JoinAll Blog Posts
Blog Post
Calming the interview butterflies
I’m finalizing my student teaching, which has been a good experience. I’m excited about teaching science, but I’m not excited about interviewing for jobs. Will the school ask anything about the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)? Do you h...
By Mary Bigelow
Blog Post
NSTA’s K-College Science Education Journals: April/May 2014 Issues Online
Science for All is the theme of our high school journal this month, but all four of NSTA’s grade-level journals are full of the types of ideas and lessons that promote a quality science education for all. This month’s K–College journals from th...
By Lauren Jonas, NSTA Assistant Executive Director
Blog Post
What to do at the end of the year?
I’m working with a beginning teacher, and I’d like to share some ideas on the challenges of the end of the year, such as how to keep students engaged and ideas for the summer break. —Alyssa, Corpus Christi, Texas...
By Mary Bigelow
Blog Post
Doing Good Science in Middle School
“In our experience, good science—by which we mean activity-based STEM instruction—promotes the unexpected and delightful development of adolescent middle school students.” –From the preface...
By Carole Hayward
Blog Post
Middle schoolers enjoy a challenge. The featured articles in this issue show that incorporating physical science concepts with engineering practices and crosscutting concepts can lead to challenging projects for students (and their teachers as they c...
By Mary Bigelow
Blog Post
NSTA conference in Boston: Reflection and making connections Part 2, Sat and Sun
Here are the descriptions of a few more sessions I attended at the 2014 NSTA national conference in Boston. These summaries are from my notes and may not accurately reflect the presentations or the presenters’ views. Don’t delay, go to the Boston...
By Peggy Ashbrook
Blog Post
How to Select and Design Materials that Align to the Next Generation Science Standards
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By Guest Blogger
Blog Post
I had a great conversation with an early-career teacher a few weeks ago. She was a “digital native”—armed with smart phone and ready to tweet. I admit, I’m a “digital immigrant” who re-examines every new device in order to evaluate whethe...
By Juliana Texley
Blog Post
#NSTA14 Heats Up in NOLA with the STEM Iron Chef Competition
Attendees of NSTA’s 2014 STEM Forum and Expo will be challenged to cook up a recipe for STEM success next month....
By Lauren Jonas, NSTA Assistant Executive Director
Blog Post
NSTA conference in Boston: Reflection and making connections Part 1, Th and Fri
I didn’t see the swan boats in the Public Garden or tea in the Harbor, but I did see many things—skylines, modern art, sunrises and fabulous sessions at the conference....
By Peggy Ashbrook
Blog Post
How many of us have said that students don’t study enough? A more fundamental question: Do they know how to study? Teachers may assume so, especially for secondary students. Many of the featured articles in this issue focus on strategies that f...
By Mary Bigelow
Blog Post
Sylvia Shugrue award winner 2014
Lisa Ernst models perseverance and critical thinking for her elementary students, encouraging them to persist when faced with challenges. Throughout her career, Ernst has developed project–based units that allow her students to tap into their creat...
By admin
Blog Post
I inherited a classroom-lab from a retired teacher, and I want to replace some of the generic posters with displays of student work. One of my colleagues says this is not a good idea. She didn’t explain her reasons, but now I’m not sure w...
By Mary Bigelow
Blog Post
Next Generation Science Standards Turn 1!
It’s been one year since the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) were adopted (on April 9, 2013)....
By Lauren Jonas, NSTA Assistant Executive Director
Blog Post
Earth Day 2014 is right around the corner (April 22), and I’ve noticed a huge number of NSTA members talking about Dr. Suess’s The Lorax on our members-only lists. Coincidence?...
By Lauren Jonas, NSTA Assistant Executive Director
Blog Post
Language development in science
For many students, science itself is a new language, with specialized vocabulary and an emphasis on observations and evidence, rather than feelings or opinions. Even the graphics in books and websites go beyond being decorative to include the languag...
By Mary Bigelow
Blog Post
NSTA was in Boston last week, where more than 11.5K science teachers gathered for our national conference on science education. It was no surprise that all the selfies seemed to be group shots—because that’s what science teachers do, they share!...
By Lauren Jonas, NSTA Assistant Executive Director
Blog Post
Top 10 reasons for visting the conference exhibit hall
With a nod to David Letterman, here are my top 10 reasons for spending time in the exhibit hall: 10. Interacting with people. You get a chance to meet and talk with other members and vendors....
By Mary Bigelow
Blog Post
Elementary Extravaganza, Ramps and pathways
The Elementary Extravaganza was pulsing with energy as educators from many settings rushed in at 8am to get personal attention from the hundreds of presenters who were ready to share their work. Thanks to the sponsors–www.BioEdOnline.org, Delta...
