JoinAll Resources
Journal Article
An Introduction to Tissue Engineering Using Hydrogels
This article presents a three-part classroom activity that introduces students to examples of research in the field of tissue engineering and allows them to replicate experiments being done in university laboratories using alginate hydrogels....
Journal Article
Science and Children’s editor shares thoughts regarding the current issue....
Journal Article
The Accreditation Process for Science: The Path Leads to Unintended (Positive) Consequences
This article discusses how a community of scholars came together to create assessments across science departments for a teacher preparation program in secondary science teaching....
Journal Article
Extended Problem-Based Learning Improves Scientific Communication in Senior Biology Students
This article describes a model of extended problem-based learning that instructed upper-level undergraduate students to focus on a single biological problem while improving their critical-thinking, presentation, and scientific-writing skills....
Journal Article
This article discusses a Volcanic Concept Survey, an instrument designed to measure conceptual understanding of volcanic processes and hazards. Scores from this survey show that students who learned about volcanoes from nontraditional sources, such a...
Journal Article
What Students Really Want in Science Class
The authors asked biology students "What helps high school students learn science?" They share the digital resources and other classroom activities that students thought would help them learn science....
Journal Article
Case Study: The Chemistry of Cocaine
This column provides original articles on innovations in case study teaching, assessment of the method, as well as case studies with teaching notes. This month’s case study focuses on the chemistry of cocaine to teach a number of core concepts in o...
Journal Article
NSTA's 2011–2012 president writes a message for science educators....
Journal Article
This article discusses a creative visualization project to motivate and engage students. Students depict a dinosaur in its ecosystem and include all three elements of the environment: air, land, and water. Students explore scientific content in evolu...
Journal Article
NSTA's 2011–2012 president writes a message for science educators....
Journal Article
Safer Science: Safety on the Move
This column provides best safety practices for the science classroom and laboratory. In this month’s issue, the author covers safety on field trips....
Journal Article
Career of the Month: Smell Scientist
This column shares interviews with professionals using science in the workplace. This month’s issue describes the work of smell scientist Avery Gilbert....
Journal Article
After the Lab: Learning Begins When Cleanup Starts
Having students design their own methods regarding data collection during a lab may help them formulate appropriate investigative procedures. The authors use a modified gallery walk to develop science skills....
Journal Article
Favorite Demonstration: Visual Aid to Demonstrate Change of State and Gas Pressure With Temperature
The visual aid described in this article is designed to demonstrate the change in state of matter with the change of temperature and the change of pressure with temperature....
Journal Article
The Early Years: A Sense of Place
This column discusses resources and science topics related to students in grades preK to 2. In this month’s issue students learn to use the school yard as a model....
Journal Article
Guest Editorial: Minds, Models, and Maps
An opinion piece about the benefits of visual learning devices....
Journal Article
The Green Room: International Sustainability Education
This column focuses on making your teaching more environmentally friendly. In this month’s issue, the author discusses three sustainability stories of three schools she visited in the past year....
Journal Article
Developing Intuitive Reasoning With Graphs to Support Science Arguments
This article describes two activities—one math activity and one science activity—that teach students how to make a scientific argument and articulate a scientific claim. ...
Journal Article
Research and Teaching: Undergraduate Research Experiences From a Longitudinal Perspective
The purpose of this study was to investigate the educational enhancements of undergraduate research experiences participation from the perspective of practicing scientists in chemistry and physics....
Journal Article
Introducing <i>A Framework for K–12 Science Education</i>: A Message to Our Members
The author gives an overview of the National Research Council's newly released A Framework for K–12 Science Education....
Journal Article
Formative Assessment Probes: Where Are the Stars?
This column focuses on promoting learning through assessment. In this month’s issue the author explores children's knowledge of where the stars are in relation to the Earth and Moon....
Journal Article
Use recent Hollywood movies to generate interest in your science classroom. Movie clips can provide data for content-rich problem solving, show students exotic phenomena, allow them to apply science concepts in a new setting and foster connections be...
Class Pack
Outdoor Science Field Journals (Five Pack) ClassPack
Using Outdoor Science in your classroom is easier than ever! NSTA’s ClassPacks are an unmatched time-saver and a great deal. The 28-page, waterproof, pocket-size Field Journals encourage students to record all of their observations of the outdoor w...
eBook
Winner of the Bronze EXCEL Award from Association Media & Publishing!How do you improve upon perfection? For years, new and experienced elementary school teachers alike have extolled the virtues of Picture-Perfect Science Lessons—the expertly combi...
Book Chapter
Brainstorms: From Idea to Invention
Learners explore the design process by improving an existing invention; designing and building a drink holder for an airplane seat and communicating their design process; and designing an investigation to evaluate Scotchgard. For more information on...
Book Chapter
Using a model, learners explore time zones and what causes day and night and how time zones change. Learners observed the position of the Sun in the sky at different times of day and relate those positions to the rotation of the Earth. For more info...
Book Chapter
Learners make drawing of what they think might be inside “energy balls,” small plastic spheres that light up and buzz. After investigating simple circuits using batteries, bulbs, and wires, they learn that electricity needs a complete loop to flo...
Book Chapter
Learners keep track of their households’ water use for one day, explore ways to conserve water and then create a Water Watch campaign for school or home. They also discover that clean water is limited in many places on Earth and learn about how wat...
Book Chapter
Learners explore how sound is produced by vibrations. They make a straw instrument and investigate how to vary its pitch. Learns also design and build an instrument that produces a high pitch and a low pitch and explain how it works. For more inform...
Book Chapter
Learners explore the differences between chemical and physical changes by observing a variety of changes in mater. Learners observe the chemical change of cooking pancakes and identify new menu items for the Chemical Change Café. For more informati...
Book Chapter
In this chapter, you will learn how experiments are structured. This structure or experimental setup is called the research design. The research design of an experiment determines both whether the experiment is likely to succeed and the reliability ...
Book Chapter
Close Encounters of the Symbiotic Kind
Learners explore how some organisms interact with other organisms through symbiotic relationships by observing “mystery objects” (plant galls) collected from the local ecosystem. For more information on how to implement Picture-Perfect Science in...
Book Chapter
By taking part in a simulation, learners explore the many threats to sea turtles and the ways humans can help them survive. Learns identify which dangers result from human actions and which dangers are natural. Learners also explore the life cycles o...
Book Chapter
Learners explore the importance of rice as a food source, the differences among types of rice, the life cycle of rice, and rice production methods. Learners also explore control, variables, and experimental design by investigation how rice grows and ...
Book Chapter
Nano2Earth Curriculum and the National Science Education Standards
With the Nano2Earth curriculum, students learn about nanotechnology and nanoscience by using inquiry to study groundwater pollution. The curriculum is designed to meet the National Science Education Standards (NSES) for content in grades 9–12 (NRC ...
Journal Article
Leaders at a nature museum share their knowledge of how to structure a learning environment to guide children's development of science skills. They also created a classroom self-assessment tool for early childhood and early elementary educators to us...
Journal Article
Science and Me: A Student-Driven Science Outreach Program for Lay Adult Audiences
The increasing need for communicating science to the public suggests that future scientists and science educators should be educated in science outreach and trained to communicate with lay audiences. We present a recently developed novel graduate cou...
Journal Article
A Field Trip Without Buses: Connecting Your Students to Scientists Through a Virtual Visit
One school offers zipTrips as an alternative to actual field trips taken outside of school. ZipTrips are web- and broadcast-delivered electronic field trips that include online videos; lesson plans; and a live, 45-minute interactive program consistin...