Here’s  an idea…
Simple machines are everywhere, yet we often use them without even realizing they are machines. For example, a fork is a wedge and a doorknob is a wheel and axle! How many simple machines can your students  find in your classroom?  In what way does each simple machine help move something or make work easier?  Have your students find levers, wheels and axles, wedges, pulleys, screws, and inclined planes in their every day environment.

Here’s an idea…
When weighing your decision on which balance is best for your classroom, knowing the goal of the lesson will provide your answer.  What capacity and readability will fit your students’ needs?  Capacity is the maximum mass a balance can measure. Readability is the smallest difference in mass that will be displayed on the balance.  If students are comparing objects, a two-pan balance is the best option.  But if precise measurement is the focus of your lesson, then an electronic balance will provide the most accurate reading.

Here’s an idea…
When introducing the Periodic Table of the Elements, think of each element as a member of a family.  How do the elements relate to one another?  Elements in the same row, or period, have the same number of orbitals, or shells, for their electrons. The first row has one shell, second row two, and so on.  Elements in the same column, or group, have the same number of electrons in their  outer shells.  The elements in column 1 have one electron in their outer shell, column 2 two electrons, and so on.  So each element belongs to a family – a period and a group.  It’s all relative!

Here’s an idea…
Changes in states of matter are everyday occurrences.  Butter melts on hot popcorn, candle wax hardens as it cools, puddles disappear in the sunshine. These are easy ways to show your students how solids can change to liquids, liquids to solids, and liquids to gases.  Let them investigate the properties of each state, and get hands on with science!