I just returned from the NSTA area conference in Denver. As always and whenever they are, these conferences are wonderful learning opportunities for science teachers. Now that I’ve filled out the session evaluations and updated my transcript on the NSTA Learning Center, I have time to reflect on the opportunities I had to attend session on science concepts and teaching strategies, meet new people, and enjoy the sights and hospitality of Denver. (I could see the Rockies from my hotel window!)
From a project I was working on, I developed an interest in ideas for enhancing learning with technology. There were sessions on time-lapse photography and digital storytelling, iPad apps that help students visualize science concepts, probes for lab investigations, and suggestions for using Google apps for creating and organizing student work digitally.

Several agencies (such as NOAA, NASA, LearnGenetics from the University of Utah) are familiar faces and presented their newest resources for the classroom. And most sessions showed a connection between the content and strategies with the NGSS.
The exhibit hall is a wonderland for science teachers—a chance to catch up on new technologies, resources, and programs. One of the most popular (at least in terms of teachers gathering there) was SME’s Minerals Education Coalition (Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration). Visitors to this booth were invited to assemble a collection of mineral samples related to minerals important to human health. As we moved from station to station, we were given a small sample to add to a box and a description of its importance. The finale was some tools for analyzing rock samples (streak plates, etc) and a jump drive with all of the information we heard and lesson plans. Every teacher I talked with was impressed: “If they just gave away the collections, I would have stashed it in my bag and looked at it later. But since we had to collect the samples, add them to the box, and talk with the associates, it became a real learning experience for me.”

I’m sure presenters are concerned when they get an early morning or late afternoon time slot. But science teachers aren’t deterred by time—we want all the information and ideas we can get! Even the Saturday morning sessions had dozens of engaged and interested participants. For example, in the last time slot, Anicia Alvarez from Adams State University showed how elementary students used a “Question-Claim-Evidence-Reason” framework to explain visual representations and make sense of their data during the stages of the 5e learning cycle.
The national conference (e.g., Boston Apr. 3–6, 2014) is larger with an extensive list of sessions and vendors, but these area conferences are very user-friendly and occur in the fall. The venues for 2014 are

• Richmond, Virginia: October 16–18
• Orlando, Florida: November 6–8
• Long Beach, California: December 4–6

The deadline for presentation proposals is January 15, 2014 .
Devner photo:  http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2757/4242084758_230be5bb28_m.jpg

According to the Key Results of the PISA study which was recently released, “PISA assesses the extent to which 15-year-old students have acquired key knowledge and skills that are essential for full participation in modern societies. The assessment, which focuses on reading, mathematics, science and problem-solving, does not just ascertain whether students can reproduce what they have learned; it also examines how well they can extrapolate from what they have learned and apply that knowledge in unfamiliar settings, both in and outside of school. This approach reflects the fact that modern societies reward individuals not for what they know, but for what they can do with what they know.”
We as educators are very familiar with these international benchmarking tests and resultant comparisons between countries.  Even this particular study allows you to search their database to create your own comparison of countries thus making the desire to compare US schools to those in Finland or China or Germany or Japan or anywhere the test has been given.
According to these key results:
• Shanghai-China, Hong Kong-China, Singapore, Japan and Finland are the top five performers in science in PISA 2012.
• Between 2006 and 2012, Italy, Poland and Qatar, and between 2009 and 2012, Estonia, Israel and Singapore increased their shares of top performers and simultaneously reduced their shares of low performers in science.
• Across OECD countries, 8% of students are top performers in science (Level 5 or 6). These students can identify, explain and apply scientific knowledge and knowledge about science in a variety of complex life situations.
While we have often heard about the performance of some of the top five performers and found ourselves compared to them not only on PISA but also on TIMSS and other studies, some of the other countries that are increasing their top performers are new players on the international comparison field.
There is usually much discussion about the results of these tests, such as the NPR story about the results being sobering, but recently there has also been much controversy such as are students in Shanghai representative of the typical fifteen year old.  An article appeared in The Washington Post addressing just this question.  Other discussion points often include the business world that focuses on the need to produce STEM ready students to enter globally competitive fields.  The Business Insider included this in their education area within weeks of the report’s release.
So the question becomes – should we worry or not, accept comparisons or not, and more importantly – are our students learning science that they can then utilize in real world situations.  Wondering what your views are on this topic?

