This week in education news, West Virginia governor signs legislation requiring high school computer science; Hispanics make up 16 percent of the American workforce, but only 6 percent of scientists and engineers; bug-in-ear coaching has been around for decades but in recent years, more and more educators are starting to try it out; America Achieves Educator Networks argues that traditional K-12 curriculums aren’t sufficient for a world in which machines are expected to do 42 percent of labor by 2022; 2018 teacher strikes had minimal impact on state education funding; in statehouses around the country, lawmakers this year have introduced bills seen as threatening instruction on science, including on climate change; new research finds that integrating the arts into science classes can help students learn better; and new “baby PISA” study will measure children’s skills in literacy, numeracy and self-regulation.

W.Va. Gov Signs Bill Mandating High School Computer Science

West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice has signed legislation requiring students to take computer science classes before graduating high school. Read the article by the Associated Press.

Latino Engineers Want to Encourage More to Pursue STEM Careers

STEM jobs, a crucial part of the global economy, are growing faster than other industries and tend to pay better than the national average, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Hispanics make up 16 percent of the American workforce, but only 6 percent of scientists and engineers, according to the National Science Foundation. There is ample opportunity in STEM, according to Latino engineers in several fields. Read the article by NBC News Learn.

Astrophysicist Barbie Is Perfect. That’s Not How You Attract More Girls to STEM Careers

The new astrophysicist Barbie, announced by Mattel last month, seems well-intentioned enough: Its goal is to encourage young girls to enter science and engineering fields by wedding Barbie’s glamour and intellectual gusto. In reality, it’s just another cultural message of unattainable perfection, and our messages of perfection for girls are already keeping them out of STEM work at the highest academic levels. Read the article featured in USA Today.

With Bug-in-Ear Coaching, Teachers Get Feedback on the Fly

Michael Young was working one-on-one with a student when he heard a voice: “Maybe pause a little bit longer and wait for the student to respond.” It wasn’t his internal monologue reminding him of something he learned in training. The voice belonged to an instructional coach 50 miles away, who was watching what Young was doing in the classroom through a livestream and communicating via an earpiece. Read the article featured in Education Week.

There’s a Gap in Education that Only Industry Can Fill, Report Says

High schools are teaching students a curriculum that prepares them for a future that doesn’t exist, according a recent report from an education nonprofit. According to the America Achieves Educator Networks if schools can’t understand the future of work, then they need to turn students’ attention to the employers and industry leaders who do. Read the article featured in EdScoop.

Middle School Science Materials Come Up Short in First Review

Just one of six new middle school science series is a good match to a set of national science standards, according to a review conducted by the nonprofit EdReports, which uses teams of teachers to vet learning materials. The good news is the publishing community is really working hard to provide materials teachers can use,” said David Evans, the executive director of the National Science Teachers Association, a membership organization for science educators. “The more challenging part for the community is that it’s really hard to do. Read the article featured in Education Week.

2018 Teacher Protests Had Limited Impact on State Ed Funding

While school spending increased in some states where educators went on strike, an updated analysis finds many finance formulas remain at pre-recession levels. Read the article featured in Education DIVE.

School Lessons Targeted by Climate Change Doubters

A Connecticut lawmaker wants to strike climate change from state science standards. A Virginia legislator worries teachers are indoctrinating students with their personal views on global warming. And an Oklahoma state senator wants educators to be able to introduce alternative viewpoints without fear of losing their jobs. As climate change becomes a hotter topic in American classrooms, politicians around the country are pushing back against the near-universal scientific consensus that global warming is real, dire and man-made. Read the article by the Associated Press.

A New Study Finds That Bringing Arts to the Classroom Can Help Students Succeed in Science

According to new research by John Hopkins University, integrating the arts—like song, movement, and drawing—into science classes can help students learn better, particularly lower-achieving students. Read the article featured on MarthaStewart.com.

Pre-to-3: New ‘Baby PISA’ Study to Include US 5-Year-Olds

New “baby PISA” study will include a sample of 3,000 5-year-olds each in the U.S., England and Estonia. In addition to gathering data on children’s characteristics — such as gender, parents’ socioeconomic level and family makeup — the study will also collect data on children’s “home environment” and on the schools where they attend kindergarten. Researchers will measure children’s skills in literacy, numeracy and self-regulation. Read the article featured in Education DIVE.

Stay tuned for next week’s top education news stories.

