JoinAll Resources
Journal Article
Teacher's Toolkit: Knowing by Doing and Doing by Knowing
This column provides how-to strategies and practical advice for the science teacher. This month’s issue discusses developing the metacognition of middle school science teachers....
Journal Article
Safer Science: Safety in the Eye of the Beholder
This column provides best safety practices for the science classroom and laboratory. This month’s issue discusses types of eye protection....
Journal Article
The author incorporates engineering into the biology classroom by having students safely design, construct, and analyze engineered biological systems. This article examines a new open-access curriculum designed to teach foundational engineering desig...
Journal Article
Intersections, Molecules, and Homeless Shelters
This article describes activities that motivate science students with drama and imagination. The teacher can invent curiosity-provoking scenarios that require students to apply science concepts and processes as integral and indispensable elements....
Journal Article
Parent science nights help a teacher connect with parents of upper elementary students while at the same time provide time to present exciting science challenges and problem-solving situations....
Journal Article
A virtual expedition brings polar science to students and parents to school. Students got the opportunity to interact with scientists traveling to Antarctica....
Journal Article
Editor's Corner: Engineering Excellence
The Science Teacher’s editor shares thoughts on the current issue....
Journal Article
Formative Assessment Probes: Seeing the Light
This column focuses on promoting learning through assessment. This month’s issue discusses students' preconceptions related to the reflection of light....
Journal Article
Editor's Note: Don't Forget Families
Science and Children’s editor shares thoughts regarding the current issue....
Journal Article
Scope on Safety: Extinguishing Safety?
This column shares safety information for your classroom. This month’s issue discusses how to use a fire extinguisher....
Journal Article
Editor's Roundtable: Exoplanet Explosion
Science Scope’s editor shares thoughts regarding the current issue....
Journal Article
Exploring the Solar System? Let the Math Teachers Help!
Use an interdisciplinary approach to help students develop a true appreciation for the size of the solar system....
Journal Article
Learn how patterns, system, structure, and other crosscutting concepts fit into the new Framework....
Book Chapter
The question students will answer through this chapter is, What can we discover by observing objects in the sky? Three separate but related investigations reveal patterns in the sky. The inquiry begins with an investigation into the changing shape of...
eBook
Front-Page Science: Engaging Teens in Science Literacy (e-book)
“The U.S. Preventative Services Task Force issued new guidelines for mammograms in 2009. What does this mean for someone with a family history of breast cancer? Congress periodically votes on a piece of legislation called the Farm Bill. What does i...
Book Chapter
Science Literacy: The Big Picture
In this opening chapter of Front-Page Science , the authors give an over view of science literacy and the layout of the book. ...
Book Chapter
Certainly a class can learn a lot by just engaging in activities described in the previous chapters in this book and not actually writing an article. The authors believe, however, that writing moves the student to a deeper level of understanding and ...
Book Chapter
It’s All About Revising: Moving Toward Publication
In this chapter, the authors present different ways to give students feedback on their writing, including conferences, peer feedback, and other assessment strategies....
Book Chapter
For reluctant writers or tech-savvy teens, engaging in alternative approaches to creating stories is an attractive approach. Creating podcast and videos can also provide opportunities for students to work in teams and learn the type of 21st-century s...
Book Chapter
Science Journalism Goes To School
What exactly is a science news article? To understand that, it is important to differentiate journalistic writing from other forms of expression. This chapter provides a detailed description of what the authors mean by a science news article and give...
Book Chapter
Can I Do This? Frequently Asked Questions
Teachers and administrators have expressed certain practical concerns, the answers to which help them decide if SciJourn is possible given the realities of their own school. In these Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) the authors seek to address so...
Book Chapter
In this chapter, the authors briefly outline the process used to create the SciJourn standards, and then describe each in some detail, furnishing the reader with real student examples. As you seek to “sell” the project to your schools, parents, a...
Book Chapter
Literacy professionals often think about the connection between reading and writing. How does reading impact the ability to write and think? What do competent writers notice when they read? In this chapter, the authors suggest a systematic approach, ...
Book Chapter
Finding and Keeping Track of Sources
Scientifically literate people seek credible sources, knowing that they cannot always depend on firsthand encounters. Several credible sources are typically needed to assess the value of new findings or commercial product in order to confirm informat...
Book Chapter
In this chapter, the qualities of a good topic, how to “pitch” stories in the classroom (slow and fast), and a list of dos and don’ts for teachers when helping students refine topics and angles are discussed....
Book Chapter
Original Reporting: Interviews And Surveys
In this chapter, the authors discuss interviews and surveys from a science literacy standpoint; provides hints for how to conduct both and what to do with the results....
Book Chapter
Channeling Your Inner Science Teacher: Considering Context and Accuracy
This chapter includes ideas for helping students put information into context (Standard IV) and fact-checking their own and classmates’ articles (Standard V). Up to this point, as we discussed the creation of a news story, you as a science teacher ...
NSTA Press Book
Front-Page Science: Engaging Teens in Science Literacy
“The U.S. Preventative Services Task Force issued new guidelines for mammograms in 2009. What does this mean for someone with a family history of breast cancer? Congress periodically votes on a piece of legislation called the Farm Bill. What does i...
By Angela Kohnen, Alan Newman, Laura Pearce, Wendy Saul
Journal Article
Getting Past "Just Because": Teaching Writing in Science Class
Over the past two years this seventh-grade team of teachers has taught writing across the curriculum, used common terminology, and assessed writing using a shared rubric, providing students with a basic writing structure that helps support writing ac...
Journal Article
The IMSCI model for scaffolding writing in language arts can be used with a science notebook. To illustrate how this model can be used in an early elementary classroom, the authors descirbe a six-week unit for first graders on insect life cycles....
Journal Article
Idea Bank: Reading, Writing, and Physics
The Idea Bank provides tips and techniques for creative teaching, in about 1,000 words. This month’s Idea Bank discusses an assignment in which students read, write, and study current physics topics without diverting class time from the curriculum....
Journal Article
This Scholarship of Teaching and Learning project discusses the effectiveness of using distance metaphor-building activities along with a case study exam to help undergraduate nonscience majors understand and apply geologic time....
Journal Article
Core Ideas of Engineering and Technology
This article addresses Chapter 8 of A Framework for K–12 Science Education, which presents core ideas in technology and engineering at the same level as core ideas in the traditional science fields....
Journal Article
Long-Term Impact of Service Learning in Environmental Studies
Long-term impacts from a senior course in Environmental Studies were evaluated by a survey of program graduates who had participated in the course over an eight-year period. Survey respondents indicated that the course had stewardship, fostering the ...
Journal Article
Safer Science: Safety in Uncharted Waters
This column provides best safety practices for the science classroom and laboratory. This month’s issue discusses the safety of on- and off-campus independent study programs....
Journal Article
Collegiality and Better Science Teaching
Teachers strengthen content knowledge and share teaching strategies in a professional learning community to improve their science teaching. This article describes how the collaborative works, including its use of the environmental education program P...
Journal Article
This article provides three practical approaches to increase reading-to-learn competencies and student science achievement. These approaches also provide valuable information about student understanding of content....
Journal Article
The author developed a museum field trip into a short-term, active research project assignment. This approach has transformed the field trip from a casual museum visit into a focused and productive learning experience....