211. 5 Differentiation Tips for High Achievers in Your High School Science Classroom

December is here, and we’re kicking off the month by bringing back your most-loved, most-listened-to episodes of Secondary Science Simplified to make the holiday chaos feel a little lighter! This week’s replay dives into practical, high-impact ways to differentiate for high achievers - without busywork or burnout. You’ll learn how to craft more challenging assessments, build a classroom culture that fosters autonomy and peer support, and weave in student choice, inquiry, and meaningful extensions that keep advanced learners truly engaged.

➡️ Show Notes: https://itsnotrocketscienceclassroom.com/episode211

Resources Mentioned:

• Take the 2026 Secondary Science Simplified Podcast Survey!
• Be a guest in 2026 on the SSS podcast.
• It’s Not Rocket Science® Complete Units
• Biology Curriculum Full Year Bundle
• Chemistry Curriculum Full Year Bundle
• Anatomy Curriculum Full Year Bundle
• Physical Science Curriculum Full Year Bundle
• PBL Packs
• Culture Mini Course
• Download your FREE Classroom Reset Challenge.
• Take the Free Labs When Limited virtual PD course
• Send me a DM on Instagram: @its.not.rocket.science
• Send me an email: [e-mail]
• Follow, rate, and review on Apple Podcasts.
• Follow, rate, and comment on Spotify.

Related Episodes:

• Episode 29, Student-Centered Pedagogy: What It Is
• Episode 96, Why I Stopped Assigning Homework (And 6 Surprising Results)
• Episode 168, Differentiation In Your Science Classroom – Simple Tips to Decrease Overwhelm
• Episode 170, Differentiating for Lower Achieving Students (Without Lowering the Bar)