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Archive: Fostering Community: Ideas and Best Practices for Diversity in Science Education, December 12, 2023

In this seminar, committee members will facilitate an exploration of innovative teaching strategies, share stories, and build a community for educators of color to connect with each other, exchange ideas and collaborate on creating more inclusive learning environments. By bridging perspectives and sharing valuable insights, the presenters seek to inspire meaningful changes that promote equity and diversity within the science education community.

In this seminar, committee members will facilitate an exploration of innovative teaching strategies, share stories, and build a community for educators of color to connect with each other, exchange ideas and collaborate on creating more inclusive learning environments. By bridging perspectives and sharing valuable insights, the presenters seek to inspire meaningful changes that promote equity and diversity within the science education community.

In this seminar, committee members will facilitate an exploration of innovative teaching strategies, share stories, and build a community for educators of color to connect with each other, exchange ideas and collaborate on creating more inclusive learning environments. By bridging perspectives and sharing valuable insights, the presenters seek to inspire meaningful changes that promote equity and diversity within the science education community.

In this seminar, committee members will facilitate an exploration of innovative teaching strategies, share stories, and build a community for educators of color to connect with each other, exchange ideas and collaborate on creating more inclusive learning environments. By bridging perspectives and sharing valuable insights, the presenters seek to inspire meaningful changes that promote equity and diversity within the science education community.

 

Freebies and Opportunities for Science and STEM Teachers, November 7, 2023

By Debra Shapiro

Freebies and Opportunities for Science and STEM Teachers, November 7, 2023

 

right to the source

Does Drinking Milk Cause Strong Bones?

The Science Teacher—Fall 2023 (Volume 90, Issue 7)

By Jacqueline Katz

Does Drinking Milk Cause Strong Bones?

In 1935, individuals living in the United States began to encounter eye-catching posters communicating a variety of public program messages from the Works Progress Administration (WPA), established under President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal. Even at a glance, these WPA posters encouraged observers to employ thinking processes that we now highlight as cross-cutting concepts to interpret information and ask questions about a range of topics, including environmental conservation and public health.
In 1935, individuals living in the United States began to encounter eye-catching posters communicating a variety of public program messages from the Works Progress Administration (WPA), established under President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal. Even at a glance, these WPA posters encouraged observers to employ thinking processes that we now highlight as cross-cutting concepts to interpret information and ask questions about a range of topics, including environmental conservation and public health.
In 1935, individuals living in the United States began to encounter eye-catching posters communicating a variety of public program messages from the Works Progress Administration (WPA), established under President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal. Even at a glance, these WPA posters encouraged observers to employ thinking processes that we now highlight as cross-cutting concepts to interpret information and ask questions about a range of topics, including environmental conservation and public health.
 

career of the month

Career of the Month: Acoustician

The Science Teacher—Fall 2023 (Volume 90, Issue 7)

By Luba Vangelova

Career of the Month: Acoustician

Acoustics involves all aspects of sound, noise, vibration, and perception. It’s a large field that encompasses specialties such as architecture, underwater, biomedical, ultrasonics, and speech. Acousticians can work for private industry (including for consulting firms or manufacturers), as well as in academia. Tony Hoover works as an acoustical consultant for McKay Conant Hoover Inc., an acoustics and media systems consulting firm based in Westlake Village, CA.
Acoustics involves all aspects of sound, noise, vibration, and perception. It’s a large field that encompasses specialties such as architecture, underwater, biomedical, ultrasonics, and speech. Acousticians can work for private industry (including for consulting firms or manufacturers), as well as in academia. Tony Hoover works as an acoustical consultant for McKay Conant Hoover Inc., an acoustics and media systems consulting firm based in Westlake Village, CA.
Acoustics involves all aspects of sound, noise, vibration, and perception. It’s a large field that encompasses specialties such as architecture, underwater, biomedical, ultrasonics, and speech. Acousticians can work for private industry (including for consulting firms or manufacturers), as well as in academia. Tony Hoover works as an acoustical consultant for McKay Conant Hoover Inc., an acoustics and media systems consulting firm based in Westlake Village, CA.
 

