NSTA - National Science Teachers Association

Whether planning a trip to mars, determining the structure of atoms and molecules, or using tire marks to recreate an automobile accident, many of the applications of science involve prediction of what objects are going to do and how they will interact. Fortunately, we know a great deal about such motions and interactions, thanks to centuries of scientists studying just these things.

This SciGuide addresses four main themes—describing position and motion, Newton’s first law, Newton’s second law, and Newton’s third law. Accurate and reliable descriptions of where something is and what it’s doing are essential for laying a groundwork for the causes of motion and changes in motion. Newton’s laws, used by scientists and laypeople alike, provide the solid framework of those causes. The contents of this SciGuide will provide resources for understanding and applying all these concepts in a way that will tie the formal statements with practical experiences and applications.
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The oceans cover more than 70% of Earth’s surface and play a major role in regulating the weather and climate of the planet. Earth’s oceans absorb heat from sunlight, hold on to that heat, and transport it around the globe through the movement of ocean currents. The motion of the atmosphere, or winds, above it, also affects the oceans currents. The energy in the wind gets transferred to the ocean at the ocean surface affecting the motion of the water there. With the use of sensitive instruments we are able to get a better view of the functioning of our oceans and atmosphere.

This science guide will point teachers and students to resources to help develop a better understanding of some of the factors that impact Earth's weather and climate. Sites with recent research and satellite data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and other organizations help students understand how changes in temperature or air circulation are part of complex, longer-term cycles. They'll also learn about the interconnections between air, sea, and land and that any change could have multiple causes—and multiple effects.
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The study of chemistry requires an understanding of the structure of atoms, the properties of chemical compounds, the types of bonds formed as compounds are made and the types of reactions that can occur. All of these areas are examined in the themes listed below. These resources vary from text-based review documents to some very interactive web sites.
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The National Science Education Standards (NSES) for this Life Science topic call on students to appreciate the interrelationships among plants, animals, and their environments. In this guide, "environments" include both living (biotic) and nonliving (abiotic) components.

Science textbooks and the Internet describe organisms and their environments using common terminology, such as habitats and biomes; food webs, behavior, and populations; and so on. This web guide provides links to teacher- and student-friendly core content, inquiry, and aligned assessment websites.

Some of the examples enable teachers to develop meaningful lesson plans and activities that help students understand organisms and their environments. A team of experienced science teachers reviewed and evaluated each website before submission, and all resources correlate with the NSES.
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NASA has a vision and goal of returning humans to the moon for long-duration missions by the year 2020, how will they do it? Humans have not ventured to the moon since the Apollo missions from 1969–1972 and those were brief excursions. 30 years later, new technologies and applications have been developed that will make lunar living a reality. Why not incorporate this new and exciting adventure into your study of life, physical, and Earth science in a motivating way? Pique your students’ natural curiosity by using space science as your “hook.”

As NASA designs and develops habitats and life support systems for their lunar missions, they will be focusing on the task of having an “Earth like” environment on the moon that contains food, shelter, water, and air for all living things. Scientists and engineers at NASA’s Johnson Space Center have already begun “to make living on the moon a reality.” Beginning with a lunar landing “mock-up” that has a crew cabin with a small galley, waste collection area, sleep area, storage compartments, and even medical supplies, they are designing “mini” space habitats to support life in space for up to seven days. Living in space requires attention to health and fitness, food production and waste management, sources of power, transportation, and communication, and social adaptations that space ecosystems will depend upon.

Teaching about ecosystems, habitats, and health through space science helps students to see the real-life application of their studies, transfer their knowledge to other situations, and wonder about the future. Isn’t this what we all want to accomplish when we design our curriculum around the teaching standards? The web resources in this SciGuide will help students learn core science content in a fun, meaningful context. Using what they know about life on Earth, they will make predictions and inferences about the success of human life in space. Now that’s engaging!

This web guide offers a variety of resources for you and your students, all of which have been evaluated and rated by master teachers across the country in an effort to make your task of incorporating technology into the classroom easier. Looking for life science lesson plans about ecosystems, populations, interdependence, microorganisms, and more? You will find them in this guide along with interactive simulations, images, hands-on investigations, and content background. NASA strives to provide teachers with standards-based, inquiry lessons and this SciGuide is an example of their efforts.
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Meteorologists disagree as to what constitutes severe weather. However, most concur that thunderstorms, tornadoes, and hurricanes, all considered to be "convective" weather, fit the definition of severe weather, which is a weather condition likely to cause hardship.

This science guide will explore each of the three weather phenomena. By virtue of their locations, most students are familiar with at least one of the three severe weather events. Students who tour the web sites will have an opportunity to make connections between the familiar and the perhaps less understood weather events.
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Would you like to make you own geyser explode? Take part in a copper caper? Create a glittering globe? Investigate ice crystals?

The answer, of course, is ... YES!

Dive into this pool of web sites to discover dynamic, mind-expanding places where teachers and students will increase their understanding of matter and materials.

The Web pages targeted from this guide provide content material, activities, lesson plans, assessments, or interactive sites for use by teachers and students, broken into appropriate age-level categories. They align with the National Science Education Standards (NSES).

NSES Physical Science Content Standard B includes three main parts for grades 5-8:

1. Properties and Changes of Properties in Matter
2. Motions and Forces, and
3. Transfer of Energy.

This web guide focuses on the first of these three parts, Properties and Changes of Properties in Matter.

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"We all live under the same big sky." Since the beginning of time, humans have been intrigued by the objects in our sky and beyond. Take a voyage into space science where you will travel through the Internet to connect your classroom with content and activities designed to teach concepts related to these objects and changes in the sky over time.
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This web guide explores several natural phenomena that are constantly changing the face of the Earth. These geologic forces not only impact the physical features of our planet but ultimately affect the biosphere in a dramatic way. Historically, the changes have ranged from gradual (such as with the process of mountain building) to the spontaneous (such as with seismic events).
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What affects how physical characteristics are transmitted from parent to offspring? This is a question that can be answered at many levels.

Molecular biologists examine the pattern of nucleotides in deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and the effect of mutations on the proteins produced. Classical geneticists explore the patterns by which traits are transmitted through families. Medical geneticists attempt to describe and develop treatments for diseases that have a genetic component. Genetic engineers analyze how traits can be altered in organisms through modern technology. These are only a few of the strategies that scientists employ to explain the nature of heredity.

Explore historical perspectives on the study of genetics and investigate how cutting-edge technology is being used to expand our understanding of heredity.
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