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Experience being outdoors in nature—how much do we need?
Children delight in seeing hidden animals....
By Peggy Ashbrook
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As part of the district’s induction program, I coordinate a monthly seminar for new science teachers. The seminar features veteran teachers who share their experiences with a given topic or strategy, followed by a discussion. The topic of assessmen...
By Mary Bigelow
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Yesterday afternoon was one of those beautiful fall days here in the Northeast—clear blue skies, low humidity, a cool breeze, and leaves starting to change color. So what was I doing? I was logged in to a webinar that was a joint presentation b...
By Mary Bigelow
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So it's your first NSTA conference …
… and you’re wondering how to make the most of your time in Kansas City … or Baltimore … or Nashville. Not to worry: You’ve got mentors on the NSTA General Science listserv. They recently offered some tips for newbie...
By Debra Shapiro
Blog Post
I teach applied biology to 10th graders. This year, I have access to a cart of laptops to use in my classroom/lab. I’d like to have the students use the Internet to find information related to science topics as an extension of the textbook, but...
By Mary Bigelow
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Children learn “All About Me” while using science tools
Beginning a new school year often means teachers have new students to get to know, and vice versa. Returning students have report cards or portfolios from the previous year. Children who are attending the school for the first time don’t have those ...
By Peggy Ashbrook
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New freebie book chapters available
We’ve added to the list of chapters you can download for free from NSTA Press books!...
By Claire Reinburg
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What is a Scientist? Resources for young children
What do your students think of when you talk about scientists? Is it Albert Einstein with long white hair, a person in a lab coat working with test tubes, or Sid the Science Kid? The work of science inquiry takes place in labs and many other location...
By Peggy Ashbrook
Blog Post
I’m a new middle school science teacher, and the thought of back-to-school night is already making me nervous. What should I expect? What should I do? —Kate, Savannah, Georgia...
By Mary Bigelow
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As the summer months disappear, I’m finally getting caught up on my reading, thanks to some time at the beach—although I did not see many others reading educational journals there!...
By Mary Bigelow
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What teachers do in the summer…
This summer, I attended the Space Academy for Educators at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama. I am a K–5 reading specialist, and I also am the Science Power Hour instructor in our afterschool program. Obviously, we will...
By Mary Bigelow
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In addition to the new students you’ll soon welcome, you may also be meeting new colleagues on your faculty. Here are two resources from NSTA to share:...
By Mary Bigelow
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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
Blog Post
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
Blog Post
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
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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
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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