By Peggy Ashbrook
Blog Post
On the train to Boston on Wednesday, the view for most of the ride was gray and dreary. But coming out of the station–blue sky and sun! After what seemed to be an endless winter, I hope that was a sign to indicate the bright ideas we’ll l...
By Mary Bigelow
Blog Post
NSTA National Conference in Boston–early childhood too!
I’m looking forward to learning, collaborating, meeting, laughing, learning, sharing, and getting a break from the usual schedule while attending the National Science Teachers Association’s conference in Boston. It’s one of several ...
By Peggy Ashbrook
Blog Post
Share Your Conference Experience
This is my sixth conference with NSTA — my first, in 2008, was in Boston as well. When I tried to walk through the NSTA Science Store this morning, it was packed virtually shoulder to shoulder (the lines are considerably shorter now if you want...
By Lynn Petrinjak
Blog Post
Students as peer-editors (p. 2)
A previous question from a teacher related to using the peer-editing process in science class. Jaime Gratton follows up with a summary of her experiences:...
By Mary Bigelow
Blog Post
My students are working on research papers about inventions or chemical processes set mostly during the Industrial Revolution. I was wondering if you had any suggestions about peer editing. —Jaime, Goffstown, New Hampshire...
By Mary Bigelow
Blog Post
When I was in elementary/middle school, the earth and space sciences were largely ignored in the curriculum. We looked at some rocks and learned the names of the planets and a few constellations, but that was about it. In high school, earth and space...
By Mary Bigelow
Blog Post
So what is a “must do” at an NSTA Conference?
This month we are looking for comments and recommendations on what you are most looking forward to at the upcoming conference on science education in Boston! Help our fellow educators by highlighting your “must do” session along with the reason w...
By Christine Royce
Blog Post
Going Wild with the Go Wireless Temp Sensor
The sensor is fairly small compared to an iPad Air....
By Martin Horejsi
Blog Post
“Think globally, act locally” is a phrase we hear, and for younger students, thinking locally is important, too. Earth Day is celebrated on April 22, but the activities and investigations described in this month’s featured articles ...
By Mary Bigelow
Blog Post
New teacher "nightmare"
I am looking forward to my first teaching job, but I’m concerned about how parents will react to my being a “newbie” in the science department. Will this be an issue? What can I do to start off the year on a positive note?...
By Mary Bigelow
Blog Post
Watching children and teenagers use computers, tablets, and smartphones, it’s easy to assume that these digital natives are very familiar with all of the new technologies. I’ve found that while they know what relates to their interests, m...
By Mary Bigelow
Blog Post
It's Debatable! Using Socioscientific Issues to Develop Scientific Literacy
“Should schools charge more money for ‘unhealthy’ foods?” “Should animals perform in circuses?” Should rare Earth elements be mined in the United States?” “Should prescription drugs be advertised directly to consumers?”...
By Carole Hayward
Blog Post
Breathe new life into your STEM lessons
Science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) hold tremendous interest for students at all grade levels. The breadth of the topic areas teachers can cover in STEM lessons reinforces for students that these fields are interconnected and linked to ...
By Claire Reinburg
Blog Post
NSTA’s K-College Science Education Journals: March 2014 Issues Online
Interactions are our focus this month—in ecosystems and classrooms, among science teachers teaching a variety of disciplines, and using the latest technology. This month’s K-College journals from the National Science Teachers Association have...
By Lauren Jonas, NSTA Assistant Executive Director
Blog Post
Ecosystems: Interactions, energy, and dynamics
In an NSTA discussion forum, a question was raised about studying ecosystems and food chains at the elementary level. I pointed the readers to articles in this month’s edition of Science & Children, which has a variety of classroom resource...
By Mary Bigelow
Blog Post
Ecosystems outside the school door
Since it is now March and in my area we just had our 10th snow day, I am dreaming of planting seeds rather than actually planting them. What should the children plant in the raised bed school garden, a tiny sliver of ground that could not be incorpor...
By Peggy Ashbrook
Blog Post
Sylvia Shugrue Award winner 2013
As Director of Distance Learning for University of Minnesota’s Bell Museum of Natural history, each year Chris Tower created and provided professional development for more than 300 teachers throughout Minnesota and Wisconsin via two distance–lear...
By admin
Blog Post
At the end of a unit, there are always students who haven’t completed some assignments. Coming in before or after school is not an option for most of my students. Rather than moving on to the next unit, knowing they’ll fall even further behin...
By Mary Bigelow