The Communication, Legislative & Public Affairs (CLPA) team strives to keep NSTA members, teachers, science education leaders, and the general public informed about NSTA programs, products, and services and key science education issues and legislation. In the association’s role as the national voice for science education, its CLPA team actively promotes NSTA’s positions on science education issues and communicates key NSTA messages to essential audiences.

The mission of NSTA is to promote excellence and innovation in science teaching and learning for all.

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I am sick of using cookbook labs in my chemistry class and want my students to conduct more inquiry labs. However, my principal thinks that this might be a recipe for disaster. What do other chemistry teachers do to incorporate more inquiry into their chemistry labs?
—R., Kansas

I spent several years using cookbook labs and being frustrated that students had no clue what they were supposed to be learning, did not understand their data and were constantly worried if they got the ‘right’ answers!

One of the simplest ways to convert a cookbook lab into an introduction to inquiry is to cut off your pre-lab handout after the materials section! So, the students have an introduction, a purpose, and a list of materials they can use but they have to figure out the rest. How they will perform the experiment, what they will measure, what variables to control and manipulate, how they will record and present the data is all up to them (with your approval)! With the scaffold at the beginning and a list of materials there is less ‘mayhem’ but the students are thinking, analyzing, predicting, and doing all that neat nature of science stuff. They will need to make sense of their data and determine the best way to communicate their results.

Later on you can have the students investigate questions they, themselves, have about a phenomenon or topic you’re teaching by creating their own labs from scratch. Now you’re at a full-blown inquiry.

Hope this helps!

If you’re a Missouri science teacher, you’ve probably been to the Missouri Botanical Garden, most likely as a chaperone. But when you join NSTA for our 2019 National Conference in St. Louis this April, you’ll get a completely different experience—right in your own backyard. You get to be the student for a couple of days and experience the joys of science with your friends. And the Botanical Garden? Yep. It’s on the list—all attendees get complimentary admission to the Missouri Botanical Garden’s Butterfly House (just show your badge at the gate).

Ready for the New MO Standards?

Our conference planning committee knows that Missouri has adopted new science learning standards and a new science assessment; so this conference will be especially useful to Missouri teachers needing to get up to speed. The new Missouri standards and assessments are directly aligned to the learning, practices, and content that will be addressed at this conference. Areas of particular focus for this conference include the following strands (all targeted by level— novice, intermediate, or advanced attendees):

• Three-Dimensional Grand Slam: This strand will focus on implementing three-dimensional learning to increase student understanding. Read more.
• Phenomena: Gateway to Learning: This strand will show how teachers can use structures such as the 5E instructional model, Claims-Evidence-Reasoning (CER), Problem-Based Learning, Place-Based Learning, or Project-Based Learning as viable approaches to facilitate student understanding. Read more.
• Jazzing Up Science with Cross-Curricular Connections: This strand will focus on ways that science and other subject areas can be integrated, including the best way to bundle disciplinary core ideas. Read more.
• Confluence of Equity and Education: The imperative of the planners of this strand is to maintain high expectations and broaden access and opportunities in STEM education to increase the likelihood of student success and to prepare them to compete globally. Read more.

Will You Know Anyone?

If this is your first NSTA conference (or even if it isn’t but you want to meet new people to share the experience with), be sure to put the First Timers Session (Thursday, April 11, 8:00–9:00 AM) on your schedule. And stop by the Science Teachers of Missouri (STOM) booth. At both places you’ll find STOM members, leadership, and teachers from the surrounding area who are facing the same challenges and sharing new opportunities particularly applicable to you. One particular opportunity you’ll want to watch for is STOM’s announcement of the winners of the 2018 STOM Excellence in Science Teaching Awards. Learn more about the award here, and consider nominating yourself or a deserving peer for the 2019 award.

If you’re planning to come with a group, use code 5FOR4 to get a complimentary 5th registration when you sign up 4 people to attend.

Lots of sessions and workshops will be led by Missouri educators. Here is just a small sampling of them; search the session browser to find more.

• A Generation of Citizen Stewards
  Betsy Crites, Missouri Botanical Garden
  Thursday, April 11, 8:30–9:00 AM 
  Room 151, America’s Center

Activate your high school students to engage in their community by taking action for the environment, while they put 21st-century skills into action.

