November 2013: Assessment Products
Deadline Extended to May 1, 2013
We know the value of using both formative and summative evaluation in our classrooms. The products of those evaluations can vary, it is the richness of the experiences and products that allow us to determine the depth of student understanding. Many times the products reveal even more about student learning than we considered in our initial learning goals!
What types of experiences do you include for your students to express their understanding?
What tools do you use to create a complete picture of what students understand?
What products are provided by your students that help you learn the most about what they bring to the learning situation, what understanding they still need to develop, and what knowledge they are able to apply to many situations?
How do students share their products?
What do you do to help students develop presentation skills? How do you engage the audience?
How do you evaluate student products?

December 2013: Connecting Science and Student Interests
Deadline May 1, 2013
Making science real, creating opportunities for students to connect science to their lives, building on what students already know, “hooking” kids on science, answering the questions about why science is important; these are among the reasons why it is important to connect science directly to students. Young children especially enjoy learning in the out-of-doors. Through these experiences they are becoming familiar with their surroundings and the connections they can make to the environment strengthens their understanding of the world around them. But, these connections are also important when addressing disciplinary core ideas in other areas.
How do you connect science learning to the lives and interests of students?
How do you select activities to assure this connection is taking place?
What experience have you had with problem-based learning?
What have you done to connect students with issues that concern your community?

January 2014: Science for All
Deadline June 1, 2013
When we consider all of the children in our classrooms, we realize the diversity of student needs. Whether the diversity you find in your students is cultural background, language challenges, learning needs, physical challenges, or classroom behavior issues, students may have special needs that must be addressed. Consider your greatest challenge, the special need that is most prevalent in your classroom. Then consider how you support these children. Provide an example of a lesson that illustrates the ways in which you modify what is done in your classroom to meet the needs of all.
Does your school/system have a set of expectations for classroom differentiation? How do you meet those expectations when engaging in science conceptual development?
How do you set up your science lessons to meet the diverse needs of all children?
How have you modified standard lessons to make them more suitable for specific special needs?
What special support do you provide to these children?
What strategies and tools do you use to assess students with special needs?

February 2014: Sounds of Science
Deadline August 1, 2013
What child doesn’t enjoy making noise? But, many children do not understand how sound is made, how it travels, how it can be changed, and how it can be used. It begins with understanding that sound is caused by vibrations. A Framework for K–12 Science Education: Practices, Crosscutting Concepts, and Core Ideas places this understanding in PS4.A. We might generally think about the study of sound as being a part of physical science core ideas, but through addressing the crosscutting concept of Energy and Matter, it may be included among life and Earth sciences. Sound is created by many living things—these sounds may provide indications of health, wellbeing, or warnings. Sounds are also generated by nonliving things and provide an indication of what they are made of, how they work, or their interactions. In addition, technology has been developed that supports the use of sound for many purposes.
What early experiences with sound are needed to provide the scaffolding necessary to build conceptual understanding of waves and sound?
What strategies do you use to connect student understanding of waves to characteristics and behavior of sound?
Do you create a deliberate connection between sound and living things, earth materials, machines, technology, and so on?
How do you develop an understanding of sound and engage your students in the uses and power of sound?

March 2014: Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics
Deadline September 1, 2013
Organisms grow and reproduce by successfully interacting with everything surrounding them. They have relationships with other organisms and the physical environment—these interactions change the living and nonliving characteristics of the environment. Ecosystems are dynamic, with populations and the physical environment constantly changing. A Framework for K–12 Science Education: Practices, Crosscutting Concepts, and Core Ideas places this understanding in LS2. What better way for children to learn about ecosystems than to begin by learning about their own surroundings! We frequently ignore the rich experiences students can gain that are immediately outside the school doors.
Do you have an outdoor learning center on your school grounds? Do you use the natural environment surrounding your school or in your neighborhood for learning opportunities?
How do you provide experiences that allow students to understand how animals survive and what types of things they require from their environment?
What learning opportunities do your students participate in that builds an understanding concerning the form, function, and role of plants in the ecosystem?
What long-term studies have you constructed to help students understand the changes that take place in an ecosystem? What type of outdoor resource do you use throughout the year?

