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Journal Article

Changing the Teaching Culture in Introductory STEM Courses at a Large Research University

The authors describe a major transformation in teaching large introductory courses in the sciences and engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, impacting over 17,000 students yearly. The transformation was emergent, not prescrib...

Journal Article

Point of View: Can We Teach Science in a More Culturally Responsive Way Without Sacrificing Time or Content?

This column shares reflections or thoughtful opinions on issues of broad interest to the community. In this issue the authors describe how they discovered that by incorporating culturally relevant analogies and examples into our classrooms, it was p...

Journal Article

Case Study: Hands-On Mini-Case Studies Promote Integration of Microbiological Concepts

This column provides original articles on innovations in case study teaching, assessment of the method, as well as case studies with teaching notes. In this article, the authors present a series of 10 mini-case studies that have been incorporated int...

Journal Article

Research and Teaching: Impact of a Departmental Instructional Skills Course on Graduate Students’ Beliefs About Science Teaching and Learning

Graduate teaching assistants play an important role in undergraduate programs in the authors' Earth Science Department. A course on teaching and learning was developed to train graduate students in student-centered pedagogy, in a discipline-specific ...

Journal Article

Research and Teaching: The Five Minute Teach: Instructional Design to Support TA Training and Writing Instruction in the Sciences

The Five Minute Teach (5MT) serves as both a training tool for graduate teaching assistants (TAs) and a format for explicit discipline-based writing instruction. Here the authors describe the development and execution of the 5MT as part of a profess...

Journal Article

Research and Teaching: Enriching Undergraduate Experiences With Outreach in School STEM Clubs

The STEM Club Leadership for Undergraduate STEM Education, Recruiting and Success project at a large public research university in the Mountain West presents an outreach model to engage undergraduate STEM majors in developing and facilitating activi...

Journal Article

Research and Teaching: Observable Features of Active Science Education Practices

Although research findings support elevated learning outcomes for students who engage in active science learning, faculty members are still resistant to using these practices. In this article the authors describe the observable features found in 17 ...

Journal Article

Explore Early

Support scientific development among young children with learning centers....

Early Childhood Preschool Learning Progression Pedagogy

Journal Article

Lighting the Way to Learning Centers

Fourth-grade students explore circuits, while the teacher gains valuable instructional time....

Elementary Physical Science Inquiry Lesson Plans NGSS

Journal Article

Modeling in Learning Centers

Exploring the concept of living and nonliving with second-grade students...

Postsecondary Early Childhood General Science Science and Engineering Practices

Journal Article

A Mystery in Motion

Third-grade students learn how motion detectors work....

Elementary Physical Science 5E NGSS

Journal Article

Renovating Our Science Learning Centers

Informal learning centers transcend disciplinary boundaries as students address real-world applications....

Elementary Engineering Pedagogy Teaching Strategies

Journal Article

Editor’s Note: My Last Editor’s Note

Science and Children’s editor shares thoughts regarding the current issue....

Elementary

Journal Article

Engaging Children in Multidisciplinary Learning Centers

By Peggy Ashbrook

Early Childhood Elementary Pre-service Teachers Preschool General Science Inquiry Instructional Materials Literacy NGSS Pedagogy Science and Engineering Practices STEM Teaching Strategies

Journal Article

Teaching Through Trade Books: Star Light, Star Bright

This column includes activities inspired by children’s literature. This issue discusses how younger students can learn about patterns through constellations, which have set times at which they appear in the night sky. As students get older, they ca...

Elementary Preschool 5E Instructional Materials

Journal Article

Formative Assessment Probes: Using Formative Assessment Probes to Develop Elementary Learning Stations

This column focuses on promoting learning through assessment. This issue discusses learning station probes....

Elementary Physical Science Assessment Pedagogy

Journal Article

The Poetry of Science: Force, Motion, and Energy

Building literacy in playful, meaningful ways. The poem in this month's article shows us everyday uses of energy, force, and motion....

