Editor’s Corner: Spirit and Opportunity

Journal Article | March 2004

Throughout the 2004 school year, The Science Teacher (TST) feature articles focused on providing inquiry experiences with meaningful assessments in our classrooms. Issue themes focused on developing skills in the…

Idea Bank: Oobleck and Beyond

Journal Article | November 2005

Finding innovative ways to teach 10th grade physical science students about the properties of the states of matter--as stated in the Physical Science Standards for Levels 9-12--can be a difficult task. To address this…

Scope on the Skies: Summer Space Missions

Journal Article | June 2012

This column focuses on astronomy throughout the year. This month’s issue focuses on various upcoming space missions.

Society for College Science Teachers: Do You Need an Introductory Science Specialist?

Journal Article | June 2004

For your next general science hire, provide your introductory level students with an expert. This article discusses the practical reasons why you should consider hiring an Introductory Science Specialist—someone who has…

Health Wise: April/May 2010

Journal Article | March 2010

My students have their headphones on all the time! Could they be at risk for permanent hearing loss? How loud is too loud?

Weaving in the Story of Science

Journal Article | February 2008

Stories weave common elements of the nature of science between topics and activities, regardless of whether it’s short historical narratives about scientists or current event articles that are read. Stories also can…

Crater Appeal

Journal Article | June 2006

Recent focus on the planet Mars has led to incredible teaching opportunities, such as the Mars Student Imaging Project (MSIP) facilitated by Arizona State University's (ASU) Mars Education Program. The MSIP curriculum…

The Cultural and Ecological "Worlds" of Central Asia

Journal Article | September 2011

The authors developed an online, five-week unit that discusses the cultural and ecological "worlds" of central Asia. Two main ideas for this integrated science and social studies unit include (1) The natural world…

Ask the Experts—March 2008

Journal Article | February 2008

The experts address the following question in this month’s column: Are fish sensitive to lightning that strikes water?

Floating Boats

Journal Article | June 2007

The purpose of this article is to describe a simple laboratory activity in which students collect a series of measurements and then use graphical analysis to determine the nature of the relationship between an object’s…

Science on a Roll Part Two: How Many Sheets to Saturn?

Journal Article | January 2002

Students gain a better appreciation for and understanding of the distances between the planets using a roll of toilet paper. This activity also integrates math, actively engages students, and promotes inquiry.

Crossing Boundaries

Journal Article | November 2003

As science teachers, we strive to make our field an effective component of a liberal arts education. How can we make our subject more appealing to the broader community? This article describes how the author taught a…

It Pays to Go to School

Journal Article | August 2004

Just for once, skip the usual first day of school routine that includes seating charts, questionnaires, textbook distribution, and so on, and try a little science instead. By implementing this inquiry-based lesson into…

Science Sampler: Focusing in on the history of the microscope

Journal Article | September 2002

Teachers can use a historical context to add interest to common science lessons—in this case, the microscope.

A Science That Saves Lives

Journal Article | December 2012

"Crash Science" addresses the leading cause of death of teens in the United States. This article outlines an attempt to use research from the emerging field of crash science to teach truly life-saving lessons.