This is my first year as a middle school science teacher. I teach two different grade levels and after a few months I’m still feeling swamped. It seems like I spend every waking moment working either in my classroom or at home on lesson plans and student assignments. What can I do to save my sanity? Does it get any easier?
—Erin, Rochester, NY
Even the best pre–service teaching or internship experience is not the same as being on your own in the classroom. It’s not unusual for beginning teachers to feel overwhelmed—I was ready to quit the October of my first year! I was fortunate to have a principal and several colleagues who helped me with suggestions and broad shoulders to lean on.
You are not in this alone. If you don’t have a mentor, find some positive people in your school with whom to eat lunch, share ideas, ask questions, and attend school functions. Join up with another early career teacher or get involved in online communities of teachers (such as NSTA’s e–mail lists and discussion forums) for mutual support.
Your health and sanity are non-negotiable. It may be hard at first, but schedule some personal time several times a week (if not daily) for something just for you—take a walk, go for a run or bike ride, work out at the gym, read a chapter or two of a book, play a computer game or musical instrument, tend a garden—anything that you enjoy (that’s not necessarily related to school). Take care of your physical health, too. Don’t skip breakfast or lunch. Keep some hand sanitizer in your desk and use it. Get enough sleep and exercise.
Most science teachers have a more intense workload than other teachers in the school.
 
Science teachers have responsibilities to set up lab investigations, manage inventories, and maintain a safe environment. It’s hard to do these along with other teaching responsibilities, so give yourself permission to prioritize your time. For example, rather than creating and installing new bulletin boards every month, have seasonal ones (or better yet, have students bring in materials to display). Use lesson ideas that have been shared online rather than trying to invent everything yourself—you can revise them next year based on this year’s experience. When faced with a stack of lab reports, consider if you must grade every one. You could choose a few randomly to get a feel for how students responded, or you could focus on one or two aspects (e.g., data organization and analysis) and grade and comment on only that portion. Decide if it’s necessary to return every assignment the following day. Be sure students (and parents) know that you will return assignments when you’ve given them the attention they deserve.
Teaching two grade levels can be challenging. Try not to have to set up two different labs on the same day and schedule tests, projects, student presentations, and notebook reviews for each grade level at different times to spread out the preparation and paperwork. Keep yourself (and the students) organized. Divide your bulletin boards and shelves into two separate areas so that students in each level know where things are and where to turn in their assignments. When I taught three different courses, I used a unique logo for each course, putting it in the upper right corner of handouts, quizzes, or other documents. I used separate three-ring binders and separate folders (with the same logo) on my laptop for each course to organize lesson plans and other resources. I also had a tote bag for each course to keep material from getting mixed up.
Your second question is tougher to answer. Anyone who says that teaching gets “easy” has never been a teacher! This year you’re obviously spending a lot of time preparing lessons, but next year you can reuse those lessons with some updating. So in that sense lesson planning might be less time-consuming. But you’ll have other challenges to occupy your time—finding new ways to engage students, creating different assessments, trying new strategies, taking on an extracurricular position, and attending professional development activities. You could be assigned to a different subject or grade level. And of course, you have a personal life with other kinds of responsibilities. So we can’t really use the words easy and teaching in the same sentence.
Above all, keep your sense of humor and be flexible.  Things will get better if you take care of yourself!
 
