JoinAll Resources
Journal Article
Idea Bank: Tips and techniques for creative teaching
The Idea Bank provides tips and techniques for creative teaching, in about 1,000 words. In this month’s Idea Bank, learn about open-ended inquiry and the encouragement to shift science away from the traditional "cookbook" type lab to more inquiry-b...
Journal Article
You Can Always Tell a Dancer by Her Feet
This discrepant event and the activities that follow examine pressure from a scientific perspective, while applying math to deepen students’ understanding of the concept. Although this unit was developed for use with preservice teachers, you also u...
Journal Article
Visualizing Science Using the Roundhouse Diagram
At the middle school level, science instruction becomes complicated by difficult vocabulary and complex, often abstract, notions (Jones and McEwin, 1983). To learn science, students must understand key concepts through reasoning, searching out relate...
Journal Article
Boiling Ice: A physics demonstration illustrating the kinetic molecular theory of matter
Physics is a good course to teach to young students because inquiry-based activities can be integrated into lectures to reinforce concepts and ideas. This article features a favorite activity that keeps student interest high—where ice is made by bo...
Journal Article
It happens every summer in Scott County, Virginia. Kids take time off from their summer vacation to return to the science classroom. They return to build bridges, make polymers, fill prescriptions, and work side by side with practicing chemists, engi...
Journal Article
Commentary: Enriching the Curriculum
An opinion piece about teachers covering the basic science curriculum, and doing this while meeting the needs and interests of an increasingly diverse student population....
Journal Article
Optic Inquiry: Students investigate a simple anomaly to learn basic science skills
Using an inquiry approach in the classroom is an effective teaching method. In this article, the inquiry-based lesson called "Magic in a Tube," helps students formulate questions, practice science skills, incorporate writing in science work, develop ...
Journal Article
Scope on the Skies: Ancient Skies
Writing this month’s column is quite literally a once in a millennium opportunity. As the New Year, century, and millennium get underway, many of us are wondering what lies ahead. But before we take look at the evening skies of our future, the auth...