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What an appropriate theme for the September issue! I’ve often wondered why field trips are usually scheduled in the spring when the fall is such a great time to be outdoors. And activities involving plants and animals are good ways to introduce...
By Mary Bigelow
Blog Post
Books about fall leaves, inspired by the autumn equinox
Do deciduous tree leaves in your area change color before they fall?...
By Peggy Ashbrook
Blog Post
Individualized professional development
The middle school where I teach just changed the topics taught each year to align with our state standards. My specialty is biology/life science, but now I’m also expected to address topics in earth and physical science. The inservice agenda fo...
By MsMentorAdmin
Blog Post
All summer I was getting ready for the upcoming school year by collecting clear plastic jars and bottles with screw-on lids. Now they are on the shelf at school as “Discovery Bottles”, compact and beautiful, and (best of all) contained....
By Peggy Ashbrook
Blog Post
Two items titled “Critical Thinking” are on my desktop right now: the September issue of Science Scope and an op-ed piece in the Boston Globe ...
By Mary Bigelow
Blog Post
I’m thinking of requiring some “take-home” projects for students this year. (I teach at the elementary level). I think these would provide a good opportunity for students and parents to work together on science topics. Do you have a...
By MsMentorAdmin
Blog Post
Chemistry for a changing world
Welcome to the 2009-2010 school year! I was excited by the theme of this kick-off issue. I loved chemistry as a high school student (Thank you, Sister Maureen!), majored in the subject in college, and taught it as part of a physical science course. E...
By Mary Bigelow
Blog Post
Just in case you have not yet read the column “Teaching Through Tradebooks” in Science and Children, the National Science Teachers Association’s elementary school journal, I’ll share why I like it with you. The column writes up two acti...
By Peggy Ashbrook
Blog Post
Planting this fall for springtime blooms
I’m planning a fall gardening activity now, before school starts, and the first step is to mark my calendar to buy spring flowering bulbs before the end of September. Seasonal changes vary across the many climates in the United States. If you get t...
By Peggy Ashbrook
Blog Post
What’s the best way to set up cooperative learning groups for labs and other activities? How often should I change the groups? I’d also like to assign roles for group members, but I need some examples. — Doug, Henderson, Nevada ...
By MsMentorAdmin
Blog Post
I’ve just heard of a few new resources from PBS. They’ve recently redesigned the PBS Teachers page (it seems to be the month for redesigning sites — have you seen the new SciLinks site?)....
By Mary Bigelow
Blog Post
Last week, I went to the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia for the exhibit on Galileo: The Medici and the Age of Astronomy. It was awesome to see an actual Galileo telescope and learn more about the social, political, and cultural contexts in which ...
By Mary Bigelow
Blog Post
Perseverance and "failure"
With all of the curricular demands and a focus on preparing for state exams, I am concerned that we do not create situations for students to persevere if they don’t succeed in their first attempts at experiments in science. How do we communicate th...
By MsMentorAdmin
Blog Post
I received a “tweet” from NSTA yesterday – the new version of SciLinks is operational! If you’ve been a longtime user of SciLinks, you’ll notice the new look right away. It’s more visually appealing but the basic functions are there....
By Mary Bigelow
Blog Post
Showing the science: using children's work to document your program
Digital photography changed the way I do science with my students. I reflect more on what has happened and what is being left out as I look over the photos, in moments after school, at home on the computer. I have this luxury as a parent of older chi...
By Peggy Ashbrook