Scope on the Skies: Summer Skies (2009)

Journal Article | June 2009

This summer the planet parade shifts to the morning skies as most of the visible planets are arranged over the southeastern to southwestern horizons before the Sun rises. And only one planet, Saturn, graces the evening…

Society for College Science Teachers: Cheatin' Ain't the Cowboy Way

Journal Article | October 2006

As academics, we are generally appalled by students who cheat or plagiarize, perhaps because it violates our sense of right and wrong. As educators who are interested in improving college science teaching, we need be…

Science Sampler: Fun with a flume—Ideas for inquiry

Journal Article | January 2011

A flume is a channel that is constructed to divert a flow of water for a specific purpose. Many students recognize the term flume from experience with an amusement park ride called the “log flume.” For the inquiry-based…

Science Sampler: Playing games

Journal Article | March 2003

Playing games in class is always a welcome change, but designing science games can be very time consuming for the teacher. This article describes how to enlist student help in creating new games. Examples and a grading…

The Moon Also Rises: Investigating celestial motion models

Journal Article | August 2001

Investigating celestial motion models is the focus of this Earth-Moon-Sun (EMS) astronomy unit. The model involves relevant motions of these objects that can be used to explain Earth-based astronomical phenomena—day and…

Ask the Experts: Summer 2008

Journal Article | June 2008

In this final “Ask the Experts” column, our own resident “expert” and Department Editor, Marc Rosner, addresses the following questions: • Why is chocolate bad for dogs? • Where does the color go when…

Materials Repurposed

Journal Article | July 2008

Few teachers find themselves with the support to purchase all of the materials they ideally need to supply their classrooms. Buying one or two simple, ready-made items can put a serious strain on anyone’s budget.…

Career of the Month: An Interview with Volcanologist Jeffrey Byrnes

Journal Article | August 2003

This column features interviews with professionals using science in the workplace. In this month’s issue, Jeff Byrnes shares how his education and career path inspired him to be a volcanologist.

Guest Editorial: Science Literacy and the U.S. Congress—A Call from Capitol Hill for Increased Cooperation in Meetng U.S. Technological Challenges

Journal Article | October 1997

An opinion piece about the important role Congress plays in shaping our national research and development enterprise. Their actions are critical to the success of advancing fundamental scientific understanding and our…

Science 101: How do you ask effective questions in science class, and how do you analyze the responses?

Journal Article | September 2009

To summarize the author’s answer to this question, effective questions are those that lead, eventually, to answers that indicate the student understands what’s going on beyond a terse answer that might just be memorized…

Favorite Demonstration: E-Concept Mapping

Journal Article | December 2006

Not all demonstrations involve using exciting visual displays of one or a series of scientific principles. Demonstrations can be as simple as showing the interrelationship between scientific concepts or principles using…

Story Book Science

Journal Article | September 2012

This article describes a learning experience that follows an alternate approach to integrating science and literacy. Teachers use a narrative to encourage children to use their imaginations in learning to describe…

The New Teacher's Toolbox: The Beauty of Bell Ringers

Journal Article | October 2011

This column shares tips for teachers just beginning their career. This month’s issue discusses tactics to have a good start each day at the beginning of class.

Launching a Campus-Based Electronic Periodical—<i>Scientia: The Journal of Student Research:</i> Showcasing Student Research Within Full View of the Electronic World

Journal Article | April 1999

In an effort to involve students in research, writing, and the use of technology, faculty at Middle Tennessee State University developed Scientia, an electronic journal devoted to publishing student research. This…

Photographing Wildlife: Observing wildlife with an inexpensive camera

Journal Article | January 2000

This activity can produce meaningful learning by improving students' skills in planning, problem solving, and decision making, as well as to serve as a natural springboard for journal and story writing. A great project…