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Why Attend? | #NSTA18 in Charlotte, North Carolina
Known as the “Queen City,” Charlotte, North Carolina, is the third-fastest-growing major city in the United States. It is easy to understand what makes the city so popular thanks to its bustling and diverse restaurant and art scene, fabulous weat...
By Carole Hayward
Blog Post
Ideas and inspiration from NSTA’s November 2018 K-12 journals
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 articles, you may find ideas for lessons that would be interesting for your students, the inspiration to adapt ...
By Mary Bigelow
Blog Post
Key Midterm Election Results & What’s Ahead for Education and Science
As widely reported, the Democrats won the majority of seats in the U.S. House of Representatives which means some key changes ahead. Education: House committee leadership positions will switch over at the start of the 116th Congress on January 3. ...
By Jodi Peterson
Blog Post
I am hoping to have “word walls” in my classroom for subject areas. What would be some beneficial words no matter the age level for the science classroom? — H., Iowa Great idea! I have always maintained that teaching science is also...
By Gabe Kraljevic
Blog Post
This month’s blogs feature questions sent to me by students of Michael D. Bechtel, EdD, assistant professor of science education, Biology Department of Wartburg College, Iowa. As part of their coursework they were asked to connect to professional l...
By Gabe Kraljevic
Blog Post
NSTA’s 2018 National Harbor Conference: Personalize Your Schedule Based on Content Area
Happening right outside the nation’s capital, NSTA’s 2018 National Harbor conference on science education will take place November 15–17....
By Carole Hayward
Blog Post
Beginner, as well as veteran, middle school science educators will find what they need to reimagine the teaching of physical science in Patrick Brown’s new NSTA Press book Instructional Sequence Matters, Grades 6-8: Structuring Lesson...
By Carole Hayward
Blog Post
How Did an Ordinary Science Teacher Win an Award?
Dear NSTA Colleagues, As a proud 18-year veteran of a Kindergarten classroom, applying for one of the NSTA awards in 2014 became “LIFE CHANGING.” I am excited to share my story as an NSTA member whose passion for teaching Kindergarteners and sc...
By Korei Martin
Blog Post
Evidence, claims, and Media Literacy Week
As the author of the NSTA Press book Exemplary Evidence: Scientists and Their Data, elementary science educator and gu...
By Peggy Ashbrook
Blog Post
Supporting Students With Disabilities in STEM
Jason, is this big enough?” My seventh-grade teacher asked me about the text on the whiteboard, in front of the entire class. Much to my horror, she continued to ask this repeatedly for what felt like the rest of the year. As a middle school studen...
By Kate Falk
Blog Post
Chinquapin oak acorns, also spelled “Chinkapin.”...
By Peggy Ashbrook
Blog Post
Helping Students Develop Perseverance
Tom Meagher, district STEM education coordinator for Owatonna Public Schools in Owatonna, Minnesota, shows students how to hold a Monarch butterfly before releasing it....
By Debra Shapiro
Blog Post
NSTA’s E-mail List Server: A Gold Mine of Help at Your Fingertips
One of the most popular and accessible ways for members to get quick professional development advice and stay abreast of education trends is through the free NSTA’s E-Mail List Server....
By Carole Hayward
Blog Post
Simple Ways to Make the Best Schedule for Your Grade Level at #NSTA18 Charlotte
NSTA’s 2018 Charlotte conference on science education is right around the corner (November 29–December 1)....
By Carole Hayward
Blog Post
Spiders and other small creatures—do we want children to be afraid?
Huge anatomically incorrect ‘spiders’ with legs as long as a Daddy Longlegs’ took over the neighborhood these past weeks, crawling up webs ‘spun’ on the sides of houses. Dropping out of trees are others with more fuzzy hair than a troll dol...
By Peggy Ashbrook
Blog Post
Education and the November Election, What You Need to Know
It’s trick or treat time, and I’m not talking Halloween. This important election will happen in 8 days and NSTA will still be working on your behalf in 8+1 days. The most important thing for you to do is to vote. We need to ma...
By Jodi Peterson
Blog Post
How to Use the Power of Assessing in Your Classroom
Authors Lisa M. Nyberg and Julie V. McGough have done it again....
By Carole Hayward
Blog Post
Bringing the outdoors indoors.
