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Blog Post
Dear President-Elect Trump: Make STEM a National Imperative
The presidential election last week surprised everyone, delighted some, and confounded quite a few. Wherever you landed on this spectrum post-election day, as teachers, there is one thing that we can all agree on: that we must work even harder now to...
By David Evans, NSTA Executive Director
Blog Post
Focus on Physics: The Moon Is Falling!
Sometimes it seems like everything is in free fall—the stock market, the value of your home, even your outlook for progress in the world. And now you learn this disturbing fact: The Moon is falling! And falling directly toward Earth! But you needn...
By sstuckey
Blog Post
New NSTA Infographic Explores How Today's Students Learn Science
As a member of the NSTA communications team, I often field questions from a wide variety of audiences—teachers, parents, school and district leaders, business leaders and reporters—about the exciting new developments in science teaching and learn...
By Cindy Workosky
Blog Post
Equity in Science Education Begins in Prek
Welcome to my colleague Lauren Allen who co-authored this blog post. ...
By Peggy Ashbrook
Blog Post
#NSTA16 Portland: Come and Get Your Swag!
At NSTA’s Portland conference today at the membership booth, we’re giving away tickets to our LA conference next spring, tweet shirts (while supplies last), and gift cards. And that’s what you can win before you even step into the e...
By Lauren Jonas, NSTA Assistant Executive Director
Blog Post
Science 2.0: When Students Become Digital Citizens
Modern science learning requires the use of digital tools and a shift in teaching philosophy and pedagogy. The backbone to this shift rests in a skill that we’ve not yet addressed: digital citizenship....
By sstuckey
Blog Post
9 Housekeeping Tips for Science Educators
A clean lab is a safer lab. These nine housekeeping tips can help science teachers reduce the risk of lab accidents. 1. Location, location, location. Keep all lab equipment and materials in assigned places, such as cabinets and drawers, with label...
By Kenneth Roy
Blog Post
I need strategies to encourage students to ask their own questions. They answer mine and discuss topics, but when I ask them if they have any questions, I get a lot of blank looks. —A., Washington...
By Mary Bigelow
Blog Post
Science Lessons for the Next President—and Your Students
A recent feature in Science Magazine (21 Oct 2016) offers “Science lessons for the next president.” As I read the article I realized that these lessons exemplify the reason that all citizens need to be scientifically literate....
By David Evans, NSTA Executive Director
Blog Post
Bright Ideas for Middle Schoolers through the Bright Schools Competition!
Begin Developing your BRIGHT Schools Team The goal of the Bright Schools program is to create a learning experience that will help students, parents and teachers better understand the link among light, sleep and student health and performance....
By Guest Blogger
Blog Post
Science and the Star Wars Universe
When Rogue One: A Star Wars Story debuts next month, science teachers who use the Star Wars films in their classrooms will have another tool not just for teaching science, but also for integrating it with other subjects. The films “are a grea...
By Debra Shapiro
Blog Post
At the beginning of class, it takes my students a long time to settle down. We are wasting time as I try to get their attention. Any suggestions? –T., Maryland To take advantage of...
By Mary Bigelow
Blog Post
When I was student teaching, I had some really good science lessons for second-graders that lasted about an hour. But now I have only a half-hour for science each day. I need suggestions for shorter lessons. – C., Colorado...
By Mary Bigelow
Blog Post
Tackling Scientific Problems and Pitching Engineering Solutions at #NSTA16 Columbus
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By Lauren Jonas, NSTA Assistant Executive Director
Blog Post
Only at NSTA Minneapolis: #ToysForNerds
“Uh oh, someone hold me back #toysfornerds #ONLYatNSTA.” @SaraKDM sums up the joy of the thousands of science teachers who came together at NSTA’s area conference on science education in Minneapolis to do the things they rarely get ...
By Lauren Jonas, NSTA Assistant Executive Director
Blog Post
Bring More Everyday Engineering into your classroom
A new book by NSTA Press helps middle school teachers incorporate engineering into their science classrooms. ...
By Carole Hayward
Blog Post
FLIR ONE Thermal Imaging Camera
Introduction The imaginations of middle school and high school students will be fully engaged in the science classroom with the FLIR ONE Thermal Imaging Camera. This camera’s thermal capabilities allow students to explore things invisible to the h...
By Edwin P. Christmann
Blog Post
I’m frustrated by my sixth graders. When they’re supposed to be working cooperatively, they are unfocused—it seems more like a social event. By middle school, shouldn’t students know how to work cooperatively? Or are they too imma...
By Mary Bigelow
Blog Post
Join the National Day of Action for Full Funding of ESSA Student Success
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By Jodi Peterson
Blog Post
Computer Science Should Supplement, not Supplant Science Education
Computer science (CS) aficionados have a lot to celebrate recently....
By Guest Blogger
Blog Post
An Acknowledgment Form Is Safer Than a Contract
The school year is well under way. But before students enter science labs, they must turn in a safety acknowledgment form. After completing introductory safety training, as noted in NSTA’s Duty of Care (NSTA 2014), review and have students and t...
By Kenneth Roy
Blog Post
Focus on Physics: Skateboard Physics
As with all sports, skateboarding involves a lot of intriguing physics. I’ve marveled at the maneuvers of skilled skateboarder Alex Hewitt (my grandson). When traveling along a horizontal surface, Alex crouches and then springs upward with his skat...
By sstuckey
Blog Post
Investigating water with Early Childhood educators
“At what age can a child begin science learning?” asked one participant at an early childhood education workshop on investigating the properties of water in a fun, scientific way using observation, documentation and reflecting on that work. The g...
By Peggy Ashbrook
Blog Post
Ideas and inspiration from NSTA’s October K-12 journals
The Four Strands of Science Learning and the Next Generation Science Standards from Science Scope is an informative article for teachers of any grade level....
By Mary Bigelow
Blog Post
The Go!Temp probe, made and sold by “Vernier Software and Technology,” collects real-time temperate data, making it applicable in a number of different fields, e.g., biology, chemistry, physics, earth science , etc....
By Edwin P. Christmann
Blog Post
The NSTA (UN)conference: Coming This Fall
Leave the lecture hall behind and join us for NSTA’s first un-conference experience, taking place in Minneapolis this October 27-29, and Portland, November 10-12! What should you expect at this un-conference? ...
By Guest Blogger
Blog Post
Two New NSTA Kids Books Highlight Importance of Observation
Two new children’s books published by NSTA Kids, a division of NSTA Press, are filled with rich illustrations and highlight the importance of discovery, observation, and investigation....
By Carole Hayward
Blog Post
Partnering With Utilities for Hands-On STEM
Granada High School’s Interact Club students work with David Lunn of Friends of the Arroyo to measure water turbidity during the Tri-Valley Creeks to Bay Clean-up even...
By Lynn Petrinjak
Blog Post
I get frustrated when I give directions for an activity and students immediately have questions about what to do. How can I help them become more confident and self-sufficient? —C., Michigan...
By Mary Bigelow
Blog Post
Editor's Corner: Science and the Arts
“The greatest scientists are always artists as well.” —Albert Einstein Albert Einstein at 25....
By sstuckey
Blog Post
Science Educators Still Feel Budget Strain
School Science Budget Changes...
By Lynn Petrinjak