Photo: http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3661/3448845988_cfee8da6fa_m.jpg

December holiday breaks and winter weather can make it difficult to keep students engaged in the classroom. Why not embrace the spirit of the season and rekindle student interest in science by incorporating cooking themes when students already have winter break and food on their minds? In the December 2013 issue of NSTA’s Book Beat e-newsletter, we provide lessons to help you connect cooking and chemistry so students have some seasonal fun while they learn.
The science behind favorite foods
Activities that focus on food and cooking can help students see the science behind everyday activities like cooking breakfast or baking bread. Author Sarah Young’s Gourmet Lab: The Scientific Principles Behind Your Favorite Foods features hands-on experiments that challenge grades 6–12 students to take on the roles of scientist and chef in a quest to better understand science concepts from chemistry, biology, and physics. Download the free lesson “Cinnamon Rolls” and have your students explore how the presence or lack of yeast can affect the overall density of a delicious breakfast treat. For grades K–6, sample the reading and science lesson “Kitchen Chemistry” from Christine Royce, Emily Morgan, and Karen Ansberry’s Teaching Science Through Trade Books. Your students will make observations and determine whether the change they observe when cooking pancakes is a physical or chemical change. Also included in the downloadable lesson is an activity in which older students determine whether common household substances are acids or bases on the pH scale.
Gift Ideas From NSTA
NSTA Kids books, a new line of children’s trade books from NSTA Press, make great gifts for young scientists or scientists young at heart. Four NSTA Kids books were just honored as 2014 Outstanding Science Trade Books for Students: Next Time You See a Sunset, Next Time You See a Firefly, Next Time You See a Pill Bug, and Up, Up in a Balloon. Browse all the topics covered in the NSTA Kids series, and you’re sure to find one that will appeal to the little readers in your life. NSTA gear items like beaker mugs and aprons are also sure to be a hit with the science enthusiasts on your list. Be sure to browse the NSTA Science Store for more gift ideas.
To read previous issues of NSTA’s Book Beat and to sign up to receive this monthly e-newsletter, visit the Book Beat archive page on the NSTA website.

Do elementary school teachers teach “real” science? Of course they do—reading just a few articles from Science and Children  is evidence of this rigorous teaching that builds on earlier experiences and is the foundation for later learning. Teachers of Kindergarten through Grade 2 are expected to, and do, teach science but they are underrepresented in the programs that recognize their expertise and successes.
If you know of, or are, an early elementary teacher who is exemplary in teaching science or mathematics, and meets the criteria listed below, nominate this teacher for the National Science Foundation’s Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST).
The PAEMST website answers the question, “Why Apply?”
Recipients of the award receive the following:
• A certificate signed by the President of the United States.
• A paid trip for two to Washington, D.C., to attend a series of recognition events and professional development opportunities.
• A $10,000 award from the National Science Foundation.
In addition to recognizing outstanding teaching in mathematics or science (including computer science), the program provides teachers with an opportunity to build lasting partnerships with colleagues across the nation. This growing network of award-winning teachers serves as a vital resource for improving science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education and keeping America globally competitive.
For teachers of K-6, the Nomination Deadline is April 1, 2014, and the Application Deadline is May 1, 2014.
Who is eligible?
The following are eligibility criteria for nominees. They must:
• Teach mathematics or science (including computer science) at the K-6th grade level in a public or private school.
• Hold at least a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution.
• Be a full-time employee of the school or school district as determined by state and district policies, and teach K-12 students at least 50% of the time.
• Have at least 5 years of full-time, K-12 mathematics or science (including computer science) teaching experience prior to the 2013-2014 academic school year.
• Teach in one of the 50 states or the four U.S. jurisdictions. The jurisdictions are Washington, DC; Puerto Rico; Department of Defense Education Activity schools; and the U.S. territories as a group (American Samoa, Guam, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and the U.S. Virgin Islands).
• Be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.
• Not have received the PAEMST award at the national level in any prior competition or category.
This award is to recognize the “cream of the crop” teachers…..in other words, the outstanding top teachers. Don’t be reluctant to recognize your own excellence. Be inspired by 2010 recipients:
Lauren Tate, teacher in Washington, DC, who said, “Teaching is not only my profession, but my chosen vocation. I am a firm believer that fundamental concepts and skills are developed from infancy through the primary years. This award will recognize and support my continued efforts to supply my students with active, hands-on, student-centered inquiry, which is the core of good science education. I am also thrilled about the Presidential Award program events, which will expose me to even more innovative and effective teaching strategies.”
Lauren is now teaching PreK, age 3. She says, “I have a great Discovery (Science) Interest Area and I utilize my school’s Outdoor Classroom activities as much as possible.  My students garden once a month as well as learn to cook foods from the garden.  I continue to believe that experiential learning is best for children, no matter what the age. Early Childhood is a great place to demonstrate lessons for the NSF Presidential Award.  My recommendation is create lessons around a unit that makes real world connections for the students, with hands-on opportunities.”
Michelle Estrada, kindergarten teacher in Las Cruces, NM, who said, “Receiving the Presidential Award means that I am joining an elite group of science educators whose active membership is critical in promoting quality science teaching and learning. This award is truly an unimaginable dream come true. I teach because I love the challenge, the diversity, the mystery of what lies ahead each day, and most of all because I love working with young students. It has been an amazing opportunity to be recognized by doing what I have a passion for: teaching science.
Recently Michelle said that “winning the PAEMST award has provided me with the motivation and confidence to continue implementing a science-based Kindergarten classroom while simultaneously demonstrating to others the successful outcomes of my decisions. My hope is to inspire both my students and others to value Science education. I would highly encourage teachers to apply for this award because the mere process itself is a reflective journey that enlightens and re-energizes you as an educator. Furthermore, being chosen as one of the recipients of the PAEMST award will provide you with life-changing professional development experiences in Washington D.C. with other like-minded teaching professionals who value S.T.E.M. education.”
For teachers of K-6, the Nomination Deadline is April 1, 2014, and the Application Deadline is May 1, 2014.
Write or call a colleague today to share this information and plan to nominate yourself or another by April 1st.
(Updated 12/12/2013)

