All Resources

Journal Article

Do Open-Book Exams Impede Long-Term Learning in Introductory Biology Courses?

Students in an introductory biology course who were given open-book exams during the semester earned significantly higher grades on these exams, but significantly lower grades on the closed-book final exam, than students who took in-class, closed-boo...

Journal Article

Science Sampler: Building bridges between scientists and teachers to bring the joy of science to British Columbia students

Although it is hard to claim that one or two school visits by a scientist will change how students think about science and their place in it, the authors’ experience suggests that, for many students, a school visit by a scientist makes a big and lo...

Journal Article

Scope on Safety: Shedding light on laser pointer safety

With the introduction of physics concepts at the elementary and middle school grades resulting from the National Science Education Standards and No Child Left Behind legislation, teachers are looking for exciting technology that will turn kids on to ...

Journal Article

A Drop Through Time

Did you know that the water you use today is the same water that was used millions of years ago? How is this possible? Water is continuously replenished through a naturally occurring process known as the water cycle. To help students learn about thi...

Journal Article

Editor’s Corner: Supporting New Teachers

Many new teachers who leave schools after the first year report lack of support and poor working conditions as the primary reasons for leaving. New teachers can feel alone and vulnerable even working in a school building alongside scores of other tea...

Journal Article

Supporting Beginning Science Teachers

The focus of this article is the more immediate way to help new science teachers, which comes from the experienced and professionally active teacher—you! As science teacher educators who work with and study the development of beginning teachers, th...

Journal Article

Science Sampler: NASA’s Dawn mission—Helping define planets, dwarf planets, and asteroids

The decision by the International Astronomical Union (IAU) in 2006 to redefine the term planet has caught the attention of the public and students from grade school to graduate school. The IAU’s decision has not changed the makeup of the solar sy...

Journal Article

Watershed Seasons

All schools are located in watersheds, land that drains into bodies of water. Some watersheds, like the one which encompasses the school discussed in this article, include bodies of water that are walking distance from the school. The watershed cit...

Journal Article

Becoming A National Board Certified Teacher: One Teacher’s Perspective

Reflecting on one’s practice, whether it is a conversation with a single student, a lesson, or a unit plan, is the surest way for a teacher to improve. Going through the process of becoming a National Board Certified Teacher (NBCT) is a journey of ...

Journal Article

Careers in Science and Technical Communication

This article provides practical guidance for science teachers to help students who love both science and writing, and are struggling to find a career that will allow them to combine these disparate talents and interests. It includes descriptions of c...

Journal Article

Point of View: R.E.S.P.E.C.T.—A Teaching Primer

Respect is the key to successful teaching because it unlocks barriers to student learning. Treating students with respect opens their minds, thereby facilitating the learning process. Treating students with respect opens their minds, thereby facili...

Journal Article

Editor’s Roundtable: Our solar system and beyond

This month’s column reveals our themes for the upcoming school year and beyond, which have been intentionally designed to touch on all the NSES content standards for grades 5-8. In addition, you are encouraged to write a manuscript to share with yo...

Journal Article

Career of the Month: An Interview with Ethnobotanist Maria Fadiman

According to Plant Talk (2007), approximately 270,000 species of plants exist on Earth. The numbers of known species—including trees, flowers, fruits, and herbs—increases almost daily as scientists make new discoveries. From indigenous cultures i...

Journal Article

How Does Student Performance on Formative Assessments Relate to Learning Assessed by Exams?

A retrospective analysis examines the relationships between formative assessments and exam grades in two undergraduate geoscience courses. Pair and group-work grades correlate weakly with individual exam grades. Exam performance correlates to individ...

Journal Article

Biosocial Problems in Contemporary America: A Course on the Use and Misuse of Scientific Knowledge

This writing-intensive seminar for biology majors deals with the social and political implications of biological explanations for social phenomena. The class focuses on critical thinking, evaluation of data, and the validity of the conclusions drawn ...