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What do you want in your science lab?
If you could have the science lab of your dreams for preK through 2 students, what would it include?...
By Peggy Ashbrook
Blog Post
Every year my students come to class with the idea that it’s colder in the winter because the earth is farther away from the sun. Where did they...
By MsMentorAdmin
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Supporting children's observation: what will they remember?
Two particularly inquisitive and bright former preK students (siblings) unexpectedly attended a workshop I gave for early childhood teachers about bri...
By Peggy Ashbrook
Blog Post
I see that NSTA has just published the Tool Kit for Teaching Evolution by Judy Elgin Jensen. According to its description,...
By Mary Bigelow
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Science activities that children initiate motivate teachers to extend and expand the activity. Children learn more details about their area of interes...
By Peggy Ashbrook
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I want to use more essay-type questions on my unit assessments, but with 150 students I feel swamped trying to grade all of the papers and provide fee...
By MsMentorAdmin
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Sink? Float? Try it with pumpkins
For an activity to explore buoyancy—what materials and which objects sink or float in water—I gave each child in a small group an object to hold....
By Peggy Ashbrook
Blog Post
Earth materials, features, and processes
Which branch of science seems to attract lifelong learners? You can make a strong case for the life or physical sciences, but my vote would go to the ...
By Mary Bigelow
Blog Post
Yes, a science teachers' conference IS the place for early childhood teachers
I’m looking forward to the NSTA Regional Conference in Portland, Oregon, in November, a cornucopia of a conference so full of interesting present...
By Peggy Ashbrook
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Little children love to ask questions such as Why? How come? But it seems that in school, it’s the teacher who asks most of the questions. This ...
By Mary Bigelow
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Do you have any suggestions for a brand-new science department chairperson? —Derek, Chillicothe, Ohio First of all, congratulations on assuming...
By MsMentorAdmin
Blog Post
Research in science classrooms
Wow — students doing real research! This adds a different dimension to the “labs” that students do. There is certainly a time and pl...
By Mary Bigelow
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Observing, Learning about, Appreciating, and (Maybe) Holding Small Animals Such As Insects
In the fall we may begin to see more spiders in our houses and schools. Why is that? Are they moving indoors as the weather cools?...
By Peggy Ashbrook
Blog Post
I’ve been asked to chair a committee to look into using science “kits” for our elementary classes. We’re interested in this, b...
By MsMentorAdmin
Blog Post
Understanding and using symbols
It was Monday morning and a sharp corner on a large immovable object (left by another group sharing the space used by the preschool…sound familiar?)...
By Peggy Ashbrook