New Science Teacher Advice: 25 Top Tips

Tips for running labs as a new science teacher

One of the most overwhelming part of being a new science teacher is having to run labs with teenagers. It’s terrifying!

Apart from there being so so so many things that could go wrong, you are also required to be able to watch all students at all times while predicting problems and responding to things as they happen. 

1. Practice labs before you do them with your class

It is impossible to be able to practice every lab or activity before you do it with your class. There simply are not enough hours in the day. However, if they are particularly dangerous, require preciseness or you are unsure about how they work, then I highly recommend you take the time to run through them yourself first. Even though I am not a new science teacher any more I still try to practice labs that are new to me.

Why?

Because:

• It will help you predict potential issues the students will have
• It will help you identify the safety precautions that will be necessary for the particular experiment 
• It helps you realize if you forgot to buy/order any necessary equipment or materials, and,
• It helps you gain a deeper understanding of what the experiment is demonstrating

2. Order your experiments well ahead of time

If you are lucky enough to have a lab assistant or, even if you’re not, you will do yourself a lot of favours if you order your experiments and materials ahead of time.

I like to put all my orders in at least a week before doing the experiment. This allows me time to check for the materials we have, buy the materials we don’t have and practice the experiment if I need to.

3. Ensure students know emergency procedures

Make sure you constantly revisit emergency procedures including evacuation procedures, where the fire blanket and extinguishers are located, where the emergency gas cutoff, emergency power shutoff, and emergency showers are located, and how to use them.

4. Spend your first few lessons drilling in safe practice and classroom routines 

A big part of being able to run your classroom well is to ensure the safety of your students and yourself. By establishing and enforcing strict, clear lab safety rules and routines right from the beginning, you can run safe and smooth lab lessons. 

Every classroom will be different, but here are some clear things to consider when setting up your classroom routines:

1. How will students enter the room?
2. Where will students sit?
3. Where will students put their bags?
4. How will students complete labs?
5. How will students clean up after a lab?
6. What is the expectation for homework?
7. Where do students find the work they missed?

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My favourite all-year-round posters

New Science Teacher Advice

5. Use poster and anchor charts 

Posters and anchor charts are excellent to have a visual reminder and reference point each lesson. I love using lab safety posters and these FREE science variables posters in my lab all year round. 

6. Have students sign a lab safety contract 

It is important that students hold themselves accountable for their own actions. I like to have my students sign a lab safety contract at the beginning of the year to hold them accountable. It helps them to understand the seriousness of working safely in the lab and it gives you a reference point if students are misbehaving or acting unsafely. 

7. Share expectations with parents

It is a good idea to share the expectations of students with parents. This includes expectations for homework, class behavior, and assessment tasks. You could even consider having them sign the lab safety contract as well to say that they understand what is expected of their child and that measures will be taken if students do not adhere to the contract. 

I like to send home this Meet the Teacher page at the beginning of the year to share a bit about myself as well as my expectations for students for the year. Feel free to grab a FREE copy of my template here.

8. Don’t be afraid to make students miss out on labs if they are unsafe

It is your responsibility to look after the safety of all the students in the class. If a student is behaving in an unsafe manner then don’t hesitate to make them miss out on the lab. I would follow this up with a chat with the student to ensure they understand exactly why they are not able to participate and a phone call home. If you are nervous about the phone call home, I often phrase it in terms of the student’s own safety and the safety of others in the room. 

9. Have multiple lab groupings on hand 

Sometimes labs call for work in pairs, other times in groups of fours. Sometimes you will want students to work with their friends, other times in ability-based groups, and other times in mixed-ability groups. Having these lists on hand makes these groupings quick to allocate and communicate with students.

I often have these groupings printed on A3 paper that I can quickly put up around the room so students can check their groupings rather than me having to call the names out individually every time. 

New Science Teacher Advice

10. Utilize teachers aides with explicit instructions for lab time

Often teachers’ aides want to help but are unsure when it comes to experiments. Give them clear objectives to follow so they are helpful and feel a sense of purpose too.

It may be that you want them to stay with a particular group of students and re-read the instructions to them one step at a time.

It could be that you want them to roam around the room reminding students of safety protocols or helping you ensure they are on task. 

11. If you are unsure about something – ask

There are so many things that can go wrong when teaching science, particularly if you are a new science teacher. If you are unsure how an experiment works, how equipment should be set up or whether you can substitute one chemical for another – please ask! Ask your lab assistant (if you have one), another teacher, or someone you follow on Instagram or look it up on youtube or google.

