Research and Teaching: Development and Validation of a Scale to Measure Attitudes toward Science and Technology

Journal Article | April 2009

Interest in science and technology is essential to good citizenship. By adapting items from other scales and writing new items, the authors developed the Attitudes Toward Science and Technology scale, containing 30…

Valuing Little Steps Toward Inquiry

Journal Article | October 2012

This article shows how taking small steps toward practicing scientific inquiry can shift the way teachers present core ideas and encourage students to communicate their scientific understanding.

Scope on the Skies: The law of location

Journal Article | August 2010

This article explains how the sky would look from different locations, specifically from other locations within our solar system. Answers to the following questions are addressed: Do the constellation patterns we see…

Recycling the Paper Trail

Journal Article | March 2002

Students use easy-to-obtain supplies and computer scratch paper to make their own paper. This papermaking activity, which is always popular with students, brings home the individual importance of recycling and its…

Inference or Observation?

Journal Article | September 2010

Learning about what inferences are, and what a good inference is, will help students become more scientifically literate and better understand the nature of science in inquiry. Students in K–4 should be able to give…

Making Sense of Motion

Journal Article | January 2005

This activity is designed to introduce motion concepts to students through active, hands-on investigation, and to help activate their prior knowledge about motion. It can be developed into a culminating assessment for a…

Scope on Safety: Test Your Metal (Safety Knowledge)

Journal Article | November 2011

This column shares safety information for your classroom. This month’s issue discusses the safety of various metals commonly used in middle school science lab activities.

Methods and Strategies: A Science Lesson or Language Lesson?

Journal Article | June 2012

This column provides ideas and techniques to enhance your science teaching. This month’s issue covers using the 5R Instructional Model during a unit on soil erosion.

Science Is for the Birds: Promoting Standards-Based Learning Through Backyard Birdwatching

Journal Article | December 2002

Backyard bird watching can be a means for promoting authentic research projects in middle level science. Cornell University's Project FeederWatch provides research protocols for measuring diversity, distribution, and…

Every Day Science: April 2008

Journal Article | March 2008

This monthly feature contains facts and challenges for the science explorer.

Editor's Corner: The Answer to Extra Credit

Journal Article | November 2002

The Science Teacher’s editor shares thoughts on the answer to extra credit assignments.

A Leg (or Three) to Stand On

Journal Article | February 2003

The three “legs” on which science instruction rests are the content of science, process of science, and the nature of science. Each leg performs its own function and need not be competitive with the others. This article…

Editor's Corner: Earth and Space

Journal Article | January 2013

The Science Teacher’s editor shares thoughts on the current issue.

The Learning Cycle and Instructional Conversations

Journal Article | December 2000

Engaging students in instructional conversations creates opportunities for discovering and internalizing the critical attributes of a concept. In this article, the authors will identify questioning practices for the…

An Interactive Lecture Notebook—Twelve Ways to Improve Students’ Grades: Drawing Students’ Attention to What They need to Know in Lecture

Journal Article | February 1998

Much research supports the conclusion that most students do not take accurate and thorough notes. The interactive lecture notebook is prepared on a computer so changes and corrections can be made easily, and students…