• Assessing and Exploring the Phenomena of Earthquakes: Including the New Madrid Seismic Zone
  Lloyd Barrow, Professor Emeritus, University of Missouri
  Dannah Schaffer, Assistant Professor of Science, Minot State University
  Thursday, April 11, 2:00–3:00 PM 
  Room 228, America’s Center

Using the 5Es (Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, and Evaluate), participants will gain an insight into how to implement classroom activities concerning plate tectonics, as well as how to assess students’ understanding.

• Integrating the Missouri River into Your Classroom
  Kristen Schulte, Missouri River Relief
  Thursday, April 11, 3:30–4:30 PM 
  Room 228, America’s Center

Build your understanding of how human choices have affected the Missouri River’s rhythm while discovering new instructional strategies for investigating the mysteries behind the river.

• The Flight of the Bumblebee: A New Multimodal STEM Text Set and Related Activities for Diverse Middle School Learners
  Zack Miller, University of Missouri
  William Folk, Professor, University of Missouri
  Amy Lannin, Director, University of Missouri
  Delinda Van Garderen, Professor, University of Missouri
  Friday, April 12, 8:00–9:00 AM 
  Room 221, America’s Center

We will review a new multimodal STEM text set addressing engineering design (MS-ETS1); waves and applications (MS-PS4); ecosystems (MS-LS2); and CCSS ELA (RST:1–9) for diverse learners.

• NARST-Sponsored Session: Science and Literacy—How Is Preservice Teacher Learning Impacted by a Mobile Device Curriculum?
  Deepika Menon, Assistant Professor of Science Education, Towson University
  Meera Chandrasekhar, Professor, University of Missouri
  Dorina Kosztin, Teaching Professor, University of Missouri
  Doug Steinhoff, Physics Teacher, University of Missouri
  Friday, April 12, 11:00 AM–12 Noon 
  Mills Studio 1, Hyatt Regency St. Louis at the Arch

Hear how switching to an iPad-based hands-on curriculum made a major positive impact on both physical science learning and technology self-efficacy for preservice teachers. Handouts!

• Sustainable in St. Louis: Connecting Students and Concepts Through Real-World Waste Reduction Projects
  Katherine Golden, Missouri Botanical Garden
  Maggie McCoy, Education Coordinator, EarthWays Center of Missouri Botanical Garden
  Friday, April 12, 11:30 AM–12 Noon 
  Room 241, America’s Center

We will share case studies from the EarthWays Sustainability Network, a data-based teacher mentorship program that helps schools find ways to reduce landfill waste through student-led projects.

• Engaging St. Louis Area Students in Equity Through Design Thinking
  Leslie Cook, Teton Science Schools Teacher Learning Center
  Paulo Ribeiro, Health and PE Teacher, Parkway Southwest Middle School
  Joe Rhodes, Classroom Teacher-Social Studies, Parkway Southwest Middle School
  Joseph Petrick, Vice President of Field Education, Teton Science Schools
  Friday, April 12, 12:30–1:30 PM 
  Landmark 7, Marriott St. Louis Grand

Hear how teachers in the Parkway School District, Missouri, guided student learning and exploration of equity through meaningful and relevant real-life topics in the community.

• Engaging Outdoor Learning Techniques for Student Success
  Steven Juhlin, Education Program State Coordinator, Missouri Dept. of Conservation
  Bridget Jackson, Conservation Education Consultant, Missouri Dept. of Conservation
  Saturday, April 13, 12:30–1:30 PM 
  Gateway A, Marriott St. Louis Grand

Discuss underlying issues, needs, and questions that stifle outdoor learning, and identify practical and academic methods to be successful. Inquiry-based resources provided.

• Cross-Curricular Connections for a Sustainable Planet
  Mary Ellen Lohr, Assistant Professor of Biology, Southeast Missouri State University
  Cindi Smith-Walters, Biology Professor, Middle Tennessee State University
  Sunday, April 14, 9:30–10:30 AM 
  Room 240, America’s Center

Engage in hands-on activities that apply math, science, and social studies skills and content standards to address major global, environmental challenges. Lesson plans provided.

• Get Them THINKING! Critical Thinking, the Nature of Science, and Logic in Engineering and Crosscutting Concepts
  Alice (Jill) Black, Associate Professor, Missouri State University
  Sunday, April 14, 11:00 AM–12 Noon 
  Room 261, America’s Center

Do your students think through ideas or give answers indicating “surface thinking”? Come participate in K–8 critical thinking, nature of science, and engineering/crosscutting concepts–related logic activities.

