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More resources for science teachers…
One of the advantages of being an NSTA member is getting a hard copy of the journal appropriate to your teaching assignment (Science and Children, Science Scope, or The Science Teacher for those in K–12)....
By Mary Bigelow
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Are you hearing that question too often from people who wonder how you are going to make the adjustment back to school now that we are into August? I used to say, “No, I’m not nearly ready” but have decided to follow a more positive model and s...
By Peggy Ashbrook
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Classroom seating arrangements
I am trying to decide how to arrange my classroom with 22–27 chemistry students per class. Last year, my desks were arranged in the traditional manner: rows with an aisle. This year I’m thinking of setting the desks up in pods of four or ...
By Mary Bigelow
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For many of you, the school year is starting soon. Summer certainly flies by quickly! But if you have a little prep time left and are looking for new materials to add to your curriculum, check out SciLinks, NSTA’s online database of vetted web page...
By Mary Bigelow
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I subscribe to many blogs, listserves, and RSS feeds as a way to keep up with current events. This week, two articles caught my attention for their relation to science teaching....
By Mary Bigelow
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It’s me again, the “bone collecting” teacher with a new question. How effective is rubbing alcohol in preserving specimens? Since I live at the beach, I am always finding marine specimens to use for student observations....
By Mary Bigelow
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What's new for July 19th on NSTA’s various online outposts
Highlights of stimulating conversations taking place right now on our listservs:...
By Howard Wahlberg
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Differentiated instruction in science
I am a science specialist and I teach students in first through fifth grades. My school is becoming the resource room building in the district. I expect to have large class sizes, 25–30 students, with mixed ability levels. I could have as many ...
By Mary Bigelow
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Conceptual Framework for New Science Education Standards, draft ready for our review
Science learning begins in early childhood....
By Peggy Ashbrook
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Is "connecting with nature" the same as "science"?
Take a look at The ChildCare Information Exchange’s current “Insta-Poll” (a casual poll of readers) on their views on the Highest Priority Teacher Training Topics. “Connecting children with nature” is fifth in priority today when I looked...
By Peggy Ashbrook
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Safety information for teaching science
In planning for the school year, I check for safety considerations on the National Science Teachers Association website, at www.nsta.org/portals/safety.aspx#elem...
By Peggy Ashbrook
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What's new on NSTA's various online social media outposts
What’s New for July 5th on NSTA’s various online outposts Highlights of stimulating conversations taking place right now on our listservs:...
By Howard Wahlberg
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Free journal columns on early childhood science
In the interest of making it easier for early childhood educators to teach science, I am unabashedly tooting my own horn—read the Early Years column I write in the National Science Teachers Association’s elementary school journ...
By Peggy Ashbrook
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Congratulations to our new colleagues! Whether you’re a new college grad or changing to a new role as teacher, NSTA’s SciLinks can be a valuable resource for you. Through SciLinks, teachers and students can access vetted web pages that pr...
By Mary Bigelow
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The latest from NSTA's various online outposts…
What’s New for June 14 on NSTA’s various online outposts Highlights of stimulating conversations taking place right now on our listservs:...
By Howard Wahlberg
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Cooperative learning in the lab
I teach fourth and fifth graders in our school’s “Discovery Lab.” With over 700 students I am constantly brainstorming procedures to help the lab run smoother. One thing that I want to try is to assign student roles for group work. ...
By Mary Bigelow
Blog Post
Cotton candy, roller coasters, and STEM
Have you ever taken your students to STEM education events at an amusement park? We’re working on a story about theme parks where students can learn while having fun, such as Ohio’s Kings Island, which holds Math and Science Days every sp...
By Debra Shapiro
Blog Post
In SciLinks, as the webwatchers review new sites, each site is correlated to a specific keyword (such as Food Chains, Phases of the Moon, or Magnetic Fields). But sometimes, we run into collections of activities that include a broad spectrum of scien...
