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Practices of science and engineering
What science and engineering practices will he use to solve this problem?...
By Peggy Ashbrook
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My middle schoolers were full of energy! This month’s Science Scope has many suggestions for channeling their enthusiasm into studying energy transformations....
By Mary Bigelow
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“Can It Reflect Light?” and other probing questions
Can it reflect light? Is it a plant? Is it made of cells? These questions are among more than 100 formative assessment probes developed by Page Keeley and her colleagues to help teachers elicit information about what students think about key science ...
By Claire Reinburg
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STEM competition for middle grades
Passing along some information —...
By Mary Bigelow
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I’m using probes in some of my chemistry labs, although I’m sure I could be doing more with them. In addition, I’m still trying to learn how to enhance lessons with the interactive board that was installed this year. I recently atte...
By Mary Bigelow
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Some bits and pieces gleaned from listserves, blogs, and tweets– Professional development...
By Mary Bigelow
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By Ken Roberts
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Gentle readers, here are two opportunities for us to be part of a larger professional community. For just 24 hours, beginning 9:00 a.m. on Monday, NSTA membership for $50 ...
By Peggy Ashbrook
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Anecdotes from parents: what is important from the child’s viewpoint
It is always nice to hear from the parents of my students: Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family. Wanted to share with you Sasha’s painting. She did it yesterday while I was cooking....
By Peggy Ashbrook
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Report from the NAEYC 2011 national conference
Being away from my daily routine is both exciting and a little anxiety-producing, as in Look at all the other early childhood educators who are attending a session on science! and Did I remember to ask someone to feed the fish? Here are descriptions ...
By Peggy Ashbrook
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Photography in the science classroom
My school is offering “mini-grants” to teachers. It’s not a lot of money, but every little bit counts these days. I want to apply for funds for a digital camera for my elementary classroom. I know it would be useful, but the proposa...
By Mary Bigelow
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The Great Beyond: why e-reader tablets matter in science education
It seems with each passing week, another tablet (computer?) is announced, reviewed, and sits on the store shelf. At last count, there are 54 options of the device occupying the “space” called a tablet....
By Martin Horejsi
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Intergenerational science activities
My school is planning an Intergenerational Day, in which students invite grandparents or other guests to attend school for part of the day. We’re also inviting residents of a local retirement community. I’d like to participate with my fif...
By Mary Bigelow
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Early childhood teachers respond to request for resources on Earth and Life Science
Children observe and document seasonal changes as they begin to learn how living organisms respond to their environment....
By Peggy Ashbrook
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Science and engineering that helped win a war: Reflections on Veterans Day
Being part of a military family, Veterans Day holds special significance for me. Members of my family have served in the Coast Guard, Navy, and Army. Wherever I am on Veterans Day, I seek out a way to reflect on the sacrifices and accomplishments of ...
By Claire Reinburg
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Off to the races with physics!
I enjoyed watching auto races as a child, so I decided to check out Norm Barstow’s session, Elastic Power: Wind Up Your Engines and Explore (a.k.a. “NASCAR in New Orleans”)....
By Debra Shapiro
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Steve Rich’s early morning NSTA Press Session in New Orleans “Bringing Outdoor Science Into Your Classroom” drew teachers eager to explore strategies to incorporate more of the outdoors into their science lessons....
By Claire Reinburg
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Fun and games with the carbon cycle
Demonstrating the carbon cycle was never so much fun as it was in Kristen Dotti’s New Orleans session, Drop the Lecture and Let the Students...
By Debra Shapiro
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Picture-perfect elementary STEM
This year, K–5 teachers from the Baltimore City (Maryland) Public Schools went from thinking they couldn’t teach STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) and their students couldn’t learn it to expressing confidence in thei...
By Debra Shapiro
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With STEM, almost everything is possible
The audience for Colonel Geoffrey Ling’s presentation had a treat yesterday. Ling, who is program manager for the Defense Science Office at Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), said that this conference was “the first natio...
By Debra Shapiro
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The NSTA Science Store at the conferences is a popular meeting spot where teachers can browse ...
By Claire Reinburg
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The scoop on the Next Generation Science Standards
Stephen Pruitt, vice president for content, research, and development for Achieve, Inc., gave teachers an engaging preview of the Next Generation Science Standards during his talk this afternoon. “We have incredible teachers in this countryR...
By Debra Shapiro
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Morgan Fairchild on science ed and the economy
(photo courtesy of Morgan Fairchild.com) Who knew that actress Morgan Fairchild knew so much about science? “I was the original science nerd,” she told the audience during her keynote speech this morning....
By Debra Shapiro
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[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T41vZCadbAk[/youtube]...
By Martin Horejsi
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The science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) pipeline: how are we doing?
NSTA Executive Director Francis Eberle...
By Francis Eberle
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The magic of a scientist's visit
(photo by Cathy Parker, TOPScience Project Coordinator) When a scientist visits a classroom, a kind of magic happens for te...
By Debra Shapiro
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What educators should know about research
Reading publications from other organizations related to literacy, administration, and technology provides a context for science instruction. An article I recently read has relevance for science teachers: 10 Things Every Literacy Educator Should Know...
By Mary Bigelow
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I wish I had more than 24 hours in a day. There are so many new resources online, and even the tried and true ones are continually being updated....
By Mary Bigelow
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Exploring the practices in the science Framework
I attended a great session at the NSTA Hartford conference regarding the new Framework and Next Generation Science Standards. Francis Eberle and Harold Pratt explored scientific and engineering practices in the the new Framework. We want to know̷...
By Cindy Workosky
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NAEYC Early Childhood Science Interest Forum
The National Association for the Education of Young Children 2011 national conference takes place next week in Orlando....
By Peggy Ashbrook
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Space exploration—more relevant than ever!
Space. The Final Frontier. Well, not really according to James Garvin, Chief Scientist for NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. He insists, “Our exploration has just begun.” Dr. Garvin was the keynote speaking during yesterday’s g...
By Teshia Birts, CAE
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Outstanding Science Trade Books 2012 Awards Reception
Trade books are an important way for young children to learn about the wonders of the natural world outside of their neighborhood, and the details of the natural world at their doorstep....
By Peggy Ashbrook
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Is the computer mouse dead? Or dying anyway?
The computer mouse has been a stable since 1984 when it was popularized on the Macintosh computer. And has gone relatively unquestioned since. However, the mouse also prevents us from doing many things. Like what, you might ask? Well, doing those th...
By Martin Horejsi