All The Science Teacher resources

Journal Article

One way for teachers to show a small specimen to an entire class is by placing the specimen in a small, transparent display case, such as a Petri dish. This allows students to closely observe the specimen and reduces the chance it might become damage...

Journal Article

Idea Bank: What's Up with Kudzu?

The abundance of Kudzu—a Japanese vine—in the state of Mississippi provides a natural pathway for discovery opportunities. All over the South in late spring and summer, Kudzu wreaks havoc; the vine can overtake buildings if left unchecked and oft...

Journal Article

Learning How to Think

Enhancing students’ cognitive development is a priority—students must learn how to think. Inquiry instruction provides students with tools to make decisions based upon available evidence and an opportunity to develop and practice their thinking...

Journal Article

Assessing Student Understanding

Science education has moved from the traditional lecture-and-demonstration model toward a student inquiry model. Although science teachers know that inquiry teaching is desirable, they are frequently at a loss when it comes time to assess students. T...

Journal Article

Ask the Experts—March 2004

The following question is addressed in this month’s column: An email debate among science teachers focused on the explosive nature of “superheated” microwaved water. Could someone address the real science that either debunks or supports this no...

Journal Article

Models That Matter

Chemistry is a difficult subject for students to understand because its core concepts—atoms, molecules, and chemical bonds—cannot be directly observed. Students primarily learn chemistry through their senses and do not distinguish between explana...

Journal Article

Editor's Corner: Modeling Clay, Whiteboards, and Poster Sessions

As classroom teachers, we develop great expertise with sticky notes, whiteout, and highlighters. They are the staples of our daily survival along with the trusty stapler and scotch tape dispenser (usually empty) found on our desks. This month’s col...

Journal Article

An Island of Stability

The concept of energy arises in all disciplines of science, from ecosystems and species niches to gravity and motion. However, most students have difficulty understanding the relative sense of energy. To help students grasp this difficult concept, t...