A Conversation with Ashley Grapes, Founder of Science with Grapes
Image Credit: Science with Grapes!, with permission form Ashley Grapes
Today, we’re excited to speak with Ashley Grapes, founder of Science with Grapes, an educational content brand dedicated to making science engaging, accessible, and meaningful for teachers and students. As one of the most successful content creators on Teachers Pay Teachers, Ashley has built an impressive collection of classroom resources that help educators bring science concepts to life.
Our conversation will focus primarily on her AP Environmental Science products, exploring how she develops curriculum resources, responds to the needs of teachers and students, and helps educators navigate the demands of a rigorous AP course. We’ll also discuss her journey as a content creator, the evolution of Science with Grapes, and what she has learned about building a sustainable educational business while making a real impact in science education.
To start, can you tell us about your journey into science education and what led you to create Science with Grapes?
In high school, I took a career aptitude test and it told me, unequivocally, to become a teacher. I ignored it because I was set on becoming a veterinarian. In college, I fell in love with the college atmosphere, so I quickly decided to become a professor instead. I earned a Master's in Secondary Science Education while doing fieldwork for the Biology department. This led me to the University of Florida, where I started a PhD in Animal Molecular and Cellular Biology. Unfortunately, I started having some health issues, and ended up leaving the program with a master's degree.
That is how I found myself teaching high school in Jacksonville Beach, and I absolutely fell in love with the school and the town! Over my thirteen years there, I taught a range of courses, including physical science, AP Biology, Dual Enrollment Biology, Honors Biology, Standard Biology, Zoology, AP Environmental, and even Student Life Skills. My school was incredibly supportive and gave me the freedom to be myself in the classroom, which helped me realize I had a passion and talent for creating educational resources!
My colleagues, whom I shared all my creations with, really encouraged me to start a TPT store and share them with other educators. When my husband lost his job during COVID, I finally took the plunge and launched Science with Grapes in the summer of 2021. I honestly never expected it to take off the way it did!
For a couple of years, I tried balancing teaching full-time with running my store, but eventually I had to choose one or the other. Leaving the classroom was a huge decision, but it allowed me to pursue curriculum design full-time. It's been a crazy whirlwind, and I've had so much to learn along the way. I'm incredibly grateful that I still get to do one of the things I loved most about teaching: creating meaningful, engaging science resources that other teachers can bring into their classrooms!
Science with Grapes has become a highly successful presence on Teachers Pay Teachers. What do you think has contributed most to your success, and when did you realize this could become a thriving business?
I think my success comes from a combination of my master’s in education, my artistic side and love of graphic design (thanks to my mother!), my weird, imaginative brain, and my Type A personality. 😊 I also think my years in the classroom gave me a good understanding of what teachers actually need. I've always tried to create resources that are not only educationally sound, but also visually appealing, creative, and genuinely fun for students.
I started realizing Science with Grapes could become something bigger when I was struggling to balance teaching full-time with the growing demands of my TPT store. And I've definitely noticed (and I think my buyers have, too!) that since leaving the classroom, my resources have improved tremendously. I finally have the time, energy, and creative space to put 100% into each new resource. I'm incredibly proud of what I've created, and it's honestly such a privilege to share my work with other educators. Hearing their feedback and knowing that students are enjoying the resources makes it all the more rewarding!
Explain to our APES readers what you offer and how you’d like to see it used in the classroom.
I offer everything from individual activities to comprehensive lessons (PowerPoints, guided notes, and activities), complete units, and even entire curriculums, so teachers can scale up or down however they like!
My goal is to create resources that are scientifically accurate, aligned with the standards, visually appealing, and, most importantly, engaging for students. I put a lot of thought into making my PowerPoints clear and easy to follow, my guided notes organized and useful, and my activities creative and sometimes even entertaining! I'm especially passionate about incorporating storytelling and mission-based learning to make science feel more meaningful and memorable.
As for how I'd like teachers to use my resources, I really believe in flexibility. Every teacher has their own personality, teaching style, and classroom needs. Some might use my entire curriculum, while others might just borrow an activity or presentation to complement what they're already doing. I love that! Ultimately, I just hope my resources make teachers' lives a little easier and get students genuinely excited about learning science.
What do you think makes your approach to teaching APES distinctive?
Imagine two different classrooms learning about ecosystem services…
In the first classroom, they're given a worksheet with examples of different services that ecosystems provide. They read through the scenarios, identify whether each represents a provisioning, regulating, cultural, or supporting service, and answer some conclusion questions to demonstrate their understanding. They may make thank-you posters, where they Google “ecosystem services of a forest” and copy and paste what Google spits out. Students may not feel particularly connected to what they're learning.
