We’ve added to the list of chapters you can download for free from NSTA Press books! Visit the free chapters page on the NSTA website to browse the newest additions, including selections from Uncovering Student Ideas in Physical Science, Volume 1: Force and Motion, Using Science Notebooks in Middle School, and More Chemistry Basics: Stop Faking It!

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 locations. Broaden your students’ appreciation of science by broadening their understanding of the work of scientists. Read biographies, set up imaginative play centers with tools and clothes for working scientists, and invite local scientists of all kinds to visit your class for a short visit to discuss their work. Here are some resources to get you started:
Book resources for scientist biographies
Search the NSTA Recommends book reviews for “scientist” at http://www.nsta.org/recommends/?lid=tnav to find books about Scientists at Work, Extreme Scientists, Frog Scientists, and Scientists Who Made History.
American Library Association, Great Websites for Children: Biographies, http://www.ala.org/gwstemplate.cfm?section=greatwebsites&template=/cfapps/gws/displaysection.cfm&sec=11
Resources about scientists working today
Scientist at Work blog about scientists working today: http://scientistatwork.blogs.nytimes.com/
Read about soils scientists at: http://soils.usda.gov/education/facts/careers.html , and Soil Science Society of America https://www.soils.org/lessons/ask
Cool Careers at Sci4Kids, Agricultural Research Service, http://www.ars.usda.gov/is/kids/CoolCareers/coolestcareers.htm

Resources about inquiry
A Study Guide: Inquiry Science in the Elementary Classroom from the Education Development Center, Inc, http://cse.edc.org/products/inquiryscienceelemclassroom/default.asp (including the graphic on the flow of science inquiry in elementary grades, by Hubert Dyasi and Karen Worth at http://cse.edc.org/products/inquiryscienceelemclassroom/Inquiry.pdf )
University of California Museum of Paleontology. Understanding Science, http://undsci.berkeley.edu/index.php has another useful graphic on “How science works” at http://undsci.berkeley.edu/images/flowchart_35.pdf
National Research Council (NRC). 1996. National science education standards. Washington, DC: National Academy Press. http://www.nap.edu/openbook.php?isbn=0309053269
American Association for the Advancement of Science. 1993. Benchmarks for Science Literacy. See the grade 2 statement of what all students should know and be able to do in science, mathematics, and technology by the end of grade 2. http://www.project2061.org/publications/bsl/online/index.php
Resources on how children’s play supports their learning
Articles on Supporting Pretend Play in Early Childhood Research & Practice, on how teacher support of dramatic play (such as pretending to be a veterinarian) can support knowledge and skill development in many curriculum areas, and take a look through the extensive bibliography on play at: http://ecrp.uiuc.edu/v10n2/introduction.html
Can the Right Kinds of Play Teach Self-Control? By Paul Tough. The New York Times, September 25, 2009. A version of this article appeared in print on September 27, 2009, on page MM31 of the New York edition. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/27/magazine/27tools-t.html?_r=2&ref=magazine
National Association for the Education of Young Children. 2009. Developmentally Appropriate Practice in Early Childhood Programs Serving Children from Birth through Age 8.  http://www.naeyc.org/files/naeyc/file/positions/PSDAP.pdf
The Serious Need for Play by Melinda Wenner. Scientific American Mind. January 28, 2009 http://www.melindawenner.com/Clips_files/MiQ109Wenn2p.pdf
Expose your children to the work of scientists through books, visiting scientists, fieldtrips, and play. Comment below to add your resources to this list.
Peggy

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
Whether it’s held before school starts or during the first few weeks, this annual event provides an opportunity for the important adults in a student’s life to meet each other. It also gives parents (or other caregivers) a chance to become more familiar with the school. Ask a colleague what format is used in your school, what the expectations are, and how the event is publicized. Most middle schools have their event during the first month or so of the school year.
Typically, the parent is given a modified copy of the student’s schedule to follow during a “back-to-school” night. The bell rings as parents move from classroom to classroom for brief periods. The schedule is very compact; often there is only time for brief introductions. There’s not much time for questions and conversations or for parents to look around your classroom/lab before the next bell rings.
An “open house” is less structured. Parents get a copy of the student’s schedule but are free to visit the classrooms in any order. This is a more leisurely pace, but you can be overwhelmed if you get a lot of parents at once or if one parent starts to monopolize your time.
With either format, some schools also invite students to attend as a “take your parents to school” event. This provides students with the opportunity to introduce their parents and teachers. Students can guide their parents to the classrooms and show them some of their work.
Regardless of which type of event your school hosts, here are some things you can do to get ready.