There are also many credible sources of information out there now so if the internet is your only option then don’t hesitate. You could also look it up online first then just double-check with a colleague as well. 

12. Ask to watch another teacher complete new experiments

As a new science teacher, if you are completing a lab for the first time, don’t hesitate to ask for help or to watch another teacher do it first. 

I don’t specialize in biology, however in Australia, the way our timetable is set up means that I teach all sciences in years 7-10 before specializing in years 11 and 12. When it came to doing my first pluck dissection I asked my lab assistant to come and demonstrate it for me with my class. She had a lot of experience in biology labs and was more than happy to come and show my class.

Not only was it fantastic having her expertise in my classroom, it also meant I got to watch and learn from her and my students also had the opportunity to learn from another scientist too. 

13. Utilize youtube videos

Not every opportunity for an experiment can be used as such. While I love hands-on learning, sometimes there aren’t enough lessons, isn’t enough preparation time, you don’t have the equipment, or the class’s behavior has made the experiment impossible.

In these circumstances, I highly recommend utilizing available YouTube videos and virtual labs. 

The other reason to check out YouTube videos as a new science teacher is if you need a refresher of the content or you are teaching outside of your subject area. There are many great tutorial videos out there to help you. 

14. Label everything 

Label everything so students know where things are and where to put them away. Draws, cupboards, boxes, and tubs should all have a label on them. 

15. Keep a shopping list

When you are in the middle of an experiment or lesson and you notice that your materials are running low or you need more of something you need to make note of it then. Otherwise by the time you go to order things you will have forgotten important items. 

My suggestion is to use an electronic ‘note’ or document to keep a running list that you can quickly add to on the go. 

New Science Teacher Advice

Tips for teaching science as a new science teacher

16. Review vocabulary as often as possible

Teaching science is often like introducing a whole other language with the amount of new vocabulary for students. Some fun ways to review science vocab include racing games, self-marking quizzes, escape rooms and murder mysteries. 

17. Use modeling as often as possible for complex concepts

As many concepts in science can be abstract or hard to visualize, modeling provides students with a way to visualize and make sense of them. Use lollies, modeling clay, dioramas, and role play. 

For example, Le Chateliers principle in Chemistry and the concept of a chemical reaction reaching equilibrium is difficult for students to grasp because they cannot see what is happening at a particle level. I love to use m&m’s to model this concept as seen here.

18. Learning intentions for each lesson with success criteria including relevant labs

Help give students clear directions by providing learning intentions and success criteria for each lesson. If you are completing a lab, my suggestion is to include a skill in the success criteria relevant to the lab as well. For example:

• Students can perform an experiment safely using appropriate equipment
• Students can choose the most appropriate equipment for accurate measuring. 
• Students can design an experiment to determine…

19. Organise your lab

An organised lab is safer, easier to tidy and will help your students feel safe. 

20. Utilize free resources 

As a new science teacher it can feel like you have to start from scratch with resources. But don’t forget that there are so many free resources out there now that are well worth having a look at. PHeT, Kahoot, Quizlet, and YouTube. Utilizing these resources is a great way to provide variety in your lessons as a new science teacher without creating extra work for you.

New Science Teacher Advice

21. Find a mentor

Having someone mentor you in your early years of teaching is a great way to grow as an educator. It provides you with someone to go to with questions and to run your ideas by. If your school hasn’t set you up with a mentor already then see if there is an experienced teacher you connect with to ask if they would mind. They don’t need to be in your faculty.

22. Don’t recreate the wheel

Don’t feel that you have to create your own resources or come up with new ideas. Your first years of teaching should be focused on learning the content and working out your classroom management routines. Feel free to use pre-made lessons, worksheets, textbooks and resources. 

23. Skip labs if you need to

Organizing labs is time-consuming and can be exhausting to run. If you are feeling the pressure of time and energy then it’s okay to skip a lab every now and then. Potentially swap it for a virtual lab online that doesn’t require the same level of preparation or cleanup. 

24. Show your excitement

Enter the classroom with a smile on your face and let your students see your excitement for teaching and for science. Students will vibe your energy and it will help your students connect with you as a person.

25. Be confident

Students like to know you are in charge. It’s okay to fake it til you make it. 

New Science Teacher Advice

Conclusion

Being a new science teacher can be overwhelming and hard work. Try these tips to help make your job a little more manageable. 

Are you a new science teacher? Make sure you join my email list for top tips, free resources and classroom ideas. 

New Science Teacher Advice