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Journal Article
Energy is what makes things move, light up, and radiate warmth—energy makes things happen and makes our lives easier, too. But despite the importance of energy to every aspect of our lives, many Americans are not adequately armed with the basic ene...
Journal Article
Refocusing Natural Resource Management
Achieving scientific literacy requires students to understand how science is applied in the real world. A capstone class at Virginia Tech focuses on the role science and scientists play in the process of natural resource management. As a result, stud...
Journal Article
The Case Study: Twixt Fact and Fiction
What shall it be, a real case connected to the real world with blood, sweat, and tears or a fantasy, a twice-told tale by a spinner of yarns around a campfire on a summer night? When a teacher sits down to write a case, he is lured by the former and ...
Journal Article
Sharpen students' experimental design and observation skills with the help of gastropods. This article describes a five-day activity that incorporates guided and inquiry-based learning. Students spend some time observing the snails, then design and c...
Journal Article
Says Who? Students apply their critical-analysis skills to fight town hall
Biology students critique and challenge a public health proposal to limit citizen exposure to environmental toxins. They won the challenge and learned that while they are only in high school, their abilities to analyze and criticize a public documen...
Journal Article
Captivating young children is at the heart of teaching, making it fun and challenging. Rogoff (1990) argued that children learn how to think and act in various settings mostly through informal apprenticeships in everyday settings that include rich, s...
Journal Article
Are wolves actually “wicked” and do they eat people? Of course not, but folktales like Little Red Riding Hood perpetuate the misconceptions surrounding the endangered gray wolf. To dispel these misconceptions, this two-week unit on wolves weaves...
Journal Article
Science Sampler: Setting the scene for summer
Students are much more likely to remember science concepts when they are presented in an entertaining way. Learn how the author uses a science play to reinforce concepts presented in the unit on genetics and mutations....
Journal Article
A Universal Idea: Teaching planet classification using the learning cycle
Learning cycle investigations allow science students to model the activities of real scientists. Using the Internet in this learning cycle-based activity allows students to collect accurate and current data about the planets. Students analyze this da...
Journal Article
Scope on the Skies: Where have all the planets gone?
This column focuses on astronomy throughout the year. In this month’s issue, learn how the orbital motion of the Earth causes a shift in the direction we look to see the planets....
Journal Article
The Idea Bank provides tips and techniques for creative teaching, in about 1,000 words. In this month’s Idea Bank find a collection of activities to launch the academic year that generate student interest and motivation....
Journal Article
Science Sampler: Science Survivor
In this article, learn how the "Science Survivor" lesson was applied to the problem of students not doing their homework....
Journal Article
Students research local water resource issues and translate this acquired knowledge into public service announcements (PSAs) on the importance of water conservation. This project provides a meaningful context for student learning and an opportunity f...
Journal Article
Editor's Corner: Wrapping Up One year While Anticipating the Next
The Science Teacher’s editor shares thoughts on the past year and welcomes a new staff to The Science Teacher....
Journal Article
Bird's the Word: By raising chicks, students study animals in the laboratory
Raising chicks is effective and efficient because the experiment is applied science in action, and the animals are ethically disposed of when the experiment is finished. This experiment provides ample opportunity for students to learn about animals i...
Journal Article
Mind Mapping: A Graphic Organizer for the Pedagogical Toolbox
Mind mapping is a graphic organizer that can be used to generate ideas, take notes, develop concepts, and improve memory. In this article, the authors describe how mind mapping was introduced to a group of sixth graders who used the technique through...
Journal Article
Commentary: Shell Awardee—She Sells Science to Students
An opinion piece about the "Shell Science Teaching Award" given to an outstanding classroom teacher who significantly impacts students through exemplary science teaching....
Journal Article
Favorite Demonstration: Demonstrating a Thermodynamics Fountain
Cryogenic materials, mainly liquefied and solidified gases, are probably the most fascinating materials to use for demonstrating chemical reactions to introductory college students. A popular series of articles (Blachley 1997; Coppola et al. 1994; Ha...
Journal Article
Teaching Demands verses Research Productivity
Faculty in undergraduate institutions are scholars and need to be actively engaged in research. They must also publish and get grants to be promoted and tenured. The strong demand on their time for teaching and college services, however, leaves them ...