Make sure the classroom/lab is clean and tidy, even if you have to stow some materials away for the evening. Put anything away that could be a safety hazard (chemicals, scalpels, etc.) and keep your grade book or other confidential or personal information out of sight. Display your safety posters and equipment in prominent places. Prepare a brief handout, syllabus, or pamphlet with your contact information, a statement of your teaching philosophy or beliefs, a course outline, and other information or requirements. Some teachers prepare business cards with their school address, phone number, email address, and the URL of the class web page. Create a sign for the hallway with your name, room number, and your picture. Prepare a sign-in sheet with spaces for the parent’s name, the student’s name, and a phone number or email address you can use to contact the parent. (Some schools have a parent meeting first, so the parents may have already signed in.)
On the night of the big event, greet the parents just inside the door with a handshake and your biggest smile as you give them your handouts and thank them for coming. What happens during the event depends on the format. For a back-to-school schedule, you’ll have time for a brief presentation describing your course topics and activities, leaving a few minutes for questions. For an open house, drop-in format, after you greet individual parents, invite them to explore displays illustrating what you do in science: collections of objects to examine, an example of a science notebook, a simple activity they could do (e.g., with magnets, hand lenses), a self-running PowerPoint highlighting a project or lab investigation, and displays of ungraded student work, both written and multimedia. If the students accompany their parents, they could show them their science notebooks and other projects they’re working on.
In either format, be very firm with parents that this is not the appropriate time to discuss individual student issues. Encourage the parents to make an appointment or get their names to contact them later. Explain you can’t always return calls or respond to email immediately during the day when classes are in session, but you will reply as promptly as possible.
After the event, record the number of parents you met and reflect on any concerns raised. Follow up on any questions or conference requests.
Even with all of the preparation and publicity, sometimes the turnout is less than expected. Keep in mind some parents have to deal with work schedules, childcare arrangements, or transportation issues. Others may be contending with language barriers (another reason to encourage students to accompany them).
Those parents who attend deserve your respect and gratitude. Take a deep breath—I’m sure you’ll do a fine job.
Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/dave_mcmt/184383354/

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!
As a member of ISTE, the International Society for Technology in Education, I have a subscription to the journal Learning and Leading with Technology. As always, the summer issues were full of information and insights on a variety of topics. Some of the articles are available to nonmembers, too, and might be of interest to science teachers.
In the June/July 2010 issue,  take a look at Join the Flock (Using Twitter), Buyer’s Guide: Touch Tablets, and Point/Counterpoint: Are Interactive Whiteboards Worth the Investment?
In the August 2010 issue check out Scientific Inquiry, Technology, and Nature; Every Day Is National Lab Day; Buyer’s Guide: Robot Kits; and Point/Counterpoint: Is Technology Killing Creative Thinking?
You don’t have to be a member to subscribe to ISTE Connects as an RSS feed and to follow ISTE on social media such as Facebook and Twitter for up-to-date information, just as you follow NSTA (don’t you??).
Other professional organizations have resources, too. In my department, we were members of NSTA, but then each of us joined another organization and shared the journals and other resources.

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 be learning lots and lots about space this year! What concepts should I expect my elementary students to master?  I want them to be excited about space and its exploration.
—Ann, Sheboygan, Wisconsin
Congratulations! Attending the academy must have been the experience of a lifetime—meeting space scientists, participating in simulations and hands-on activities, working with teachers from around the country, and acquiring new content knowledge and materials to share with your students. You are certainly a valuable resource for your students and your school.
I’m not sure what you mean by “mastering” concepts. If you look at your district’s curriculum and your state’s elementary science standards, you should find concepts and skills related to space science appropriate for younger students. But I think your real contribution goes beyond helping students learn specific content.
In your role as an elementary reading specialist, you can use your influence to get more nonfiction materials into students’ hands and minds. You can suggest space-related books (on topics such as astronomy, space exploration, rockets, or astronauts) for teacher read-alouds and student independent reading. You can also incorporate nonfiction books related to space science into your reading instruction. Check out NSTA Recommends for titles and reviews of space-related books at various reading levels.

In addition to books, there are many online resources. With NSTA’s SciLinks, use keywords such as space exploration, space shuttle, planets, astronomy, atmosphere, or flight to examine lists of vetted websites appropriate for K–4 or 5–8 students. You can create a list of favorites to share with students, parents, other teachers, or the librarian. You’re probably already familiar with NASA for Students as a starting place for many activities. I would also suggest Windows to the Universe, which includes a Spanish version.
Your afterschool program could be the place to extend and enhance what the students do in their science classes. Using space exploration as a theme for part of the year, you can implement the activities you learned at the Space Academy and go deeper into topics like astronomy (the moon, planets, stars), rocketry, astronauts, and even topics related to engineering such as problem solving and robotics. You could set up a teleconference (using Skype, for example) with a NASA scientist or another academy participant and his or her class.
Many elementary schools have “family nights” to involve parents and students. You could use space exploration as a theme here, too.  It’s quite possible that many of your students (and their parents) have never looked at the night sky through a telescope. I’m sure there are amateur astronomers in your community who would be happy to assist you setting up an event.
Consider doing a presentation at the Wisconsin Society of Science Teachers conference in March 2011. (The call for presenters is open until December 2010 . Or perhaps you could do some professional development workshops for teachers on space concepts with hands-on activities.
Books, websites, and videos are wonderful, but it’s more exciting to meet someone who has had personal experiences. Share your stories, pictures, journals and other artifacts whenever possible. You can be a wonderful role model for your students (and other teachers) in terms of being a lifelong learner and being open to new adventures. They may even ask for your autograph and a picture, especially if you’re wearing your flight suit!
For more information:

• Honeywell Educators @ Space Academy
• A Space Academy participant’s blog of her experiences