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Engaging English Learners in K-12 Engineering
Engineering is now part of the Next Generation Science Standards as well as many state standards. As schools and teachers begin to think about how to introduce engineering in their classrooms, they should do so in ways that support all students, incl...
By Christine M. Cunningham
Blog Post
Ideas and inspiration from NSTA’s January 2019 K-12 journals
Happy 2019! This is a milestone year for science teachers: Message From the President: NSTA’s 75th Regardless of what grade level or subject you teach, check out all three K-12 journals. As you skim through titles and descriptions of the articl...
By Mary Bigelow
Blog Post
How Are Car Crashes, Packaging Design, and Bridge Design Related? (Hint: Integrated STEM)
Imagine a nationwide team of STEM education experts creating a GPS system of sorts for educators who want to chart a course toward an integrated STEM approach—one that’s aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards, the Common Core State St...
By Carole Hayward
Blog Post
Ed News: Meeting New Science Standards Requires Greater Emphasis on Teacher Practice
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By Kate Falk
Blog Post
At the New York Botanical Gardens, students and parents play Biome Builder, a game from New York City–based learning games company Killer Snails. Photo courtesy of Killer Snails...
By Debra Shapiro
Blog Post
What makes you believe a student teacher is going to make an excellent teacher one day? – J., Ohio I looked for several things in student teachers to indicate they were on the right track:...
By Gabe Kraljevic
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What’s Ahead for Federal Education Policy (and Funding) in 2019?
Welcome to 2019. As of January 3, Congressional leaders and President Trump are still working on a final agreement on FY2019 spending and the federal government remains closed for business. As you will recall, federal education funding, including pro...
By Jodi Peterson
Blog Post
Supportive communities for teaching science in the early childhood years
There are times when educators miss opportunities to support young children’s interest in exploring and learning about natural phenomena. We might be otherwise engaged, too focused on the next activity, or uncomfortable with what is happening....
By Peggy Ashbrook
Blog Post
NSTA’s 75th: A Beginning and Future Forged with a Need for Science Education
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By Korei Martin
Blog Post
This student is too loud. This student is too quiet. This student is…
I have a few students who chatter excessively and need advice on methods that have worked to quiet the disruption. I also need to involve students who are reluctant to participate in a group setting. —H., Arizona...
By Gabe Kraljevic
Blog Post
When you have a moment to plan for teaching in January, reach for the 2018 November/December issue of Science and Children for inspiration....
By Peggy Ashbrook
Blog Post
Light, shadow, and literacy: Stories inspired by shadow play
Materials thoughtfully provided or set up by teachers often inspires children’s open exploration of a phenomenon. Much learning happens during this period of using their senses and tools to make observations of what intrigues them as they try thing...
By Peggy Ashbrook
Blog Post
There are many safety hazards associated with the use of hand and power tools, and teachers and students should be trained to recognize them and understand what safety precautions should be taken to avoid them. Safety Precautions For hand tool ...
By Kenneth Roy
Blog Post
I understand that confidence comes with experience, but I was wondering if you have any tricks or tips that helped you become more confident as a teacher? – J., Ohio To calm my own nerves, I would remind myself:...
By Gabe Kraljevic
Blog Post
NSTA’s Discussion Forums and List Server groups often have questions from teachers looking for lesson ideas. Whether they are student teachers or beginning teachers looking to begin their library of science lessons, or experienced teachers look...
By Mary Bigelow
Blog Post
Understanding the Intermingling of Engineering and Life Sciences (and How Best to Teach It)
For engineers to design and make the systems and devices all of us depend on in our daily lives, they need scientific and mathematical knowledge. Simultaneously, scientists benefit from engineering advances evident in the devices, instruments, and pr...
By Carole Hayward
Blog Post
Investigation and Design: Aligning Secondary Science to What is Best
Take a look at this short video from my high school chemistry class: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sNHmVEJLAvI&feature=youtu.be...
By Kate Falk
Blog Post
Engineering in early childhood
In early childhood settings both educators and young children solve problems using available materials and an engineering design process. The process is not step-by-step because it looks different depending on the age of the children, the time availa...