This Year Is Special

“Typically, very few Missouri teachers are able to attend due to the funding and policies of out-of-state travel.  We have a very unique situation this year where our state is hosting the conference, making it possible to send many teachers at an affordable rate.”— NSTA’s St. Louis Conference Chair, Mike Szydlowski (Science Coordinator for Columbia Public Schools and STOM Past President) has this message for Missouri teachers. He’s set up the “Send a Teacher” initiative to help Missouri educators get funding from local businesses and other organizations to attend.

Worried about Missouri Spring Assessments conflicting with the NSTA conference? Don’t be! Mike also tells us: “We have confirmed that the testing window in Missouri will be greatly expanded to include the dates April 1 through the end of the school year. This will allow schools to work around this incredible national-level conference opportunity without impacting their state testing.”

NSTA and STOM work together to make this conference great, and it takes years of planning. The people who have made the educational programming so relevant for both local teachers and those nationwide deserve special recognition. They are:

• Mike Szydlowski
  Conference Chairperson
  K–12 Science Coordinator
  Columbia Public Schools
• Eric Hadley
  Program Coordinator
  K–12 Science Curriculum Coordinator
  Ferguson-Florissant School District
• Christina Hughes
  Local Arrangements Coordinator
  K–12 Science Curriculum Coordinator
  Hazelwood School District

NSTA’s 2019 National Conference on Science Education addresses real challenges teachers face in their schools and classrooms. In just four days, the programming and events associated with this conference will better prepare you to support your students’ science learning. You would have to attend several events to obtain the level of education offered at NSTA’s National Conference.

Pro Tips

Find out about scholarship opportunities to attend the conference and attend a Professional Learning Institute. Learn more.

Check out more sessions and other events with the St. Louis Session Browser. Follow all our conference tweets using #NSTA19, and if you tweet, please feel free to tag us @NSTA so we see it and share.

Need help requesting funding or time off from your principal or supervisor? Download a letter of support and bring it with you.

And don’t forget, NSTA and/or STOM members save up to $90 off the price of registration. Not a member? Join here. Missouri science teachers, you are also eligible for joint membership in both STOM and NSTA, for only $79. To take advantage of this special offer, fill out the registration packet, and see page 4 for the joint membership option.

Future NSTA Conferences

2019 National Conference
St. Louis, April 11–14

2019 STEM Forum & Expo
San Francisco, July 24–26

The mission of NSTA is to promote excellence and innovation in science teaching and learning for all.

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Before the weather really warms up in your area, take children for a nature walk and together document through drawing or photography the plants that are beginning to bud out with leaves or flowers. Spring doesn’t begin at the moment the first daffodil blooms—the flowers of a maple tree may be budding months before. The creeping change of season is made visible by observation and documentation done in a systematic way, or at least weekly over a few months. Change continues as spring weather gives way to summer heat—keep observing and noting the new changes by making a brief stop at particular plants as you go out to the playground or to the carpool line. These brief observations may lead to investigations into the relationship between plant growth and the amount of sun it receives or what insects are doing when they visit or live on a plant.   

You may be planning a garden with your class, or already be planting one, depending on your local weather. I have praised the sugar snap pea many times for its ease of planting and for being of interest to children. The seeds are familiar to most children who may be surprised to find out that the peas on their plates are seeds, seeds that could grow into a plant if they had not been cooked for eating. After planting pea seeds children may wonder, what other food items are seeds? And how do seeds sprout and grow? Indoor and outdoor plantings make the growing process visible. Indoors a discussion about the growth of the classic “seed in a bag” can reveal children’s understanding of the needs of plants. Outdoors, even a large pot can sustain a small crop of edible plants if you want to start small. The KidsGardening website has information on gardening with children and the US Department of Agriculture’s zone map of plant hardiness can help you decide when to plant. 

When children are given the responsibility of planning a system for plant care, the plants become more important to them. “Plant waterer” or “Garden care” can be added to a job chart. Children might suggest that each child get a turn to carry the heavy water jug out to the garden pot, or that every child can use a spray bottle indoors.

Many programs have children plant in pots to give to parents as a Mothers’ Day gift. How about starting some herb seeds, such as spring onion or cilantro, now so the growth is lush by May 12, 2019? If you leave children’s names off the pots, and be sure to plant a few extra pots, there will be enough for every family even if some don’t thrive because they are over or under watered.

After devoting 25 years to the teaching profession, Mary Hanson was seeking “out of the box professional development opportunities.”