In the second classroom students sit down, open their computers, and discover that today, they're taking on the role of Mother Nature! In an activity called Nature's Bottom Line, developers have submitted proposals to transform natural ecosystems, including turning a wildflower meadow into a sunflower farm and a mangrove forest into shrimp ponds. On paper, these developments look profitable, and they might be…at first! But Mother Nature can jump ahead 5 years and reveal the hidden consequences of overlooking regulating and supporting services in favor of short-term profits. Suddenly, ecosystem services aren't just vocabulary words anymore. The role, the story, and the immersive imagery let students explore the same APES objectives in a way that gave them meaning and purpose, helping it “stick” better. And all it requires is a computer and a worksheet!
This is what I think makes my curriculum distinctive: the activities. I love traditional labs, and I certainly still incorporate them, but I'm especially passionate about mission-based learning and storytelling. After a teacher-led lesson, students apply what they've learned through an activity that gives the science a clear role, challenge, or problem to solve. One day, students might become doctors, farmers, scientists, or investigators. Another day, they might be studying air pollution to save humanity from aliens or gathering biodiversity data to advocate for the safe relocation of gopher tortoises. Whatever the mission, my goal is to wrap the science in a storyline that creates purpose, sparks curiosity, and helps students connect with what they're learning. And yes, I absolutely believe there's room for a little entertainment in science education, too!
Tell our readers a little bit about the mini case studies you have made for each unit.
I take a slightly different approach to traditional case studies. When an example is common in APES (such as resource partitioning among mussels or the trophic cascade that follows the loss of sea otters), I weave it into a mission-based storyline. For example, my KelpQuest activity combines mussels, sea otters, and symbiotic relationships. Students become ecologists tasked with monitoring the health of a kelp forest, and that role and setting bring these seemingly disconnected topics together in one 45-minute activity.
What do you think distinguishes a good curriculum resource from an exceptional one?
I think, as with all things, there are different strokes for different folks! I'm sure my mission-based storylines aren't everyone's cup of tea, especially teachers who prefer a more traditional, college-esque approach. And that's perfectly fine! There are many wonderful ways to teach science.
To me, a good curriculum is scientifically accurate, well-organized, and helps students master the content. But an exceptional curriculum goes a step further. It makes students curious, engaged, and genuinely excited about what they're learning. I think curriculum should be judged on two things: student outcomes and, just as importantly, the day-to-day student experience. Did students perform well academically? But also, did they enjoy coming to class? Did they feel connected to what they were learning? Did they walk away with a greater appreciation for science? Will they continue exploring these topics outside the classroom? Could what they've learned inspire them to reconsider their perspectives, make changes in their own lives, or even influence their future goals?
I've heard from teachers who have had wonderful success with their students' AP exam scores using my curriculum, and that makes me incredibly proud. But hearing that their students look forward to class and genuinely enjoy the activities is even more rewarding to me, personally.
And just to reiterate, I have tremendous respect for other educators and curriculum creators, and I think there's room for many different teaching styles. This is simply the philosophy that guides my own work!
Many AP teachers face significant time constraints and a demanding curriculum. How do you think about teacher workload when designing your products?
In my district, we are struggling with major teacher shortages, overcrowded classrooms, and limited budgets. Luckily, my dual enrollment classes were capped at 25 students through the college, but my other science classes regularly had 30+ students. My last year teaching, I had 43 students in my AP Environmental Science class! To make matters worse, we were given a $300 classroom supply stipend for the entire year, which I blew through in no time. I ended up spending my own money because I genuinely cared about my students' learning experiences and felt guilty skipping out on labs I knew they would love if I dished out $50.
Unfortunately, when you're dealing with 35 squirrely freshmen or 43 seniors, safety also becomes a real concern. And some of those AP labs are a doozy, and I just couldn’t manage them under my circumstances. So when I design activities, I often think about teachers in similar situations, or even homeschooling parents who may not have access to traditional lab equipment. I try to keep my activities affordable, accessible, and relatively low-prep without sacrificing engagement or scientific rigor. That's a big reason why I create so many digital walkthrough activities.
But let me be clear: I absolutely believe in the value of hands-on labs, but sometimes it's just not practical to spend hours gathering materials, setting up stations, and cleaning everything afterward. I want teachers to have engaging alternatives that don't require a huge budget or hours of preparation!
