All Resources

Journal Article

A Teaching Guide to Evolution

Discovering evolution through molecular evidence. Evolution is considered by virtually all biologists to be the central unifying principle of biology, yet its fundamental concepts are not widely understood or widely disseminated. The purpose of this ...

Journal Article

Build Your Own Wright Brothers' Glider

To celebrate the centennial of the Wright brothers’ historic flight, this model airplane activity was developed as part of an inquiry unit on flight. Make your own inexpensive glider and work through the problems the Wright brothers faced in learni...

Journal Article

Outdoor Adventures: Tracking Eastern Box Turtles

This project engages students in an authentic task involving an endangered species, the eastern box turtle. It emphasizes learning by doing science and promotes character growth, teamwork, reflection, and scientific literacy. ...

Journal Article

Snowy Entomology

Insects can be useful for investigations because they are numerous, relatively easy to find, and fascinating to students. Most elementary students have limited understandings of what exactly becomes of insects during the winter, often guessing that i...

Journal Article

PARKnerships Are for All

The Hoonton PARKnership is a cooperative learning program that pairs a public elementary school and a state park to involve students of all abilities in exciting, interactive outdoor learning adventures. In the program, students learn about their loc...

Journal Article

Editor's Corner: "Turn On" the Evolution Light Bulb

The Science Teacher’s editor shares thoughts on the current issue about teaching evolution effectively....

Journal Article

Teaching by Tiering

The movement toward inclusion has affected classrooms greatly. Now, more than ever, teachers are addressing a broader range of academic needs in every classroom. But, how can teachers can reach all students when students are so academically diverse...

Journal Article

Editor's Note: November/December 2003

Is this a familiar scenario in your classroom? As you start your science lesson, a few kids start putting papers away, in anticipation of leaving. The special education resource teacher appears at the door and collects the kids with Individual Educat...

Journal Article

Scope on Safety: Safe Speakers

This column shares safety information for your classroom. In this month’s issue the author discusses how guest speakers can motivate students and help them understand real-world science. The steps that teachers need to take to maximize the benefits...

Journal Article

Life in the Universe: A summary of recent developments in the field of astrobiology

How widespread is life in the universe? The field of astrobiology has been revolutionized within the last few years, and this article offers a concise summary of recent developments, which cross many scientific disciplines....

Journal Article

Bioterrorism and Real-World Science

Involve your students in an inquiry-driven unit on bioterrorism with an authentic simulation of a quarantined biohazard area....

Journal Article

Moon Misconceptions: Bringing pedagogical research of lunar phases into the classroom

Pedagogical research gives a three-step teaching strategy to address misconceptions—identify, overturn, and then replace with a scientific conception. Moon phases is one of the most common and persistent misconceptions among science students. This ...

Journal Article

Home Connections: Sticking Together

How do water striders manage to skitter across the surface of a creek or pond? This article addresses this question by explaining the basics about surface tension. It features two activities for students to try at home: Bulging Water and Soap and Sur...

Journal Article

Food for thought (part II): Mapping the globalization of food supply

Little of the food we eat today is produced locally. Students may be surprised by the number of food products imported into the United States. This lesson investigates the science of food safety by examining the location of origin for foods that we e...

Journal Article

The Nature of Science and Perceptual Frameworks: Emphasizing a more balanced approach to science instruction

The values and assumptions that go hand-in-hand with the production of scientific knowledge are seldom addressed in the classroom. Failure to address this "hidden" nature of science can result in student misconceptions regarding the strengths and wea...

Journal Article

Science in Any Language

This article describes how Guided Language Acquisition Design (GLAD) teaching strategies can help English language learners (ELL) with science. GLAD is a model for planning science, social studies, and literature-based units. It includes a collection...

Journal Article

Evolution and Intelligent Design

Understanding the issues surrounding evolution and intelligent design and dealing with the controversy. This article discusses the process of generating new scientific knowledge and accepting it in our schools, explains why evolution is not in crisis...

Journal Article

Tech Trek: Data collection and analysis tools

This activity is designed to help students learn to use technology to analyze data. In this illustration, students design and conduct a scientific investigation based on data collected from height and arm span measurements. ...

