All Resources

Journal Article

Viral Investigation: Students learn to isolate a common, nonpathogenic virus

Few laboratory experiments focus on viruses that are safe and involve minimal equipment. Because of this, they are generally not appropriate for high school or university students. To address this problem, this activity uses a lab experiment to demo...

Journal Article

Connecting Middle School, Oceanography, and the Real World

The Sierra Oceanic Institute curriculum is an excellent way to channel students’ energy into completing tasks and learning about the ocean. Students are employees of this fictitious organization that places ownership of learning with each and every...

Journal Article

Student Symposia on Primary Research Articles

This article describes how conducting in-class symposia in which students present primary research articles can provide a window into the process of scientific research and communication, broaden students’ exposure to research, and improve their re...

Journal Article

Sci-Fi Science: Using science fiction to set context for learning science

Keeping students motivated is one of the greatest challenges for science teachers. One way to stimulate and maintain interest in science is to set a contextual framework for learning, This article uses an approach entited "The Science of Science Fict...

Journal Article

Teaching Teachers: STEPS into Learning

Prospective elementary teachers explore the use of classroom technologies in a university setting. Bringing "real" elementary students to the science methods classes helped them see how technology can be used effectively....

Journal Article

Learning from your Mistakes

Using lamps directed at black, gray, and white cans to show the impact of color on heat absorption is a classic experiment, one that the author came to think of as a “sure thing.” So, imagine her surprise when this “sure thing” turned into a ...

Journal Article

Making Waves: A constructivist method for teaching the properties of waves

Constructivist teachers involve students in learning and challenge them with questions that help them understand relationships and concepts. This article features an activity, "Living Waves," which enables students to act out certain characteristics ...

Journal Article

Analyzing Children’s Science Journals

By creating their own journal pages, children are able to depict their ways of seeing and understanding the science phenomena, constructing or reconstructing the phenomena through their own lens of experience (Shepardson, 1997). In this article, the ...

Journal Article

Second-Grade Soil Scientists

After careful self-examination, the author revamped her soils unit to include a connection to the real world. As a result, students began to understand the importance of what they were learning, used higher-order thinking skills, and made connections...

Journal Article

Applying Ecological Principles on the Job

The authors developed a course that requires students to work in groups to address a local ecological problem of interest to a client external to the university. Students learn the skills needed to apply their knowledge and gain the satisfaction of a...

Journal Article

Let GIS Be Your Guide: Combining technology with content

The use of Geographic Information System (GIS) is emerging as an educational technology for developing contextually rich student learning. GIS are advanced computer applications designed for collecting, storing, manipulating, and displaying data with...

Journal Article

Earth Science in the News

Earth scientists gather and analyze evidence of change on Earth through time to increase our understanding of the geologic past and the history of life. Students can experience the excitement and challenges of the geosciences by investigating the mat...

Journal Article

Tech Trek: Getting students charged up about batteries

The Rechargeable Battery Recycling Corporation’s (RBRC) lesson plan entitled Charge Up to Recycle! is a nonprofit organization that recycles Nickel-Cadmium (Ni-Cd) rechargeable batteries in Canada and the United States. Recommended for grades three...

Journal Article

Turning Bread into Rocks: A Multisensory Unit Opener

How can we engage middle school students and pique their interest in rocks? How can we better demonstrate the vital links between minerals and rocks? How can we help students fine tune their observation and recognition skills? Turning Bread into Rock...

Journal Article

After the Bell: Amoebas and euglenas and paramecia ... Oh, My!

How can teachers develop lessons that maximize students’ science experiences outside of the classroom to better prepare them for the future work force? This question was top priority when Aurora University and Freeman Elementary School created a pa...

Journal Article

Beyond Paper and Pencil Assessments

Most paper-and-pencil assessments provide adequate insight into students’ ability and can help effectively guide instruction. A well-designed performance-based assessment propels a science program beyond this level of adequacy and guarantees that t...

Journal Article

Recycling into Art

This interdisciplinary unit weaves art and science together to help students appreciate the importance of recycling. In this engaging activity, students collected items worthy of recycling from home, and with the help of the art teacher, used a loom ...

Journal Article

Commentary: Our Time Has Come

An opinion piece about the teaching of evolution....

Journal Article

More Space Shuttle Experiments Take Flight

In the November/December 1997 issue of Science and Children, the article “Space Shuttle Experiments Take Flight” described a unique industry mentorship program that enabled elementary students and their teachers to contribute to research involvin...

Journal Article

Solving Solutions: Exploring unknowns through chemistry

Developing middle school students’ problem-solving skills is a common goal of the National Science Education Standards and the Principles and Standards for School Mathematics. The following chemistry activities support the spirit and content of bot...

Journal Article

Physical Science Lab Essentials: Stuents bring their skills up to speed with a logical sequence of activities

Beginning high school students may not have a firm foundation in the prerequisite skills to succeed in a laboratory-oriented science course, yet they are expected to develop these skills by the end of the course. This article features a series of act...

Journal Article

Evidence for Evolution: How old are the Earth, the Galaxy, and the Universe?

This article provides a brief review of the scientific evidence for the age of the Earth, Solar System, Galaxy, and Universe. ...

Journal Article

Say “Yes” to Metric Measure

As educators, we need to assume responsibility for actively teaching our students the metric system; to fail to do so may limit their participation in a global society. Standards developed by the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics and the Na...

Journal Article

Idea Bank

The Idea Bank provides tips and techniques for creative teaching, in about 1,000 words. This month’s Idea Bank features an activity on stratigraphy and geologic time, an introduction of Climacostomum—the most versatile protozoan, and a lesson in ...

Journal Article

Javametrics 101: Introducing Nonscience Majors to the Chemistry Laboratory

A novel way to introduce nonscience majors to the chemistry laboratory using hands-on experiments can be done with one of college students’ favorite beverages—coffee. The course described in this article, Javametrics 101, integrates the art, lite...

Journal Article

www.studentthink.molecularbiology

The Internet contains vast resources and information that students can use to study science. In particular, some molecular biology sites provide access to analytical programs and databases used by research scientists. This article focuses on two of t...

Journal Article

Evolution: Don't Debate, Educate

Although controversies will undoubtedly continue, scientists should balance their desire for political, legal, and educational confrontation with creationists with the long-term goal of educating all students about science....