When children compare a wet cloth to a dry cloth, is this teaching a science concept? What role do adults have in preschool science learning? Should teachers discuss science facts with preschoolers or only engage them in hands-on experiences? You may have many more questions about science education for three to five year olds. Read the draft of the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) Early Childhood Science Position Statement and see if you find some answers.
The NSTA has developed a position statement endorsing the learning of science among young children, particularly those ages 3 through preschool. It states that all children have the capacity and propensity to observe, explore, and discover the world around them and that these basic abilities for science learning can and should be encouraged and supported among children in the earliest years of their lives. The statement also identifies key principles to guide the learning of science among young children.
The position statement was developed by a panel of science teachers and experts in early childhood science education and was approved by the NSTA Board of Directors. NSTA members are invited to review and comment on this important statement before it is adopted. Read the draft statement here and submit your comments. Deadline for feedback is Friday, December 20.
I am delighted to have key principals about science learning by this age group stated for me to reflect on, and apply to my science teaching. You are the expert about your class—will the guidance provided by the NSTA Early Childhood Science Position Statement support your teaching? “NSTA supports the learning of science among young children that will create a seamless transition for learning in elementary school.” The goal of seamless transition to elementary school learning will help early childhood teachers in preschools and early childhood teachers in grades K-2 connect for the benefit of all children.
Read the Early Childhood Science Education Position Statement and then make a statement about it by submitting a comment to NSTA (here) or on this blog as a comment.