Journal Article

Epidemiology, Science as Inquiry, and Scientific Literacy

Explore a Standards-based curriculum called Detectives in the Classroom that teaches the science of epidemiology for middle-level students....

Journal Article

Making Technology Inclusive

Assistive Technology (AT) helps a person with a physical, cognitive, learning, or speech disability perform tasks that would otherwise be difficult or impossible. There are hundreds of specialized AT devices on the market, but their price tags often ...

Inclusion Technology

Journal Article

Cultured Inquiry: Students learn about the scientific process and gain critical thinking skills through disc diffusion assays

The disc diffusion assay provides a mechanism for students to gain experience conducting scientific inquiry and also gain critical thinking skills. This procedure can be used for guided and authentic inquiry and provides students opportunities to des...

Journal Article

Quality Control and Design in Science Learning

Make the connection between applied science and "pure" science by conducting inquiry-based, quality control investigations on consumer products. For this series of activities, small groups of students examine the composition and mass of chocolate can...

Journal Article

Lichens as Bioindicators

Lichens, the small, colorful organisms growing on trees and rocks, make excellent bioindicators of relative air quality. Map the air pollution in your area by measuring and tracking the lichen growth on local trees....

Journal Article

Science 101: What Is a Crystal?

Science and Children's column dedicated to basic science addresses the question, What is a crystal? A geologist provides the answer....

Journal Article

Scope on the skies: Moons—Natural satellites

This column focuses on astronomy throughout the year. The moons (natural satellites) of the solar system are especially interesting in their incredible range of diversity....

Journal Article

True Tales of Science

There’s no better way to understand the work of a scientist than to have it explained in the scientist’s own words. Scientific journals, personal accounts of research projects, and documentaries can give students an authentic view of the scientif...

Journal Article

Editor’s Note (October 2003)

Curriculum integration takes time to develop. It’s not easy to find ways to connect science standards with those in another subject. The science concepts, and those in the other content areas, have to be real and meaningful. But the rewards can be ...

Journal Article

Tried and True: Splints and gases

This column provides classic demonstrations and experiments with a new twist. In this month’s issue learn how chemical reactions carry much more impact when experienced firsthand rather than through pictures in a textbook or on a video. ...

Journal Article

A Flight Simulator Program Takes Off

Aviation concepts, including forces acting on an airplane, navigation, correct aircraft terminology, and general aviation vocabulary, are often part of a comprehensive fifth-grade aviation curriculum. But in one school district, students also learned...

Journal Article

Understanding by Design Meets Integrated Science

A high school science curriculum is developed using the principles of "backward design." By using this curriculum design model, an integrated high school science program is created and implemented. ...

Journal Article

Supermarket Proteases

Common supermarket items, such as contact lens cleaner and meat tenderizer, are used to demonstrate the digestion of proteins as part of enzymatic reactions. This lab is designed to present enzymes as common, abundant, useful, and important substance...

Journal Article

Career of the Month: An interview with oceanographer Evan B. Forde

This column shares interviews with professionals using science in the workplace. This month’s issue features oceanographer Evan B. Forde of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration....

Journal Article

Editor's Corner: Through Instrumental Eyes

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

Journal Article

Seeing the World Through Instrumental "Eyes"

An historical timeline and related activities illustrate the importance of the electromagnetic spectrum in providing vital clues about the evolution of the universe. Teachers can explore with students the history of astronomy and the science that has...

Journal Article

Hand washing: A powerful preventative practice!

Hand washing and hand care practices are especially important and have long been recognized as a standard health and safety protocol for laboratory work. Find the answer to the Question of the month: Should sponges be used for lab station cleanup? If...

Journal Article

Tame a Tornado

Hook your students' interest by building a tornado box that simulates tornado development and the necessary environmental conditions. This article features detailed instructions for building the tornado box, plus suggestions for incorporating it into...

Journal Article

Harry Potter and the Dichotomous Key

In this lesson, students use Bertie Bott’s Every Flavor Beans—a “wild” candy written about in the Harry Potter books and now available in stores—to learn about classification and dichotomous keys. In these activities, students sort jelly be...