JoinAll Resources
Journal Article
Best STEM Books for Students K–12
Books published in 2016. Selected by the National Science Teachers Association/Children’s Book Council Review Panel....
Journal Article
Editor's Corner: This View of Life
The Science Teacher’s editor shares thoughts on the current issue....
Journal Article
Commentary: It’s About Time to Teach Evolution Forthrightly
An opinion piece about teaching evolution....
Journal Article
Science 2.0: Developing the Computational Thinker
This column shares web tools that support learning. This month the authors look at the Computational Thinker standard. Its performance indicators require students to use technology-assisted methods to explore and find solutions; collect data, use dig...
Journal Article
Focus on Physics: Newton’s (Often Misunderstood) Third Law of Motion
This column helps teachers build an understanding of physical principles. The author discusses misconceptions about Newton’s third law....
Journal Article
Health Wise: The Tragic Truth About Smokeless Tobacco
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 the negative effects of smokeless tobacco....
Journal Article
Career of the Month: Evolutionary Psychologist
This column shares interviews with professionals using science in the workplace. This month’s issue describes Peter Gray's career path to becoming an evolutionary psychologist....
Journal Article
The Idea Bank provides tips and techniques for creative teaching, in about 1,000 words. This month’s Idea Bank rethinks how students can learn about cells....
Journal Article
Right to the Source: Don’t Skip the Title Page
Exploring science and history with the Library of Congress. This month's issue discusses title pages using On the Origin of Species as an example....
Journal Article
Science 102: Triple-Dog Dare Ya
This column shares exercises to challenge content knowledge. This month's issue presents a new challenge about why skin will stick to ice....
Journal Article
Best STEM Books for Students K–12
Recently published books selected by the Children’s Book Council and the National Science Teachers Association....
eBook
When it’s time for a game change, you need a guide to the new rules. Helping Students Make Sense of the World Using Next Generation Science and Engineering Practices provides a play-by-play understanding of the practices strand of A Framework for K...
NSTA Press Book
Helping Students Make Sense of the World Using Next Generation Science and Engineering Practices
When it’s time for a game change, you need a guide to the new rules. Helping Students Make Sense of the World Using Next Generation Science and Engineering Practices provides a play-by-play understanding of the practices strand of A Framework for K...
By Christina V. Schwarz, Cynthia Passmore, Brian J. Reiser
eBook
Big Data, Small Devices: Investigating the Natural World Using Real-Time Data (e-book)
Now your students can transform their mobile phones and tablets into tools for learning about everything from weather to water quality. Big Data, Small Devices shows you how. This book is designed for Earth and environmental science teachers who want...
Book Chapter
Moving Beyond “Knowing” About Science to Making Sense of the World
This chapter introduces the book and explores the fundamental shifts implied by engaging students in science and engineering practices. We have many opportunities to make significant and lasting change in the ways we teach science at the K-12 level. ...
Book Chapter
The Framework, the NGSS, and the Practices of Science
This chapter explicates the rationale for focusing on science and engineering practices and traces the development of this idea from earlier notions of inquiry in science. In going from the Framework to the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), t...
Book Chapter
Toward More Equitable Learning in Science
This chapter examines some important questions about equity in the science classroom. It explores how a focus on practices is in line with goals we have to make science accessible, intelligible, and meaningful for all learners. The chapter shares and...
Book Chapter
The Role of Practices in Scientific Literacy
This chapter takes up the question of our broader societal goals for science literacy and explains the connections between these goals and the focus on engaging students in science and engineering practices. All of the activities featured afford stud...
Book Chapter
Asking questions might seem like a practice that is already in widespread use in today’s science classrooms. But the practice of “Asking Questions” as envisioned in the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) is not at all common. In this chap...
Book Chapter
Planning and Carrying Out Investigations
In this chapter, we share how different parts of investigations can be designed so that they work together and help students answer questions. In particular, we describe several ways to design effective investigations using examples from elementary c...
Book Chapter
Analyzing and Interpreting Data
In this chapter, to highlight the development of this practice across K–12, a series of classroom examples are presented of analyzing and interpreting data. Each example is followed by a commentary that highlights the salient features of the exampl...
Book Chapter
Using Mathematics and Computational Thinking
Using mathematics and computational thinking practice is all about finding precise ways to describe the patterns and processes that make up scientific and engineered systems. This chapter discusses three interrelated issues for getting started in you...
Book Chapter
In this chapter, we examine student engagement in the science practice of constructing explanations, which is a key practice of science and lies at the core of what the discipline is about. Engaging in explanation construction helps students see how ...
Book Chapter
Engaging in Argument From Evidence
In this chapter, we offer three vignettes of the practice of engaging in argument from evidence. These examples highlight the ways in which the components of engaging in argument from evidence—supported claims, evaluation and critique, and reconcil...
Book Chapter
Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Information
In this chapter, the details of the practice of obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information are outlined and examples and resources provided related to implementing the practice. We hope that this information will help teachers and others le...
Book Chapter
The first part of this chapter explains the importance of the two practices that include elements designed to address the different goals and outcomes of engineering. The latter part of the chapter, shares a classroom case that illustrates the entir...
Book Chapter
This chapter is about fostering what we call academically productive talk in science classrooms to support students’ engagement with the eight science and engineering practices. We first introduce a picture of the most common varieties of classroom...
Book Chapter
Throughout the chapters, we have provided many vivid images of students who are learning science in meaningful ways. In this chapter, we provide guidance about how these goals can be accomplished, using two examples. From the two units we’ve descri...
Book Chapter
This chapter concludes our discussion of the science and engineering practices with a summary of the big ideas from the book and a few strategies. We revisit some important ideas about science and engineering practices we hope you have developed, wea...
NSTA Press Book
Big Data, Small Devices: Investigating the Natural World Using Real-Time Data
Now your students can transform their mobile phones and tablets into tools for learning about everything from weather to water quality. Big Data, Small Devices shows you how. This book is designed for Earth and environmental science teachers who want...
By Donna Governor, Michael Bowen, Eric Brunsell
Workshop
Online Courses: MSU National Teachers Enhancement Network: The World of Forces
This 1-credit course is designed for 4-8 grade teachers who are exploring the concepts of forces in their classrooms. Its broad purpose is to introduce elementary and middle school teachers to core ideas about forces, as they relate to modern hands...
Workshop
Online Courses: MSU National Teachers Enhancement Network: The World of Motion
In this fast-moving six-week course, we will focus on the fascinating concepts of measurement and motion, and how they relate to hands-on physical science in the elementary classroom. Tuition rates for MT residents: $266.50/credit. For more informa...