognize how hard I work.

This past school year I also got laptops for my classroom! It was awesome not to use textbooks anymore! Everything my students did was either online or printed out on paper for them. I was able to use a lot of fun online tools, and have been taking a lot of technology classes to learn more ways to integrate technology into my classroom this upcoming school year.


Here are a few of the fun things we did this year with technology:

Virtual Dissections

Skype with Scientists

Online Games and Study Tools

I've had a lot of requests from my TeachersPayTeachers friends for more materials, I just haven't found time to post them all yet. However, today I added Forensic Science Flashcards and Online Study Tools so I wanted you to be the first to know. Check them out!

Well, that is all for now. I hope you are enjoying summer!

Summer update

Does anyone else feel like summer goes by way too quickly?

I had a busy June. I took two weeks of Educational Technology classes, which just so happened to be enough to bump me up to the next step on the pay scale this year- yippee! Then I went on a one week vacation with my family to Hocking Hills. It was beautiful and I really enjoyed hiking at the state parks!

July has been a blur, filled with small outings and get-togethers with friends, and all of the doctor and dentist appointments I avoid during the school year. However, I recently realized I only have 4 weeks of summer left! I am teaching Biology again this year (this makes year 13 for me). I am also teaching a full year of Zoology this year; I taught it once before but only as a semester course. Anyways, I need to create a lot of new materials for it since we have zero books or resources to go along with it at school. I did apply for a grant, I will find out in August if I got it *crossing my fingers*. In the meantime, my summer fun has ended and work has started. I posted my new Cnidaria unit on TPT yesterday if there are any Biology or Zoology teachings wanting to check it out: http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Miss-Abrams

I also posted two new projects on Donors Choose in hopes of getting some new lab materials for my students. If you can spare even a dollar, I would really appreciate any size donation (donations are tax-deductible too). http://www.donorschoose.org/MissAbrams

Well, that is all for now! I hope all of my teacher friends are having a great summer! See you in August!

NSTA Conference Re-cap and Resources

It's summer break, which means I finally have time to sit down and post!

Back in March I went to the National Science Teacher Association Convention in Chicago with my coworkers. Here I am with our Chemistry/Physics teacher on Pi Day, I'm in red :)

As expected, the conference was great. I was able to attend the following sessions:

• Autopsy: Forensic Dissection
• Solving the Mystery of STEM using Forensics
• Extinctions: Past and Present
• Bullet Holes: Using STEM
• Comparative Vertebrate Anatomy Dissections
• Dissections Done Differently
• Body of Evidence: Forensic Science Mystery
• Forensic Entomology
• Zoo Genetics
• Going Viral: From Proteins to Pandemics
• Forensic DNA Activities with K'NEX
• Evolving Curiosity in the Animal Kingdom

From that list, there were a few awesome presentations and a few duds. A few of my favorites...

Autopsy: Forensic Dissection was really neat. We got to do a quick version of a fetal pig dissection, but instead of cutting it normally, we went through the process of everything from the Y-shaped incision, removing the organ block, then stitching it back up after. I was so impressed by this I came home, ordered the Caroline Kit, and did this activity with my Forensic Science students. They loved it! It took a while, over a week of class time, but they learned so much. That chapter test had the highest test scores of the whole year!

In fact, all of the dissections courses were interesting. I loved seeing how teachers link dissections together. I made baby steps toward that in my Biology classes by having students make Venn Diagrams comparing our invertebrate dissection (grasshopper) with the vertebrate dissection (perch). I gave them no prompting to this, it was just assigned after both dissections, and they did a really good job comparing and contrasting! Something so simple I never would have thought to have done before. Next year I am teaching Zoology and I can't wait to make more connections between animal groups.

Zoo Genetics was also SUPER awesome! If you teach genetics at all, I highly suggest going to http://www.xy-zoo.com/index.html and downloading the entire curriculum. There are great lesson plans, with real-life data collected in zoos, that will peak student interest!

Lastly, Evolving Curiosity in the Animal Kingdom was another great presentation. It was exactly what I needed to get me inspired for teaching Zoology next year. The staff from http://shapeoflife.org/ presented a lot of their free online materials and brought in a teacher to show us how he uses their tools. We did a great lab with classification of shells, so now I am on the hunt for some unique shells so I can do something like it with my zoology classes this upcoming school year. I take donations if you have some shells you are looking to get rid of ;)

There were also a lot of great booths at the conferences. I came home with all kinds of free materials, including a hornworm insect caterpillar! It was so neat seeing him grow! I'm hoping to order some for my zoology students next year to have them track their growth and metamorphosis.

Speaking of, I applied for a big grant to get supplies and virtual dissection computer programs for Zoology. I am crossing my fingers, praying, and hoping so badly that it gets selected to be funded. Without it, I'm not sure what I will do. Please think positive thoughts for me that it gets approved!

Well, my dog has a vet appointment soon so I better get ready for that! Have a great summer!!

Snow Day #7

Wow, my last post was back in November when we had our first snow day. Today we had snow day #7. I feel like it is still early to have so many- we have a lot of winter left, according to Punxsutawney Phil at least ;) BTW- Happy Groundhog Day!

Despite being behind on my content this year, my school year continues to go well. I'm really enjoying the group of students I have this year!

We just did a great lab in Biology about Mitosis and Cancer, thanks to some new supplies from a recent DonorsChoose Project! I feel like my students learned a lot! We also made a mural in the hall to honor loved ones who have fought cancer. This was the first time I let students do this and it was a great success. I learned a lot about my students and some really opened up. I will definitely do this again in the future.

My Forensics class also got to do a lab to practice building DNA models, use micropipets, and then extracted DNA from their cheek cells. It went really well! Many of these supplies were paid for through another DonorsChoose Project. I am so thankful for the website and generous donors!

My students were extra excited about this project because Grant Imahara from the TV show Mythbusters helped to fund the project! My students couldn't believe he knew about and wanted to support them! I'm excited to use these supplies with my Biology students soon too.

I've also been busy trying to upload resources to TeachersPayTeachers as well since I get a lot of requests. Here are some of my newly uploaded Forensic Science products:

Forensic Toxicology Learning Targets and Review Questions

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Forensic-Toxicology-Learning-Targets-and-Review-Questions-1671939

Forensic Toxicology PowerPoint Presentation
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Toxicology-PowerPoint-Presentation-Forensic-Science-1351499

Forensic Toxicology Notes Handout and Key
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Forensic-Toxicology-Notes-Handout-and-Key-1685599

Forensic Toxicology Review Worksheet
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Forensic-Science-Toxicology-Review-Worksheet-1685370

CSI Online Virtual Activities
https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Forensic-Science-CSI-Online-Virtual-Activities-1684270

Well, that is all for now! Expect another post in March since I will be attending the NSTA Conference in Chicago! I can't wait to share what I learn!