Image Credit: Science with Grapes!, with permission form Ashley Grapes
Hands-on learning and student engagement are prominent features of your teaching philosophy. How do you determine whether an activity is genuinely improving student understanding rather than simply making a lesson more entertaining?
I think entertainment absolutely has a place in learning…if you do it right! Students should be excited to come to class and learn. If you can create that mentality, you're already setting them up for success. And I think one of the best ways to do that is by enriching their learning experience through meaning and purpose.
Think about how many traditional labs involve pages of directions followed by conclusion questions about how the science applies to real life…but it's not necessarily their life. So sometimes labs become a means to an end, and teachers hear that dreaded phrase, "When am I ever going to need to know this?"
Mission-based stories give students a reason, right there and then, to learn something. They're not just reading about a problem in a third-person case study. They're the active player, and they need the science to accomplish their mission! Even something as simple as an escape room can create an incredible sense of focus and determination because students have a goal they're working toward.
But of course, entertainment alone isn't enough. I always start with the learning objectives and build the activity around what students need to understand and practice, not the other way around. My activities include questions that require students to apply what they've learned, explain their reasoning, and draw conclusions. All the APES task verbs, haha.
Who is your intended audience when creating your resources? Do you primarily design for new teachers, experienced teachers, or educators at all stages of their careers?
This is a great question! I think many of my buyers are teachers who are new to a particular subject, rather than necessarily new to teaching altogether. Having a complete curriculum with lessons, guided notes, activities, and assessments can be a huge relief when you're teaching a course for the first time! That said, I've also had plenty of experienced teachers purchase a single activity, get a feel for what I'm about, and eventually go all in on the curriculum! Others prefer to use my resources as supplements to what they've already created, and I think that's wonderful, too
There are so many talented educators out there with their own teaching styles and approaches. My goal is to make my resources flexible enough that teachers at any stage of their careers can find something useful, whether they need an entire curriculum or just a creative activity to shake things up a little!
How do you gather feedback from teachers and use it to improve your products?
Well, when I was still in the classroom, I could test my activities directly with my students. It's definitely harder now that I'm no longer teaching, but I've developed relationships with some wonderful buyers who regularly email me after trying my activities and share their experiences and suggestions. I'm definitely NOT perfect, and sometimes an idea just doesn't work out quite the way I imagined it would, and that's okay! I think I've redesigned my bycatch lab three times now, haha. I genuinely appreciate constructive criticism, and when teachers point out something that could be clearer, more engaging, or easier to implement, I do my best to address it. I'm always looking for ways to improve my resources.
You have created resources across several science subjects, including biology, zoology, and environmental science. What draws you to creating content for different courses, and what makes each subject unique?
I'm just a huge nerd! Honestly, I love learning, and I want to know everything! Whenever I learn something new, I immediately start thinking, "Now, how could I teach this to students in my own style?" I especially love taking topics that students might otherwise find difficult, intimidating, or even boring and finding ways to make them more approachable and entertaining. Ultimately, I think my own excitement about science is what drives me to create resources across different subjects. If I can pass even a little of that curiosity and enthusiasm on to students, hopefully more of them will discover a love for science and maybe even consider a future in STEM!
When you look five years into the future, what would you like Science with Grapes to look like, and what impact do you hope your resources will have on science education? What are you most excited about developing next?
Five years from now, I would love to have included more curriculum lines. I’m aiming for Life Science, Chemistry, Physical Science, Earth & Space Science, and AP Biology. I'd also love to start speaking to educators (conferences, YouTube) about mission-based learning and how they can transform activities they already use into meaningful, engaging storylines.
One of my biggest dreams, though, is to partner with a university or research institution to actually study the effectiveness of mission-based learning compared to more traditional approaches. I know it works but I obviously need to back it up with some data that uses the scientific method. I think research like that could help more schools and districts feel confident incorporating these approaches into their classrooms. Then I could really help bring in change!
Ashley, thank you for taking the time to share your story, your insights into creating AP Environmental Science resources, and your experience building Science with Grapes. We appreciate the work you do to support science educators and help make learning more engaging for students. It’s been a pleasure learning more about your journey and the passion behind your work!
As always, Chris and Jay, I seriously appreciate you! You’re doing amazing work in the APES and education world, and I have nothing but the utmost respect for you. I also want to just say thank you for taking a genuine interest in what I do and wanting to know more about me and my curriculum journey! Not to mention, you’re just being super kind human beings! I look forward to working together for many years to come.
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