“I was at the point in my career where I was looking for (more than) just getting another master’s degree or license,” said Hanson, who teaches fourth grade for the Whitehall (Wisc.) Memorial School District. She applied to participate in a federally-funded grant project that sought to equip elementary school teachers with practical strategies for integrating literacy with the NGSS in their classrooms.

Hanson was accepted into the program (Using Children’s Literature to Teach Science), which was run out of the University of Wisconsin-Stout, and the experience not only expanded her skill, but broadened her professional network. Hanson learned through Shelley Lee, one of the program’s coordinators, that NSTA was seeking new authors to add to its publishing roster.

“Being an author was always something that I wanted to do,” Hanson confessed. “It’s been on my bucket list since I was a kid. So, I looked up more information on the NSTA website, I started sending emails, and there I was, on my way to becoming an author.”

Hanson admits that she initially saw her idea getting published as a “regular book,” but changed her mind after personally experiencing one of NSTA’s eBook+ Kids interactive e-books.

“I realized that this format was not just going to be the process of making my book available online,” she explained. “You have to experience an NSTA eBook+ for Kids to fully understand it. Once I did, I started seeing how I could arrange lessons to support the e-book’s learnings in my classroom, via my Smartboard, via interactives. I told myself, ‘I can do this!’”

Hanson’s interactive e-book, Fish Out of Water, focuses on earth science, a subject she is passionate about and loves teaching.

“It’s mind-blowing thinking about the planet that we are on and what’s literally going on under our feet while we go along with our daily lives,” she said. “Just think of the huge amount of time that the earth has been here and what’s been happening all along! And then think about the short time that humans have been on the planet and how it’s changed ever since. Kids get really excited learning about things they’ve never thought about before.”

Fish Out of Water takes students on an expedition to a paleontological site in the Egyptian dessert. Led by 10-year-old Kat, a student paleontologist, who communicates with her readers via video chat, students will discover just how a fossil fish came to exist in such a dry, arid place; help Kat identify the age of the fossil; and learn how fossils can be used to understand the earth’s surface and how/why it changes over time. Kat’s expedition is like a puzzle, Hanson explained, one that students work to complete as they progress throughout the book.

In compiling her content, the author drew from real-life experiences like the time she took her own sons to visit Yellowstone National Park.

“The water was bubbling up because the crust is thin,” Hanson recalled. “We walked over a bridge that was right over the caldera. We could smell something coming from inside the earth!

“I’ve always had a strong need to understand things, especially the planet. I always want to know more and then share what I learn with others!”

Science, social studies, and writing, three subjects that Hanson enjoys teaching most, were brought together in her e-book, which is specifically written about one, 4^th-grade science standards: Code 4 ESS1-1.

Even before the Wisconsin Department of Education formally adopted the NGSS, Hanson said that her rural, progressive school district enthusiastically embraced the standards and set out to revamp its entire science curriculum.

“We’ve been working for a few years in our district on rewriting our curriculum to meet the NGSS, and we think it’s pretty good,” Hanson said. “At first it seems like there is so much: Crossing-cutting concepts, core disciplinary ideas, connections to be made with both literature and math standards. But once you learn how to read the standards and understand how they work, it’s not so bad.”

The writer has another e-book in the works which will be based on an upcoming trip to Iceland.

“My favorite part of earth science is plate tectonics,” Hanson said. “In Iceland, you can see the North American and European tectonic plates pulling apart. Most of the time, this activity occurs underneath the ocean, so you cannot see it. That’s what makes Iceland so special.

“My next book will follow my character Kat to Iceland where she will help her friend Alfred, a student geologist, crack a mysterious case.”

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Photo by Allie LaRue

Welcome to guest blogger Margaret Egan who has dual roles at Tuckahoe Elementary School in Arlington, VA: Outdoor Learning Coordinator and S.T.E.A.M. Teacher. She is a National Board Certified teacher with master’s degrees in both science and education, and has worked as a naturalist and environmental scientist before becoming a teacher. This background facilitates her efforts to weave meaningful age-appropriate curriculum-based content into a wide variety of learning experiences through Tuckahoe’s Discovery Schoolyard. Outdoor learning provides opportunities to engage children in S.T.E.A.M. (science, technology, engineering, art, math) activities, and to nurture their sense of environmental stewardship. Discussing how animal adaptations have inspired human innovation, exploring patterns, carrying out science investigations, and planting gardens are examples of engaging experiences that foster critical thinking, communication, and collaboration skills. 