By Peggy Ashbrook
Blog Post
Tackling Misconceptions and Personal Beliefs
How do you overcome misconceptions that many students will have coming into your classrooms? What is the best way to handle and approach situations when personal beliefs are involved? — M., Arkansas ...
By Gabe Kraljevic
Blog Post
America’s Strategy for STEM Education
On December 4, 2018 the Trump Administration released a five year strategic plan for STEM education that calls for expanding the nation’s capacity for STEM education and preparing workers for jobs in the these fields, and charts out a strategy whic...
By Jodi Peterson
Blog Post
One student in the class I currently teach has only been present one day out of four weeks. How should I keep this student up to date with the work that he is missing? Any tips and advice are greatly appreciated! — O., Ohio...
By Gabe Kraljevic
Blog Post
Curiosity and non-conformity are two traits that have served science educator and eBooks+ Kids author Martha Harney very well throughout her professional life. Harney, an elementary science specialist for the Northeast Elementary School in Waltham, M...
By Carole Hayward
Blog Post
Reimagining STEM for English Learners
Science, engineering, technology, and math (STEM) learning is for all students. STEM learning is essential in today’s classrooms because it arms our students with the knowledge and skills to process information, uncover problems, design solutions, ...
By Kate Falk
Blog Post
Early childhood science education at conferences
When a conference has plenty of sessions about science and engineering learning in early childhood—so many that each time slot has 2 or more such sessions—it shows that preschool, kindergarten, and first and second grade teachers are inter...
By Peggy Ashbrook
Blog Post
What is the most important part of teaching to remember when teaching science? – C., Iowa I would ask all my student teachers, “What do you teach?” Without hesitation, they would answer science, biology, chemistry, or another disc...
By Gabe Kraljevic
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How to Properly Dispose Chemical Hazardous Waste
Most middle and high school science laboratories produce chemical hazardous waste, but what exactly is it, and how do you dispose of it appropriately?...
By Kenneth Roy
Blog Post
The #NSTA18 Charlotte Exhibit Hall: A Science Teacher’s Playground
Do the twist! With the Dynamic DNA kit from 3D Molecular Designs, that is. Or if you’re really brave, face off against the Zombie Apocalypse with Texas Instruments. The Exhibit Hall at NSTA conferences has been called “The Science Teachers’ Pla...
By Carole Hayward
Blog Post
What are some hands-on ideas of how to integrate science into music and art classes? – A., Iowa I believe that teachers should try to integrate subjects! Here are just a few ideas; search the NSTA Learning Center and NGSS@NSTA for more....
By Gabe Kraljevic
Blog Post
Investigations that Engage Learners in Science Performances
The release of the consensus study report Science and Engineering for Grades 6-12: Investigation and Design at the Center from The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine provides teachers of science with a structure to engage studen...
By Kate Falk
Blog Post
Teaching Visually-impaired Students
I am writing to ask for suggestions to teach visually-impaired students science. How do you suggest to teach such students? — M., Iowa ...
By Gabe Kraljevic
Blog Post
One District’s Path to Improving Student Discourse
If you’ve spent any time exploring the shifts in NGSS instructional practices you will understand the call for “less sage on the stage and more guide on the side.” While such a metaphor can be applied to a variety of science classroom settings,...
By Sean Musselman
Blog Post
Science Class: A Place Where Children Should Be Seen and Heard
I recently observed a lesson about how shadows change throughout the day, and I was fascinated by the amount of time the teacher and the class took to listen to and watch one another as they discussed the data. The careful structuring of time for ana...
By Cindy Workosky
Blog Post
Center Your Learning in the NSTA Learning Center
Are you looking for a professional learning community specifically for K-16 science teachers? The NSTA Learning Center is stocked with resources, customized lesson plans, online modules, and community forums, and will change the ways you access and l...
By Carole Hayward
Blog Post
Introducing the NSTA Elementary Science Position Statement
Jennifer Thompson, early elementary teacher and former chair of the NSTA Preschool and Elementary Committee, is the ideal person to introduce the updated NSTA Elementary Science Position Statement. Welcome Jennifer!...
By Peggy Ashbrook