How do you achieve the full concept of bringing the outdoors, indoors? How do you make sure your students are getting the most out of it? How do you transition smoothly where you do not lose any student’s attention? — K., Louisiana ...
By Gabe Kraljevic
Blog Post
How a Dog’s Paws Support K-5 In-the-Moment Assessment
What special features of plants and animals can inspire solutions to human problems?...
By Carole Hayward
Blog Post
Shoes! Beaks! They’re All About Structure and Function
As we watch students arrive for class, we notice that Alejandra hangs her jacket on a coat hook, while Calder reaches for scissors to make a fringe on his picture. Tessa replaces her rain boots with the sneakers from her cubby, and Nick searches for ...
By Cindy Workosky
Blog Post
Exploring Structure and Function in Insects
As an entomologist, one of my greatest challenges is trying to overcome my students’ feelings of fear and disgust regarding insects. Insects often have negative images in society. Walk through any toy store, and you will likely find plastic insects...
By Cindy Workosky
Blog Post
Using Toxic Algal Blooms to Teach Structure and Function
Young children often experience a developmental stage in which they question everything. Why aren’t there dinosaurs anymore? Why do cats purr? Why are some potato chips green? They go from simply observing their surroundings to analyzing, experimen...
By Rebecca Brewer
Blog Post
Pumpkins inspire investigations
Although astronomical fall for the northern hemisphere begins when the autumnal equinox occurs on or around September 22, meteorological seasons vary geographically. October may be when your area “really feels like fall.” Does your school or...
By Peggy Ashbrook
Blog Post
Five Reasons Why You Should Attend the NSTA Area Conference in National Harbor
In less than a month, science educators will convene for the NSTA Area Conference on Science Education in National Harbor, Maryland....
By Carole Hayward
Blog Post
Ed News: The Case for (Quality) Homework
The Case for (Quality) Homework...
By Cindy Workosky
Blog Post
Incorporating engineering into lifesciences
Fish Ladder, Bonneville Dam, OR What are some good activities and lessons to incorporate engineering into biology/life science? – K., Connecticut...
By Gabe Kraljevic
Blog Post
Reducing the Risk of Liability in the Lab
If a student gets injured while taking part in a laboratory activity, the science teacher and school district have potential liability for their failure to prevent the harm to the student. This blog post describes the duty of care of science teachers...
By Kenneth Roy
Blog Post
Ideas and inspiration from NSTA’s October 2018 K-12 journals
Many NSTA authors share resources related to the lessons and strategies in their articles. These resources include rubrics, graphic organizers, handouts, diagrams, lists of resources, and complete lessons....
By Mary Bigelow
Blog Post
Reading Nature: Evidence-Based Texts Inspire and Bring Context Into the Biology Classroom
Dedicated to “all those who wonder about the world around them,” Matthew Kloser and Sophia Grathwol’s new book Reading Nature: Engaging Biology Students With Evidence From the Living World uses quality research (from sources like the Journal of...
By Carole Hayward
Blog Post
The Vernier Go Direct Sound Sensor: See Sounds in a New Light (Bluetooth)
As much as I loved field trips with my students, I found the bus rides to be excessively stressful. It wasn’t because of the teacher responsibilities or the student behavior, but because of the noise. The volume and diversity of machine noises ...
By Martin Horejsi
Blog Post
Ed News: Betsy DeVos Steers Federal Grant For Innovation To STEM Programs
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By Kate Falk
Blog Post
If I work in a district where I am unable to take my kids on plenty of field trips, what are some alternatives or activities that could be done on school grounds, but that are still fun and eye-opening for students? – B., Arkansas Budgets, loca...
By Gabe Kraljevic
Blog Post
Three Ways to Be an NSTA Volunteer
Volunteering is often considered a valuable asset on a resume or CV for almost any profession, including educators. Professionals of any age can develop new skills, expand professional networks, and open doors to opportunities for career growth thro...
By Carole Hayward
Blog Post
Vernier: Go Direct Force and Acceleration Sensor
Introduction The Go Direct™ Force and Acceleration Sensor couples a 3-axis accelerometer with a stable and accurate force sensor that measures forces as small as ±0.1 N and up to ±50 N and can be used in the classroom or outdoors. ...
By Edwin P. Christmann