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Science Journaling with Technology

The Science Teacher—Fall 2023 (Volume 90, Issue 7)

By Brigitte Whaley and Ashley Campbell

Science Journaling with Technology

Students in today’s classrooms spend a lot of time using technology by listening to music, texting, watching videos, and using social media applications. Some theorize that student attention spans have lessened to a dismal amount due to the impact of technology. Students tend to engage in technology applications (apps) when the option is offered through an assignment or when it is incorporated into a lesson.
Students in today’s classrooms spend a lot of time using technology by listening to music, texting, watching videos, and using social media applications. Some theorize that student attention spans have lessened to a dismal amount due to the impact of technology. Students tend to engage in technology applications (apps) when the option is offered through an assignment or when it is incorporated into a lesson.
Students in today’s classrooms spend a lot of time using technology by listening to music, texting, watching videos, and using social media applications. Some theorize that student attention spans have lessened to a dismal amount due to the impact of technology. Students tend to engage in technology applications (apps) when the option is offered through an assignment or when it is incorporated into a lesson.
 

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Making Sense of the Deepwater Oil Spill Disaster

The Science Teacher—Fall 2023 (Volume 90, Issue 7)

By Joy Barnes-Johnson and Mridula Bajaj

Making Sense of the Deepwater Oil Spill Disaster

Authenticity in learning is becoming increasingly important as today’s students are not “buying into” school just because it’s there! Today’s high school students have learned firsthand (thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic) that science is not static and knowledge is not reserved in a single place or preserved by a single group of people. Students have survived and observed how uncertainty works and understand that truly scientific methodologies are data-informed, not data-driven. They understand that most trustworthy scientists acknowledge these constraints. Data help paint a picture of problems that are emergent and must be revisited over time. Tragic moments in human history are perfect contexts for sensemaking in the classroom. Thinking about the difference between events that are human-made, natural, or some combination of both allows us to think more deeply about how and why designed solutions are necessary. Authentic learning can be achieved best through problem-based learning. Presenting students with a problem-based task at the beginning of a unit of study builds a felt-need in students to learn the desired curriculum content. In our experience, teachers have offered students culminating projects to complete after they’ve taught specific content. Instead, we propose a need to present students with well-constructed problem-based tasks up front. Using oil spills as a scenario and defining context for problem-based tasks and inquiry, we developed focal questions that allowed students to expand their thinking about chemistry, Earth resources, and historical contexts that tie science standards (HS-PS1-4; HS-PS3-2; HS-ESS3-1, HS-ESS3-2; HS-ETS1-1; HS-ETS1-3) to other content areas.
Authenticity in learning is becoming increasingly important as today’s students are not “buying into” school just because it’s there! Today’s high school students have learned firsthand (thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic) that science is not static and knowledge is not reserved in a single place or preserved by a single group of people. Students have survived and observed how uncertainty works and understand that truly scientific methodologies are data-informed, not data-driven. They understand that most trustworthy scientists acknowledge these constraints.
Authenticity in learning is becoming increasingly important as today’s students are not “buying into” school just because it’s there! Today’s high school students have learned firsthand (thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic) that science is not static and knowledge is not reserved in a single place or preserved by a single group of people. Students have survived and observed how uncertainty works and understand that truly scientific methodologies are data-informed, not data-driven. They understand that most trustworthy scientists acknowledge these constraints.
 

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Rooftop Garden Ecosystem

The Science Teacher—Fall 2023 (Volume 90, Issue 7)

By Andrew Jones, Joel Hockin,and Max Longhurst

Rooftop Garden Ecosystem

As long as there have been roofs overhead, there have been gardens above them. Since the Ziggurats and the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, man has cultivated plants for his enjoyment and nourishment. Fast forward 4,000 years to our increasingly urban world, and our rooftop gardens have undergone a renaissance. They are mainstays of large cities and hugely important in the urban planning of cities. They offer many positive environmental impacts for cities, including lowering the thermal footprint of buildings and reducing rain runoff. They also provide a space for small-scale urban agriculture and food production. It is with these thoughts in mind that we sought to have biology students design a rooftop garden ecosystem prototype in our Rocky Mountain location.
As long as there have been roofs overhead, there have been gardens above them. Since the Ziggurats and the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, man has cultivated plants for his enjoyment and nourishment. Fast forward 4,000 years to our increasingly urban world, and our rooftop gardens have undergone a renaissance. They are mainstays of large cities and hugely important in the urban planning of cities. They offer many positive environmental impacts for cities, including lowering the thermal footprint of buildings and reducing rain runoff.
As long as there have been roofs overhead, there have been gardens above them. Since the Ziggurats and the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, man has cultivated plants for his enjoyment and nourishment. Fast forward 4,000 years to our increasingly urban world, and our rooftop gardens have undergone a renaissance. They are mainstays of large cities and hugely important in the urban planning of cities. They offer many positive environmental impacts for cities, including lowering the thermal footprint of buildings and reducing rain runoff.
 

