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NSTA Press Book

Sound: Stop Faking It! Finally Understanding Science So You Can Teach It

Muddled about what makes music? Stuck on the study of harmonics? Dumbfounded by how sound gets around? Now you no longer have to struggle to teach concepts you really don’t grasp yourself. Sound takes an intentionally light touch to help out all...

By William C. Robertson, Ph.D.

Elementary High School Informal Education Middle School Physical Science Physics Technology Assessment Crosscutting Concepts Curriculum Disciplinary Core Ideas Instructional Materials Inquiry Science and Engineering Practices New Science Teachers Preservice Science Education Research Teacher Preparation

Invasion Ecology (Teacher’s Guide—Includes Full Student Edition) (e-book)

eBook

Invasion Ecology (Teacher’s Guide—Includes Full Student Edition) (e-book)

Strange intruders are invading our part of the world, threatening our environment and our economy. These newcomers and their impact on our ecological balance are the focus of Invasion Ecology, a new book that teaches students to investigate the beha...

NSTA Press Book

Light: Stop Faking It! Finally Understanding Science So You Can Teach It

Why is left right and right left in the mirror? Baffled by the basics of reflection and refraction? Wondering just how the eye works? If you have trouble teaching concepts about light that you don’t fully grasp yourself, get help from a book that�...

By William C. Robertson, Ph.D.

Elementary High School Informal Education Middle School General Science Physical Science Physics Curriculum Instructional Materials Inquiry Lesson Plans Science and Engineering Practices New Science Teachers Preservice Science Education Professional Learning old Research Teacher Preparation

How to Plan, Survive, and Even Enjoy an Overnight Field Trip with 200 Students

Journal Article

How to Plan, Survive, and Even Enjoy an Overnight Field Trip with 200 Students

Although taking an overnight trip with 200 middle schoolers might seem like an impossible task, this author does it regularly. Using the example of a three-day trip she took to Yellowstone National Park with her students, the author shares tips and s...

Scope on Safety:  Have a safe trip!

Journal Article

Scope on Safety: Have a safe trip!

Science safety isn’t just a set of rules. It requires common sense and that teacher intuition that helps us predict what might happen when we least expect it. To that end, this month’s column offers some practical advice to help you prepare for s...

Decay and Renewal (Teacher Edition—Includes Full Student Edition) (e-book)

eBook

Decay and Renewal (Teacher Edition—Includes Full Student Edition) (e-book)

Are you looking for a new way to teach about respiration, nutrient cycling, energy flow, producers, consumers, and decomposers? Decay and Renewal provides techniques for students to learn the basics while investigating the science behind biodegra...

Everyday Assessment in the Science Classroom (e-book)

eBook

Everyday Assessment in the Science Classroom (e-book)

Make ongoing, classroom-based assessment second nature to your students and you. Everyday Assessment in the Science Classroom is a thought-provoking collection of 10 essays on the theories behind the latest assessment techniques. The authors offer in...

Super Science Saturday

Journal Article

Super Science Saturday

Looking for a way to excite teachers and families about your school’s science program? A “Super Science Saturday” can provide a safe, fun, and interactive educational experience to do just that. When a community collaborates to plan and impleme...

Science Buddies

Journal Article

Science Buddies

The Science Buddies program pairs a seventh-grade life science class with a second-or third-grade class in a yearlong partnership of science adventures. Over the course of the year these dual-grade learning groups work together on various science exp...

Editor's Note: Happy New Year to All! (January 2003)

Journal Article

Editor's Note: Happy New Year to All! (January 2003)

In this issue we are highlighting science activities that go beyond the classroom and involve parents and folks in the community with elementary school boys and girls. Most parents, grandparents, neighbors, and professionals are eager to be involved ...

Field Trips Online: Investigating water quality through the Internet

Journal Article

Field Trips Online: Investigating water quality through the Internet

Alternatives to the traditional field trip exist. Teachers can supplement occasional field trips with Internet-based inquiry lessons to explore water quality. ...

Parents Come to Class

Journal Article

Parents Come to Class

Are you challenged to involve parents in your school’s science curriculum? Ridgecrest Elementary School in Hyattsville, Maryland, tackled that issue and found a successful solution in an exciting program called “Playtime Is Science” (Sprung, Fr...

Idea Bank: Tabloid Science

Journal Article

Idea Bank: Tabloid Science

Most editions of supermarket tabloids include "science-related" stories that make science teachers cringe. Find out how they present learning opportunities by helping students to discriminate between factual and bogus stories. ...

Science Sampler: Science interactive notebooks in the classroom

Journal Article

Science Sampler: Science interactive notebooks in the classroom

When students make observations and explain them in writing, they clarify and organize their thoughts and ideas. Keeping science interactive notebooks is a technique for increasing student understanding and organizing their learning. Further, by usin...

Ask the Experts

Journal Article

Ask the Experts

What is the color of blood inside the body? What are requirements regarding plumbing for a high school science lab? Find the answers to these questions in this article. ...

Commentary: Challenging Gifted Students

Journal Article

Commentary: Challenging Gifted Students

Gifted students in many states are not always provided the opportunity to take challenging advanced courses of study. Find out what steps the state of Virginia is taking to change this....

Analyzing DNA in a High School Laboratory: Students study the genetics of sage grouse

Journal Article

Analyzing DNA in a High School Laboratory: Students study the genetics of sage grouse

Students learn a variety of scientific concepts while studying the genetics of sage grouse. In this project students learn that good science relies on carefully collected data and logical interpretation of that data. The author and students gained a...

Challenging Students with Experiments: Incorporating scientific investigations in the busy classroom

Journal Article

Challenging Students with Experiments: Incorporating scientific investigations in the busy classroom

Experimentation can be adapted for any science class and level. Incorporating authentic experimentation in the classroom supplements science curriculum with subjects students genuinely want to investigate. ...

A Science Night of Fun!

Journal Article

A Science Night of Fun!

This university-sponsored educational family event inspired teacher candidates, students, and parents by demonstrating numerous scientific activities, showing how opportunities for science learning go “beyond homework.” Emphasis is on the plannin...

A Dastardly Density Deed

Journal Article

A Dastardly Density Deed

This burglary mystery captures students' interest as they analyze how the mass-to-volume ratio of a liquid determines its density. As they observe the mass change while the volume remains constant, they begin to understand why the density increases. ...

Tried and True:  Wind and pressure

Journal Article

Tried and True: Wind and pressure

The wind is part of our daily lives, but not everyone can explain what causes this phenomenon. To demonstrate how differences in pressure systems cause air to move from one area to another, the classic collapsing-can activity explores how air moves ...

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