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There has been a lot of activity on Capitol Hill with FY2017 appropriations, the new federal education law ESSA, and at the Department of Education....
By Jodi Peterson
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What Can Science Teachers Learn about Special Needs at the #NSTA16 Nashville Conference?
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By Guest Blogger
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Are children wondering about dirt (soil)?
When children work with soil (or dirt as they most often call it), they rarely question where it comes from. Soil, sky, water…they just are....
By Peggy Ashbrook
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Gardening: with limitations and some success
When the preschool moved, the new location presented many obstacles to gardening with children: Sloping ground. Mature trees shading much of the area. English ivy covered portions of the available area. The play area had not yet been constructed so ...
By Peggy Ashbrook
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Ideas and information from NSTA's March K-12 journals
This month, all three K-12 journals include What We Call Misconceptions May Be Necessary Stepping-Stones Toward Making Sense of the World (a must-read) and Outstanding Science Trade Books for Students K–12 (a must-share)....
By Mary Bigelow
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By Lauren Jonas, NSTA Assistant Executive Director
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Supercharge Your Elementary Science Program in 4 Days at #NSTA16 Nashville
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By Korei Martin
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I teach middle school, and I’m looking for ways to interest girls in science. I seem to get a lot of “It’s too hard” and “I don’t like science.” What strategies could I use to overcome these attitudes? —C., Texas...
By Mary Bigelow
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Mastering Scientific Practices with Technology, Part 2
In this video, columnist Ben Smith shares information from the Science 2.0 column, “Mastering Scientific Practices With Technology, Part 2,” that appeared in a recent issue of The Science Teacher. Read the article here: http://bit.ly/1QBrwyV &nbs...
By sstuckey
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Top Twitter Conversations Among Science Teachers in the Last 48 Hours
What were science teachers talking about on Twitter this weekend? Here are the top 12 stories we saw blowing up our network. Enjoy, and let us know what stories you’re following....
By Lauren Jonas, NSTA Assistant Executive Director
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Our new principal, who used to be a language arts teacher, doesn’t seem to understand what it’s like to be a science teacher. He’s a good guy, but what can we do to “educate” him on what we do? –L., Massachusetts...
By Mary Bigelow
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First Time at an NSTA Conference? Up Your Game With These Insider Tips
Are you attending the 2016 NSTA National Conference on Science Education in Nashville in March 31-April 3? If this is the first time you’ve attended the national conference, it can be overwhelming! Here are some suggestions to consider before you...
By Mary Bigelow
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Teaching Energy Across the Sciences, K–12
Students’ experiences with hearing and using the term energy to describe everyday events give them a very intuitive sense of what energy is and how it behaves. Those feelings, however, are often at odds with school science instruction....
By Carole Hayward
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“Engineering Habits of Mind” Empower Performance: Featured Presentation at #NSTA16 Nashville
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By Guest Blogger
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My mentor wants to video my middle school science class. I’m not having specific problems with students and I think my lessons are good, but this still makes me nervous. Why would she want to do this? —G., Minnesota...
By Mary Bigelow
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Reading aloud, asking questions and engaging in discussion
“Do you remember Moomintroll?” my sister asked me recently....
By Peggy Ashbrook
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To prepare children to be close observers of the small animals that will be more easily seen in spring, I bring a container-habitat of beetles into the classroom during winter months. These Tenebrio beetles and larvae (widely known as “mealworms�...
By Peggy Ashbrook
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First Look: Hands on with the Pasco Wireless Temperature Sensor
The humble electronic thermometer is often the gateway technology into the world of digital data collection, and Pasco Scientific just made that tech much more affordable. And Bluetooth to boot!...
By Martin Horejsi
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Ideas and information from NSTA's February K-12 journals
This month, all three journals include Planning NGSS-Based Instruction: Where Do You Start? This article is another must-read for teachers who are looking for ideas to incorporate student questions and interests with the Next Generation Science Stand...
By Mary Bigelow
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I write a weekly note home to the families to accompany some photos for families to look at together and reflect on the week’s explorations with their preschool child. Sending a note home to families is part of an early childhood program’s way to...
By Peggy Ashbrook
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Teacher Professional Learning: Transforming Teacher Practice
Several weeks ago the National Academies on Science (NAS) released a report that the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) believes should be required reading for every school administrator....
By Guest Blogger
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Survey Reveals Challenges with Teaching Climate Change
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By David Evans, NSTA Executive Director
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My upper elementary students have had very little formal science instruction. I’m finding that they have a lot of “knowledge” that consists of misconceptions, half-truths, and opinions. I’m looking for suggestions on how to de...
By Mary Bigelow
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The Power of Developing Questioning Strategies in the Science Classroom
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By Guest Blogger
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Mastering Scientific Practices With Technology
In this video, columnist Ben Smith shares information from the Science 2.0 column, “Mastering Scientific Practices With Technology,” that appeared in a recent issue of The Science Teacher. Read the article here. ...
By sstuckey
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Adding More STEM to the School Day
Middle school students dissect a frog as p...
By Debra Shapiro
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Prepare Your Students for the August 21 Solar Eclipse with Solar Science
Great extras accompany this book, including safety glasses for viewing the eclipse and an Observer’s Guide to the All-American Total Solar Eclipse....
By Carole Hayward
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ECE galore in January 2016 Science and Children!
Writing about my science teaching for early childhood educators means thinking about a potential community that spans geographic distance and different biomes, seasons, cultures, educational backgrounds, ethnicities, and teaching careers, among other...
By Peggy Ashbrook