By Mary Bigelow
Blog Post
I am a school librarian. When I was cleaning out a cupboard, I found a box of nature-related prints. There are over 300 of them, with a copyright of 1900. Most are of birds, but there are others of flowers, other animals, seashells, and rocks. Are th...
By Mary Bigelow
Blog Post
Have you considered attending the 2010 National Congress on Science Education (NCSE)?
Scheduled for July 21–24 in Las Vegas, Nevada, this national conversation on science education provides an opportunity for chapters and associated groups, the NSTA Council, the NSTA Board of Directors, and NSTA staff to collaboratively address ...
By Howard Wahlberg
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Update on the success of using local butterflies
Yes, I will do this again next spring! We had caterpillars crawling out of the net housing, more caterpillars appearing than expected, wasps pupating next to their caterpillar host, a few deaths due to neglect, and beautiful (is there any other kind?...
By Peggy Ashbrook
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More oil spill resources (again)
Last month we shared some resources on the Gulf oil spill and the situation is even more critical now....
By Mary Bigelow
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News from the Maine Science Teachers Association
The Maine Science Teachers Association has announced that the date of their annual conference has been changed to Friday, November 12. Held at the Gardiner Area High School, the theme is Change for Sustainability featuring former Governor Angus Kin...
By Howard Wahlberg
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Summer reading, summer camping, summer science
What can you suggest to your students and their families for summer science explorations?...
By Peggy Ashbrook
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Connecting scientific principles to student interests is a way of showing students how science relates to “real life.” Earlier this year, the Winter Olympics provided a context for studying the physics of winter sports. And with the 2010 World Cu...
By Mary Bigelow
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I would like to have a science club in our middle school. How should I get started? What types of competitions we can enter? What else should I consider? I have taught Life Science and Physical Science for 15 years. —Liz, Billings, Montan...
By Mary Bigelow
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Using Science Notebooks in Middle School
Science notebooking is a valuable exercise, as evidenced by an article in the current issue of NTSA Reports. “Enhancing Learning with Science Notebooks” is extremely timely as it coincides with the release of Michael Klentschy’s new book, Using...
By Amy America
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Latest from NSTA's online outposts
What’s New for May 31 on NSTA’s various online outposts Happy Memorial Day! Many of you are wanting to download the resources from the conference in Philadelphia. Here’s how. Highlights of stimulating conversations taking place right n...
By Howard Wahlberg
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Educational technology standards
I had an interesting conversation with some teachers about technology skills for the 21st century. Many years ago in the last century (the mid 1980s), when personal computers were emerging into the schools, we had similar discussions and made up list...
By Mary Bigelow
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At our elementary school, we’re exploring the idea of changing from self-contained classrooms to departmentalizing in grades 4 through 6. In terms of science instruction, what are some advantages and disadvantages we should consider? —Eri...
By Mary Bigelow
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Deadline extended for NSTA New Science Teacher Academy
The deadline to submit applications for the 2010 NSTA New Science Teacher Academy has been extended to June 21, 2010. Science teachers located throughout the country, who will be entering their second or third year of teaching and whose schedule is a...
By Howard Wahlberg
Blog Post
What's new for May 24 on NSTA’s various online outposts
Many of you are wanting to download the resources from the conference in Philadelphia. Here’s how. Highlights of stimulating conversations taking place right now on our listservs:...
By Howard Wahlberg
Blog Post
As a SciLinks user, you have access to thousands of websites in the database. An intrepid group of reviewers called NSTA Webwatchers—made up of science teachers—work behind the scenes to search for potential entries and review them for inclusion ...
By Mary Bigelow
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A local laboratory is relocating, and the company is offering to donate materials and equipment to our high school. Our principal says this looks like a good deal, but we science teachers are a little cautious. What precautions should we take? —...
By Mary Bigelow
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Latest from NSTA's online outposts
What’s New for May 17 on NSTA’s various online outposts Many of you are wanting to download the resources from the conference in Philadelphia. Here’s how. Highlights of stimulating conversations taking place right now on our listservs:...
By Howard Wahlberg