Welcome!

Welcome!
My name is Mrs. Simcox and I'm a teacher in San Diego, California. You can learn more about what I do for a living by reading the "About Me" information on the right-hand side of this page. It's quite different from a regular teaching position! I'm also in school myself finishing up my Masters degree in teaching with an emphasis on educational technology. I'm taking my final class and I'm very excited to have almost completed my degree.
Part of my job is teaching an elementary-school science class. I chose ecology for the focus of my class this year. When I learned that I would be required to create a blog for the Masters class I'm taking this month, I decided to use my ecology class for inspiration. I've decided to use this assignment to present a unit on the earth's biomes. This blog assignment is also a great opportunity for me to try out my lesson plans and hands-on projects before I present them to my class! I'll post information, websites, and notes that could be used in an elementary-level (kindergarten through grade five) science/ecology course. I'll also post some hands-on science activities that you can try out at home or, if you're a teacher, in your classroom.
I hope you enjoy my blog. Please feel free to leave comments or ask questions about any of the posts.

The activities in this blog are based on the California Grade 3 Life Sciences Standard 3b:
Adaptations in physical structure or behavior may improve an organism's chance for survival. As a basis for understanding this concept:
b. Students know examples of diverse life forms in different environments, such as oceans, deserts, tundra, forests, grasslands, and wetlands.

Reference:
California Department of Education. (2008). Content standards: Science, adopted October 1998. Retrieved November 3, 2008 from http://www.cde.ca.gov/be/st/ss/index.asp