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Do you have any suggestions for grantwriting? I’ve just been told that the budget may be very lean next year, and I’d like to try to get additional funding for the science department. —Shug, Stillwater, OK...
By MsMentorAdmin
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“I have to do a science project.” These words can produce a feeling of dread for students and parents, with visions of Styrofoam planets or tri-folds for science fairs....
By Mary Bigelow
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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 get this idea? —Lauren, Aurora, Illinois ...
By MsMentorAdmin
Blog Post
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 bringing local butterflies into the classroom for observation. Instead of distracting from the planned ...
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 interest and make connections with other concepts when they work more than once on activities about the sam...
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 feedback. Any suggestions for making this a good learning process? —Brian, Reading, Pennsylvania ...
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 earth sciences!...
By Mary Bigelow
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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 presentations that each of my time slots is double (sometimes triple) booked with workshops and fieldtrips....
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 issue provides some suggestions and examples for helping students to apply their curiosity to scienc...
By Mary Bigelow
Blog Post
Do you have any suggestions for a brand-new science department chairperson? —Derek, Chillicothe, Ohio First of all, congratulations on assuming a leadership role in your school! This is a wonderful opportunity to share your expertise and to le...
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 place for replication or follow-the-directions activities (for example, to learn how to use various eq...
By Mary Bigelow