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A peek at Informal Science Day
NSTA Informal Science Day offered a wide variety of networking opportunities and presentations. From noon to 2, attendees had a chance to have lunch while listening to Andrew Shouse and Philip Bell and their colleagues from the National Research Co...
By Debra Shapiro
Blog Post
I just have to say a quick “Wow!” I was walking by the ballroom and could hear music, shouting and laughing. I couldn’t resist looking in to see what was causing such a commotion. It was Grand Master Hank’s science lab. The p...
By Lynn Petrinjak
Blog Post
You never know who you'll see here
With thousands of people here, you’re certain to see someone you know. I ran into my grad school advisor, several people I had met before (virtually) on the NSTA listserves, and a vendor I had met in a previous life. I saw Bill Nye speedwalking...
By Mary Bigelow
Blog Post
The Louisiana Science Teachers Association has a welcome booth here, with friendly faces and suggestions for sightseeing and learning more about this great city and state. And on the Exhibit floor there is a booth with information on next year...
By Mary Bigelow
Blog Post
If you’re Blackberry-less like me and don’t want to tote your laptop around, there is a kiosk where you can check your email, update a blog, or contact your substitute. But, unlike Boston last year where the entire conference center w...
By Mary Bigelow
Blog Post
The "cool" Darwin and the intersection of western science and native knowledge
Presenter Mark Plotkin seemed to enjoy being back in his native New Orleans earlier today as he talked about native cultures, Western science, and finding ways to use one to enhance the other. He encouraged attendees to make evolution relevant to the...
By Lynn Petrinjak
Blog Post
When I saw that the Planetary Society was sponsoring a session with Bill Nye and Neil deGrasse Tyson, I assumed that each would take the podium for a while. But those of us in the audience were treated to these two as dynamic copresenters!...
By Mary Bigelow
Blog Post
Looking inside the student brain to enhance learning
Understanding how a student’s brain works is vital to teaching and learning, says Kenneth Wesson, a neuroscience education consultant and vice president, international and western divisions, for Delta Education/School Specialty Science, durin...
By Debra Shapiro
Blog Post
Even in March the humidity here is high. Along with the morning fog, it makes for a place where “resistance is futile” in terms of coiffures!...
By Mary Bigelow
Blog Post
Busy morning at the conference
This is only my second NSTA national conference and I continue to be impressed by how eager everyone is to learn, regardless of whether he or she is an attendee or a presenter. Jeff Marshall of Clemson University conducted a session on the Four ...
By Lynn Petrinjak
Blog Post
So many sessions, so little time
I went over to the conference center this afternoon to pick up my badge holder, tote bag, and conference program. When I pulled out the program, my spouse remarked “That’s a big program.” His eyes got larger when I kept pulling ...
By Mary Bigelow
Blog Post
How can we make time to teach science in preK-2 classrooms?
Observing the life cycle of an insect can include measuring growth and weight, counting calendar days and reading fiction, non-fiction, and writing poetry and descriptions—all ways to integrate science with other subjects in elementary school....
By Peggy Ashbrook
Blog Post
Happy pi day (3.14)! I’m clearing out my mailbox and “to do” lists before heading to the NSTA Conference in New Orleans. Here are some items of interest:...
By Mary Bigelow
Blog Post
Our science teachers are discussing whether to allow students to use Wikipedia as a source for their research papers. What do you think of this source? — Jessica, Orem, Utah...
By MsMentorAdmin
Blog Post
Reading this issue’s articles on English Language Learners (ELLs) — Challenges and Solutions for ELLs and Making the Connection — brought back memories of many students in my classes, but especially of Philippe, who moved to my tow...
By Mary Bigelow