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Stealing the Sun

Folklore and Art Meet Ecology and Evolution in an AP Biology class

The Science Teacher—Fall 2023 (Volume 90, Issue 7)

By Kimberly Ideus and Miles Engell

Stealing the Sun

For as long as people have had stories to tell, folklore and tall tales have been a part of social gatherings. Storytelling helps us convey our history and learn our languages (Bowman and Carpenter 2004; Mzimela 2016). In addition, many of these tales have embedded within them valuable lessons relating to right and wrong, integrity, sharing, and other character-building themes. They often use figurative language like hyperbole, metaphors, and similes. English and history courses often include units on mythology in which students may learn Greek myths such as Icarus flying too close to the Sun, or African folklore, such as the spider Anansi learning lessons the hard way.
For as long as people have had stories to tell, folklore and tall tales have been a part of social gatherings. Storytelling helps us convey our history and learn our languages (Bowman and Carpenter 2004; Mzimela 2016). In addition, many of these tales have embedded within them valuable lessons relating to right and wrong, integrity, sharing, and other character-building themes. They often use figurative language like hyperbole, metaphors, and similes.
For as long as people have had stories to tell, folklore and tall tales have been a part of social gatherings. Storytelling helps us convey our history and learn our languages (Bowman and Carpenter 2004; Mzimela 2016). In addition, many of these tales have embedded within them valuable lessons relating to right and wrong, integrity, sharing, and other character-building themes. They often use figurative language like hyperbole, metaphors, and similes.
 

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Bringing the Outside In

Using community mapping and tours to create community in science classrooms

The Science Teacher—Fall 2023 (Volume 90, Issue 7)

By Jonathan McCausland and Kathryn M. Bateman

Bringing the Outside In

Classroom communities are more than just teachers and students. Administrators, other teachers and students, teacher aides, all school staff, families, friends, community leaders, and more influence a classroom community in different ways. Places and events in the surrounding community also impact a classroom community. The COVID-19 pandemic is a perfect example of how events and people outside the classroom impact classroom communities. Consequently, when creating a scientific classroom community, we must consider the people and places outside our immediate classrooms.
Classroom communities are more than just teachers and students. Administrators, other teachers and students, teacher aides, all school staff, families, friends, community leaders, and more influence a classroom community in different ways. Places and events in the surrounding community also impact a classroom community. The COVID-19 pandemic is a perfect example of how events and people outside the classroom impact classroom communities. Consequently, when creating a scientific classroom community, we must consider the people and places outside our immediate classrooms.
Classroom communities are more than just teachers and students. Administrators, other teachers and students, teacher aides, all school staff, families, friends, community leaders, and more influence a classroom community in different ways. Places and events in the surrounding community also impact a classroom community. The COVID-19 pandemic is a perfect example of how events and people outside the classroom impact classroom communities. Consequently, when creating a scientific classroom community, we must consider the people and places outside our immediate classrooms.
 

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Performance Assessment as Part of Efficient, Effective, and Equitable Instructional Practice

The Science Teacher—Fall 2023 (Volume 90, Issue 7)

By Lauren Stoll and Jill Wertheim

Performance Assessment as Part of Efficient, Effective, and Equitable Instructional Practice

Since the release of the NGSS, science classrooms across the United States have shifted science learning away from a focus on decontextualized facts and concepts and toward engaging students in making sense of the world around them. Many educators have looked to assessments to provide feedback about students’ progress in meeting this new vision of science teaching and learning, but few assessments sufficiently reflect NGSS goals (Wertheim et al. 2016). The National Research Council (NRC) identified performance assessments as an essential tool for guiding shifts toward three-dimensional (3D) learning (NRC 2014), though many questions remain about how to design assessments that provide the information that teachers need to guide their work.
Since the release of the NGSS, science classrooms across the United States have shifted science learning away from a focus on decontextualized facts and concepts and toward engaging students in making sense of the world around them. Many educators have looked to assessments to provide feedback about students’ progress in meeting this new vision of science teaching and learning, but few assessments sufficiently reflect NGSS goals (Wertheim et al. 2016).
Since the release of the NGSS, science classrooms across the United States have shifted science learning away from a focus on decontextualized facts and concepts and toward engaging students in making sense of the world around them. Many educators have looked to assessments to provide feedback about students’ progress in meeting this new vision of science teaching and learning, but few assessments sufficiently reflect NGSS goals (Wertheim et al. 2016).
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