Summer 2014: Resources from Informal Science Centers and Funded Projects
Deadline November 1, 2013
In a perfect world, we would all have more resources available to us than we could possibly use. Unfortunately, elementary schools frequently lack the material and human resources needed for an exemplary science program to be developed. Whether it is time, equipment, content expertise, or additional people to help out, we can all use additional resources. Explain what resources you use and how they are used to support you and your students in science teaching and learning.
Have you partnered with informal science centers or other agencies to gain their resources?
How do you find the resources you need?
Do you use the services of volunteers or parents in special ways to help you in the classroom?
Do you have a special training program for volunteers?
What funding sources have you identified?
Where can teachers turn to acquire the resources needed to continue to teach a standards-based science program?

Not ready to pen a feature article?

Consider writing a column. These shorter, focused pieces are the perfect way to share your experiences with the wider elementary science community.

Science Shorts

This column shares your take on classic classroom activities and how they emphasize science-process skills. After introducing the activity and placing it into classroom context, provide the activity how-to and materials list. Include a guiding question for the activity, the targeted grade level, and the process skills the activity addresses. Rubrics, study guides, worksheets, and other materials should be provided as they will be shared via NSTA Connections, our online resource site. Length: 1500 words

Methods and Strategies

This column provides ideas and techniques to enhance your science teaching. This is S&C’s “think piece” and connects science teaching with research on teaching and learning. This is done by sharing an account of a method or strategy used in the classroom and explaining how its use is supported by research. While the presentation of the method or strategy is often content-based, the method or strategy should be applicable to other settings and other content. Length: 2000 words

Recognizing Excellence

Have you been recognized for excellence? Share your experience with Science and Children readers! The column “Recognizing Excellence” will provide a peek into classrooms and programs that have received awards for their exemplary contributions to elementary science. It’s not just bragging (though you deserve it!), this column will provide models for your peers to follow as they create their own exemplary programs and inspire others to follow in your footsteps and gain recognition. Please see below for column guidelines for both individual teachers and science programs. Length: 2000 words

Individuals
(Presidential Awardees, NSTA Awards programs awardees such as Shell, Toshiba, Tapestry, Distinguished Teacher)
Include the following:

1. A sample lesson indicating exemplary work by the awardee. This might be a lesson that was provided during the process of applying for the award
2. The connection to the National Science Education Standards and other reform efforts
3. A statement describing how receiving this award has affected what the recipient has done professionally
4. A brief overview of the award and how others can apply

Programs
(Exemplary Science Programs and other comprehensive awards reaching beyond a single teacher/classroom)
Include the following:

1. A statement that clarifies the core components and impact of the program so that the readers can easily determine potential applications for their own teaching. This should include a description of the context (school, industry, university, organization, region, school focus, grade level) and elaboration of the unique features of the program
2. Evidence for success: This can be qualitative and/or quantitative but should provide evidence of actual impact on teaching and learning
3. Reflective questions/issues including any applicable suggestions for modifications.
4. The connection to the National Science Education Standards and other reform efforts
5. A brief overview of the award and how others can apply.

Details, Details

Your 2000-word manuscript should describe a set of connected lessons or investigations that build an idea or content area. They should include assessments (pre-, post- and formative) as well as enough detail that another teacher could replicate the lessons in the classroom. Examples of student work are encouraged.

Please read our manuscript guidelines before submitting your manuscript. You can find more tips in Write from the Start (PDF). Manuscripts should be submitted electronically; once online, follow the steps for New Author Registration. For more information, contact managing editor Valynda Mayes at vmayes@nsta.org.

Don’t see a theme that fits your idea? Don’t let that stop you from writing! We always make room for good manuscripts on any elementary science topic.

Upcoming Issues

January 2013: Focus on the New Standards

February 2013: Early Childhood Life Science

March 2013: It’s Electrifying

April/May 2013: The History of our Planet

Summer 2013: Engaging in Argument From Evidence

September 2013: A Variety of Instructional Strategies

October 2013: Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM)

November 2013: Assessment Products

December 2013: Connecting Science and Student Interests