All Resources

Journal Article

Students as Teachers

As an extra credit activity, teachers can let students take turns teaching class using the “each one teach one” approach. Student groups select an activity, write a lesson plan, create a worksheet, and then present their inquiry-based activity. T...

Journal Article

Dissecting Light

White light is composed of the entire visible light spectrum, but how do you teach this to students in a hands-on way? The answer is simple: by using a spectroscope. This easy-to-make tool allows students to dissect light and in the process, develop ...

Journal Article

Commentary: Starry Starry Night

An opinion piece about what a truly dark sky looks like—the magic, the infinity, the glorious majesty, and the overwhelming feeling of being a part of something far greater than everyday life....

Journal Article

Science Scenarios

In recent years, the scientific community has emphasized the importance of making science content more meaningful to high school students. One effective technique that helps teachers facilitate student learning is role-playing. By participating in ro...

Journal Article

What Might Happen If . . .?

The lessons many students learn in traditional school curricula are too removed from the problems they encounter in daily life to be useful. One tool that can be used in the classroom to help students analyze and understand the consequences of events...

Journal Article

The Art of Geology

After participating in a professional development class entitled “Energy and the Environment,” sponsored by the American Electric Power Company, the author studied coal as an energy source and its effect on the environment. The final assignment w...

Journal Article

The Cormorant Controversy

Today, federal and state laws in the United States prohibit the killing of birds for their feathers, and similar legislation regulates the hunting of game birds. But despite these efforts, the relationship between birds and humans is strained, partic...

Journal Article

Commentary: The Case for Integrated Science

An opinion piece about the increasing interest in high school integrated science courses throughout the United States....

Journal Article

Spatial Thinking Strategies: Promoting cognitive processes in the elementary classroom

While some people consider spatial thinking a “gift” that only some individuals have, many others view spatial thinking as a cognitive process that can be developed. Much research supports the developmental view of spatial thinking as a cognitive...

Journal Article

Nature in the City: Outdoor projects for urban schools

This article provides three, inquiry-based activities that help urban students learn about nature—observing coloration patterns of pigeons, measuring local rainfall and comparing it to other areas, and conducting a biodiversity study by observing ...

Journal Article

Learning from Problems

Problem-based learning (PBL) is a powerful vehicle for inquiry-based learning in which students use an authentic problem as the context for an in-depth investigation of what they need and want to know (Checkly, 1997). This article presents ten steps ...

Journal Article

Editor's Note: Stand Up and Be Counted

Science and Children’s editor shares thoughts regarding the current issue....

Journal Article

Life Cycle of a Pencil

Before you throw an object into the air, it is wise to remember that “What goes up must come down.” Similarly, before you throw an object away, you should recall that “mass cannot be created or destroyed during a chemical or physical reaction.�...

Journal Article

Sound Ecology

Problem-based learning is a powerful tool that motivates students to learn problem solving through investigation and research. The problems should be applicable to real life, messy or undefined, and require students to create products. To introduce t...

Journal Article

Curriculum with a Common Thread: Teachers create a project-based interdisciplinary curriculum with science as the foundation

Imagine studying the history and technology of the Civil War through photographs taken at that time and learning about the chemistry and mathematics of photography by building cameras. That’s what elementary students do as part of Project WRITE (Wo...

Journal Article

Hands-On Thunderstorms: Activities to help students and teachers understand thunderstorms and severe weather

Have you ever wondered how thunderstorms actually form? Offering an age-appropriate explanation can be quite challenging because thunderstorms are very complicated atmospheric phenomena. However, by using a little creativity and a few household items...

Journal Article

Get Connected to Science: The possibilities abound with today's high-tech classroom resources

Too often classroom computers are used for word processing or drill and practice software. However, these uses don’t begin to tap into the rewards of computer technology. This article describes how elementary students used technology in three areas...