Many times, I have taken groups of young students (Pre-K through early elementary) outside only to have learning activities sidetracked by the discovery of earthworms! These gentle little creatures become the focus of students’ attention, generating excitement and conversation. Over time, I have come to view earthworms as a wonderful starting place for various types of learning. While instruction of this type can seem unstructured, it is not aimless. According to the NSTA position statement on Elementary Science Education, “High-quality elementary science education is essential for establishing a sound foundation of learning in later grades, instilling a wonder of and enthusiasm for science that lasts a lifetime.”

Content related to core science concepts such as food chains, ecological relationships, and scientific investigation is taught at increasing levels of depth and detail through the grades. Content information is more meaningful to students when they have that first-hand experiential foundation, and have maintained their sense of wonder. Studying earthworms through both relatively unstructured discovery learning experiences and highly structured lessons provides ideal opportunities to engage students in the practices of science and engineering identified as essential in the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and A Framework for K-12 Science Education.

1. Asking questions (for science) and defining problems (for engineering)

2. Developing and using models

3. Planning and carrying out investigations

4. Analyzing and interpreting data

5. Using mathematics and computational thinking

6. Constructing explanations (for science) and designing solutions (for engineering)

7. Engaging in argument from evidence

8. Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information

The learning process described in the NGSS Framework combines concept learning with practice in the context of investigation and problem-solving. The eight practices are meant to be accessible at some level to all students, starting in kindergarten and growing in complexity through the grades.  They may overlap and interconnect but tend to arise sequentially in the course of investigations. Thus “asking questions” is a natural place to begin. Classroom discussion often leads to student-generated questions such as those below, suitable for investigation and related to the NGSS Practices, listed below.

What is an earthworm? Students can be guided to make detailed observations, and to use specific and descriptive language. Guidance may include encouragement to be specific and avoid using words that mean different things to different people. Rather than describing a worm as weird, cool, or icky, a scientist might say wiggly, pink, or wet.  As students inevitably discover a variety of wonders, such as worm eggs, centipedes, and grubs, opportunities abound to encourage critical thinking related to classification. Questions such as, “Does it have legs?” “Does it move like a worm?” and “Did you find it in the same place as the worms?” help students to notice the characteristics of living things and use them to make distinctions. Students can gather information about the characteristics of various groups of animals and engage in evidence-based argument about which group worms belong to, based on appearance and behaviors. Teaching students to add “because” to their statements is a simple but powerful way to encourage evidence-based reasoning, such as “I think this worm is a baby because it is smaller than my fingertip.”

How does an earthworm move? Making models is a great way to explore this question. Simple worm models may include an accordion-folded strip of paper, the bendy section of a straw, or a rubber band. Comparing students’ models to real worms, and analyzing differences, allows students to make decisions about possible improvements to the models.  

Are there different types of earthworms? Students will likely encounter earthworms with varying characteristics, such as large, small, green, or pink. Keeping data on the number of each type found can be as simple as making tally marks with chalk on a nearby paved surface. Math and computational thinking can be applied to the data as students analyze the differences in the numbers of worms in each category. Guiding questions help students apply knowledge and reasoning to construct explanations, and to argue for them using evidence. Such questions might include: Do all the worms move in the same way? Do they have the same type of rings on their bodies? Did you find them in different places? Do you think they all eat the same type of food?     

Where are earthworms? I have found that students will enthusiastically and with great focus dig in various spots, gathering information about where most worms can be found. They use their information to construct explanations, for example saying that worms are near plant roots for food or a pile of leaves for warmth. This question also provides a chance to practice measurement and mathematical thinking as students gather and evaluate the number and size of worms and how deep in the soil they are found. For young children, measurement can begin when they make comparisons; by first grade students typically can use rulers to generate their data.  Comparing the location of worms during warm months vs cold is an engaging starting place for planning and carrying out an investigation. 

Can worms tell light from dark, and do they have a preference? A simple experimental set-up involving a plastic plate (and water spray bottle to keep it moist), and a piece of dark paper to cover one side can serve as a model for light vs. shaded areas that a worm might encounter in its natural habitat. As students carefully place worms in the center of the plate, they can gather data about their behavior, which will prompt further science practices, including analysis and communication of findings. 

What does an earthworm need?

