All Resources

Journal Article

Commentary: The Importance of Cultivating Empathy in STEM

An opinion piece about how seeking to understand another’s perspective, or what many call engaging in empathy work, can help middle school students better understand how STEM-related issues can affect people and society....

High School Middle School STEM Teaching Strategies New Science Teachers Preservice Science Education

Journal Article

Citizen Science: It Alll Adds Up: Wildcam Gorongosa Citizen Science

This column highlights formal and informal science research projects that students can join and contribute to by gathering and sharing data. There is a concerted global effort to conserve Gorongosa’s indigenous wildlife and restore the park’s nat...

Journal Article

Disequilibrium: Layered Liquids

This column shows how to use discrepant events to confront misconceptions. Students may hold onto the misconception that all liquids naturally combine when put into the same container (e.g., adding food coloring to water and adding chocolate syrup to...

Middle School General Science Physical Science 5E Inquiry Phenomena

Journal Article

Listserv Roundup: Ways to Increase Math Confidence in Science Class

This column shares recent conversations taken from the NSTA listserv community about current science education topics. There are many effective ways to increase student excitement about and confidence in math in the science classroom. In this column,...

Journal Article

Science for All: Making Science Visible

This column shares strategies for increasing student engagement. Students need ways to create visual structures for information they’re learning so that they can synthesize, organize, and, eventually, store that information for the long term. The ...

Journal Article

Teacher to Teacher: Analyzing Data With Mean Absolute Deviation

This column provides practical advice from your peers. Teachers need to emphasize that when analyzing and interpreting data, multiple trials produce the best test results. Students often struggle with understanding the significance of this science ...

Journal Article

Scope on the Skies: The Universe, From Micro to Macro

This column focuses on astronomy throughout the year. Some middle school students may have trouble understanding subatomic particles and neutrinos, but the topic is suitable for more advanced students. Before students can delve into the neutrino pro...

Journal Article

No Puedo

“I don’t get it.” Assisting Spanglish-speaking students in the science classroom....

Journal Article

Supporting Students With Autism

A lesson embedded with strategies addressing students with autism spectrum disorder....

Journal Article

Seeing Science

Visually impaired students can conduct independent science investigations....

Journal Article

The Science Standards and Students of Color

Finding classroom approaches that work....

Journal Article

Students as Environmental Educators

Science students conduct a program for preschoolers to raise awareness of pollution in a local creek....

Journal Article

Editor's Corner: Huddled Masses

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

Journal Article

Commentary: Going Beyond the Textbook

An opinion piece discusses why students need to see connections between science learning and their experiences and cultures....

Journal Article

Science 2.0: Communicating Science Creatively

This column shares web tools that support learning. The authors have been covering the International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) standards in every issue since September. This month, they examine the final standard, called Creative Co...

Journal Article

The Green Room: How Border Walls Affect Wildlife

This column focuses on making your teaching more environmentally friendly. This month’s issue discusses how the proposed wall along the U.S.–Mexico border would significantly affect wildlife....

Journal Article

Focus on Physics: The Delightful Catenary Curve

The author uses the curve called a catenary to explain how he teaches about tension and compression related to geometrical structures such as bridges, arches, and domes....

Journal Article

Health Wise: Acne: Myth vs. Fact

This Q&A style column provides up-to-date information on current health topics—helping students (and teachers) make healthy choices. This month’s issue discusses acne....

Journal Article

Career of the Month: Automotive Engineer

This column shares interviews with professionals using science in the workplace. This month’s issue describes Jeff Johnston's career path to becoming an automotive engineer....

Journal Article

Right to the Source: Don’t Be Like Muddy Jim

Exploring science and history with the Library of Congress. This month's issue discusses the book Muddy Jim and Other Rhymes....

Journal Article

Clean It Up!

Fifth graders focus on unique properties of matter to separate a mixture....

Journal Article

Colorful Chemistry

A STEAM activity has students paint with the power of chemical reactions....

Journal Article

Are Clouds a Solid, Liquid, or Gas?

Confronting fifth graders’ misconceptions about states of matter and the water cycle...

Journal Article

If the Shoe Fits, Sort It!

Modifying a “well-worn” activity to explore matter classification...

Journal Article

Describing Matter

Developing young scientists’ understanding of matter begins with an exploration of properties....

Journal Article

Eclipses Across the Curriculum

The 2017 Great American Total Solar Eclipse coming up in August provides many opportunities for integrated lessons....

Journal Article

Editor's Note: Small Pieces of Matter

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

Elementary Chemistry Physical Science Disciplinary Core Ideas

Journal Article

The Early Years: Mixing Materials

This column discusses resources and science topics related to students in grades preK to 2. This month’s issue discusses how students can observe the properties of matter and document changes as materials are mixed....

Early Childhood Elementary Pre-service Teachers Preschool Chemistry Physical Science

Journal Article

Poetry of Science: What’s the Matter?

Building literacy in playful, meaningful ways. Students identify the ways in which matter is described and classified in this month's poem....

Elementary General Science Teaching Strategies Literacy

Journal Article

Teaching Through Trade Books: Matter All Around Us

This column includes activities inspired by children’s literature. This month’s activities allow students to develop an “understanding of observable properties of materials [which] is developed by … analysis and classification” (NGSS Lead S...

Elementary Preschool 5E Instructional Materials

Journal Article

Science 101: Why Does It Take Longer to Boil Potatoes at High Altitudes?

This column provides background science information for elementary teachers. This month’s issue looks at why water boils at different temperatures at different altitudes....

Elementary Middle School Earth & Space Science General Science Physical Science Professional Learning old

Journal Article

Science 102: The Sound of One Hand Clapping

This column shares exercises to challenge content knowledge. This month's issue presents a new challenge and answers the Raindrops Keep Falling challenge from last month. ...

Elementary High School Middle School Life Science Crosscutting Concepts Inquiry Phenomena

Journal Article

Engineering Encounters: Reverse Engineering

This column presents ideas and techniques to enhance your science teaching. This month's issue shares information on how students’ everyday experiences can support science learning through engineering design. In this article, the authors outline a ...

Elementary Engineering STEM

Journal Article

Methods and Strategies: Much Ado About Nothing

This column provides ideas and techniques to enhance your science teaching. This month’s issue discusses how children think about the small-particle model of matter....

Elementary General Science Physical Science Instructional Materials NGSS Pedagogy Phenomena Teaching Strategies

Journal Article

Beat the Heat! An Investigation Into Heat Transfer, Cooling Capacities, and Dilution

Explore claims that cold rocks can effectively chill a beverage without diluting it....

Book Chapter

Constructing an Explanation of the Big Bang Theory

This high school Earth and space science lesson has the following learning goals for students: identify appropriate and relevant information about the big bang theory; synthesize information to construct viable explanations of the formation of the un...

Book Chapter

Stars and Constellations: Using a Planetarium

This high school Earth and space science lesson has the following learning goals for students: locate and identify relevant information about a constellation and the stars within it; use a planetarium or a star finder to locate a specific constellati...

Book Chapter

Making Paint With Minerals

This high school Earth and space science and physical science lesson has the following learning goals for students: locate and identify relevant information about how to make paint from minerals; relate their knowledge about the physical properties o...

Book Chapter

Making Asphalt

This high school Earth and space science and engineering and technology lesson has the following learning goals for students: apply engineering and design principles to make a sample of asphalt and formulate a report summarizing the problem, methodol...

Book Chapter

Exploring Biome Shifts With Climate Change

This high school Earth and space science and life science lesson has the following learning goals for students: use quantitative methods to identify the two to three most abundant tree species in a forested field plot (Activity 1); investigate future...