Elementary General Science Lesson Plans Teaching Strategies Literacy

Journal Article

Science 101: How Do We Best Teach and Learn Science Concepts?

This column provides background science information for elementary teachers. In this issue the author discusses the method he uses to explain a science concept or concepts....

Elementary Middle School Instructional Materials Learning Progression Pedagogy Teaching Strategies Professional Learning old

Journal Article

Breathing New Life Into Elementary Science Preservice Teacher Education

By Taylor J. Mach and Mandy M. Mach

Elementary 5E General Science Inquiry Literacy NGSS Pedagogy Preservice Science Education Teacher Preparation Teaching Strategies

Journal Article

Methods & Strategies: Responsive Teaching and High-Stakes Testing

This column provides ideas and techniques to enhance your science teaching. This article focuses on responsive teaching, an instructional approach where the teacher seeks to understand the substance of students’ ideas, to find “seeds of science�...

Elementary Physical Science Curriculum NGSS Pedagogy Teaching Strategies Equity New Science Teachers Preservice Science Education Professional Learning old Teacher Preparation

Journal Article

View from the Top (and the Bottom) of the World

Teaching global climate change from a polar perspective...

Journal Article

On the Job

Job shadowing and internships open doors to STEM careers...

Journal Article

Decoding Careers in DNA

Genetic coding lesson brings computational biology and STEM careers to life...

Journal Article

Who Tagged the Bench?

Five spiraled activities to show the importance of interpreting data...

Journal Article

Creative Assessments

Using RAFT writing to assess students in a course on motion...

Journal Article

Editor’s Corner: A Good Day’s Work

The Science Teacher’s editor shares thoughts on the current issue....

Journal Article

Focus on Physics: Bow Waves to Sonic Booms

This column helps teachers build an understanding of physical principles. This issue discusses the effects when the source of water waves or the source of sound waves in air travels faster than the waves produced....

Journal Article

Science 2.0: Map My Data

This column shares web tools that support learning. This issue describes how when using Google Maps, students can find patterns and trends that exist within a data set relative to their location, which can now be visualized in a few quick steps. Stud...

Journal Article

Career of the Month: Audio Engineer

This column shares interviews with professionals using science in the workplace. This issue describes Ivan Ortiz's career path to becoming an audio engineer....

Journal Article

Right to the Source: Encouraging Exploration—The WPA Poster Project

Exploring science and history with the Library of Congress. This issue discusses the The WPA Poster Project....

Journal Article

How Will We Freeze the Ice Cream?

Combine engineering and chemistry to learn how to create your own ice cream....

Journal Article

Making Mixtures

Explore the physical mixing of substances with water to create a solution or suspension. ...

Journal Article

Where Does a Tree Get Its Mass?

Measure trees to estimate their mass as part of an exploration of photosynthesis and plant growth....

Journal Article

Classic Lessons 2.0: The Discovery Demonstration

This column shares updated perennial classroom favorites. This issue discusses a variation on the traditional classroom demonstration— the discovery demonstration—which is structured so that students are actively involved in making sense of the d...

Journal Article

Integrating Technology: Depth of Knowledge and Conceptual Understanding

This column shares how teachers use technology for assessment, student learning, or classroom management. This article shows how an engaging, interactive online density simulation allowed students to predict, manipulate, and analyze data effectively ...

Middle School NGSS Pedagogy Teaching Strategies

Journal Article

Practical Research: Help! I’ve Been Asked to Coach a Robotics Team

This article offers recommended mentoring strategies for teachers new to coaching robotics teams....

Journal Article

From the Editor’s Desk: The Meaningful World of Matter

Science Scope’s editor shares thoughts regarding the current issue....

Journal Article

Disequilibrium: Oobleck: Is It a Solid or Liquid?

This column shows how to use discrepant events to confront misconceptions. This article discusses two engagement activities using oobleck....

Journal Article

“When You Walk Into This Room, You’re Scientists!”

By S. Elisabeth Faller