This question encourages young students to apply their observations in making inferences in relation to a larger science question, “What are the needs of living things?” which they will return to in later grades. One of my most rewarding experiences as a teacher occurred when I took first graders outside in late fall to try to figure out why earthworms were less prevalent in soil at that time of year. While I thought students might conclude that the worms had simply gone deeper, I was awed by the number of inferences students generated. For example, “Maybe the worms moved closer to the plant roots,” “Maybe the worms laid eggs then died,” and “Maybe the worms moved closer to the school building where it is warmer,” were ideas generated by students. They enthusiastically tested their suppositions by looking for worms in various locations. 

Inferring arises naturally from observation, and the differences between these two skills is something students typically explore in upper elementary or middle grades. For younger children, practice with inference comes naturally when they have a high-interest subject, and can be encouraged with guided inquiry. Specific questions, such as, “Why is the earthworm wiggling?” or  “Why is that worm smaller than the others?” help students to connect their observations to possible explanations.  Going a step further, the article, “What is a Good Guiding Question?” (Traver 1998) states, “Choosing the right questions can lead learners to higher, more meaningful  achievement.” 

During earthworm investigations, communication will take on many forms, from informal chatter while digging in soil to formal in-class reporting of experimental findings. Communication is facilitated when students have a high-interest subject that they care about. 

Working with earthworms also provides chances to model and practice empathy and kindness. Occasionally, a student may express fear or reluctance to work with worms. In this case, it is important for the teacher to provide alternatives, such as allowing that student to be an observer and data recorder, and never forcing a student beyond their comfort zone. This situation provides classmates opportunities to be kind and helpful to the fearful student. 

Of course, an attitude of kindness towards the animals encountered in soil studies, such as worms and insects, is important too. It is also in keeping with NSTA position statement guidance, which recommends, in part, “Espouse the importance of not conducting experimental procedures on animals if such procedures are likely to cause pain…” Once students understand, for example, that worms must be kept moist and returned to their homes, they are usually eager to ensure the worms’ safety. 

Many students will have heard that it is fine to cut a worm in half because the two parts will just regrow. Showing them that worms are complex animals, with muscles, hearts, and nerves – in some ways similar to people – helps to dispel this misconception. The NRC publication How Students Learn (Chapter 11) includes the statement, “Learning is an active process. We need to acknowledge students’ attempts to make sense of their experiences and help them confront inconsistencies in their sense making.” 

Earthworms may be easy to find in a garden bed or patch of schoolyard. For safety, it is best to check out the area first with an eye out for dangers such as thorny plants or poison ivy. For indoor learning, keeping a classroom vermicomposting bin is not difficult and makes a great starting point for lessons on food webs. Knowledge of the proper set-up and maintenance requirements, and some “starter worms” of the right species (different than those found outside) are keys to success (see Resources).

One factor that makes earthworm studies very doable, is that the materials needed are simple reusable items such as plastic trowels, plastic plates, and magnifying lenses. In my experience as a science, STEAM, and outdoor educator, I have found few things that compare with earthworms for sparking wonder and fully engaging students in the practices of science. 

RESOURCES

Article:

Traver, Rod. 1998. What is a Good Guiding Question? Choosing the right questions can lead learners to higher, more meaningful achievement. Educational Leadership. March 1998.Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development. 55(6): 70-73. https://mtpyph.weebly.com/uploads/9/0/6/9/9069240/traver_-_good_guiding_question.pdf 

Website:

University of Illinois Extension. Urban Programs. The Adventures of Herman. 

This is a wonderful, rich, kid-friendly source of information on earthworm biology, very useful for launching discussion of worms as organisms that sense and respond to their environment. https://extension.illinois.edu/worms/  

Children’s Books:

Cronin, Doreen. 2004. Diary of a Worm. London: Joanna Cotler Books.

Glaser, Linda. 1994. Wonderful Worms. Minneapolis, MN: Millbrook Press.

Himmelman, John. 2001. An Earthworm’s Life. Chicago, IL: Children’s Press.

Pfeffer, Wendy. 2008. Wiggling Worms at Work. New York, NY: HarperCollins.

Books:

Appelhof, Mary, & Joanne Olszewski. 2018. Worms Eat My Garbage: How to Set Up and Maintain a Worm Composting System. North Adams, MA: Storey Publishing.

National Research Council (NRC). 2005. How Students Learn: History, Mathematics, and Science in the Classroom. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. https://www.nap.edu/catalog/10126/how-students-learn-history-mathematics-and-science-in-the-classroom