Patterns is one of the crosscutting concepts in the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). As the Science Scope editor notes, “recognizing patterns is arguably the most central to the scientific enterprise.” Even if you’ve never thought much about this, you and your students have noticed and worked with patterns: symmetry in living things, snowflake design, movement of weather fronts, the Periodic Table, life cycles of living things, Newton’s Laws, the structure of DNA, seasons, phases of the moon, etc. The featured articles in this issue illustrate lessons that capitalize on our ability to notice and work with patterns to get to a deeper understanding of the world around us.
The authors of Where’s That Dolphin?* describe an activity in which students analyze spatial data from dolphins and map their movements to explore spatial data and patterns of movement. The data is available online, so you don’t have to live near the water! [SciLinks: Marine Mammals, Mapping]
What do the geologic time scale, the Periodic Table, and taxonomy have in common? Classification* is a basic process in science and depends on recognizing patterns. The authors provide some background into the life of Linnaeus and describe a class activity in which students apply pattern recognition and classification using a collection of paper fasteners (I suppose other objects could be used?). They then use their categories to develop a hierarchy (corresponding to order, family, genus), and finish by constructing a cladogram. [SciLinks: Classification]
Patterns are not just related to physical characteristics. The lessons in What Makes Us Tick…Tock? investigate questions related to circadian rhythms and how environmental factors and genetics influence them. In addition to studying simulations of fruit fly behaviors (described in the article), students extend their learning to human behavior patterns. [SciLinks: Rhythms of Life]
*Don’t forget to look at the Connections for this issue (December 2013). Even if the article does not quite fit with your lesson agenda, this resource has ideas for handouts, background information sheets, data sheets, rubrics, etc.

Science teachers, put our national conference on your 2014 calendar now. The National Science Teachers Association will be coming to Boston April 3–6, 2014 to put on the premiere event for science education. Top-notch professional learning opportunities, fresh ideas for your classroom teaching, chances to learn about what really works (or doesn’t) from your peers, an awesome exhibit hall where you can see the newest products and technology and pick up some swag, and more await you next Spring.
Browse conference sessions and register today. Save the most if you register by the earlybird deadline: February 7, 2014.
What Awaits You in Boston

• A wide range of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM), Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), and Common Core sessions
• 2,000 sessions, workshops, field trips, and short courses for K–16 educators
• Content development and ready-to-use teaching techniques
• Exhibit Hall featuring new products and giveaways from more than 400 exhibitors
• NSTA Science Store with 100s of professional development books; attendees receive a 20% discount
• And much more!

I’ve noticed my students don’t seem to have a lot of motivation in science class. They are sometimes afraid they’ll make mistakes, and they’re often reluctant to try something new. What can I do to encourage more student engagement in learning?
—Donna, Wilmington, Delaware
At an inservice workshop I attended, teachers were discussing how their students didn’t want to learn. When the presenter asked what evidence teachers had for this statement, they responded, “Students don’t do homework” and “Students don’t do their work or pay attention in class.” The presenter posed the question, “Does a lack of compliance with your directions or a lack of interest in the activity mean that they have no motivation to learn science? These are the kids who have mastered video games and cell phones. They are certainly capable of learning, perhaps not what you want them to learn or in the way you require them to.”
Several archived Ms. Mentor posts addressed questions related to motivation and engagement:

• Motivation. It seems like it’s getting harder to motivate students. What can we do?
• Why do we have to learn this?  Whenever I start a new unit, some students consistently ask, “Why do we have to learn this?” How should I respond?
• Improving student skills. My ninth-grade students are struggling with lab activities. For example, they don’t seem to know how to formulate a hypothesis or write a conclusion. When I asked them to graph the data, I saw lots of blank looks on their faces. What can I do?
• Perseverance and failure. With all of the curricular demands and a focus on preparing for state exams, I am concerned that we do not create situations for students to persevere if they don’t succeed in their first attempts at experiments in science. How do we communicate the value of curiosity and perseverance to high school science students and the notion that repeated “failure” is common on the road to major breakthroughs?
• Stretching the comfort zone. At our inservice last month, we learned several strategies for writing in science classes.  But when I tried one in my classroom, it went over like a lead balloon. What was I doing wrong?

At a workshop I facilitated, I asked teams of teachers to draw a picture of an engaged student. During the subsequent gallery walk, the results were interesting. Some had pictures of students carrying books, wearing a watch, or sitting at a desk. These “engaged” students were prepared for class, on time, and attentive. Other pictures showed students actively working with others, asking questions, or writing and drawing. What would your drawing look like?
We then discussed: Is it possible to be busy at a task but not really engaged in it? Is it possible to be engaged in something without being visibly busy? Hmmm.
 
Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/cutiepiecompany/2592666953/sizes/m/in/photostream/