Idea Bank: Ring Species through Space and Time—A Class Demo

Journal Article | December 2007

Several educators feel that teaching evolution is critical to science education, yet the issue of human evolution is sometimes avoided due to cultural pressures. The class exercise described here was developed to help…

Thinking, Teaching, and Learning Science Outside the Boxes

Journal Article | January 2009

In both universities and K–12 schools, students leave one world and enter another as they attend classes in discipline-specific domains. But how can students gain the experiences necessary to make discoveries—for…

Career of the Month: An Interview With Pharmacist Ken Thai

Journal Article | January 2009

Medications prescribed by your doctor are designed to support your health. But if incorrectly prescribed, misused, or abused, these prescriptions can become dangerous and sometimes fatal. A pharmacist’s job is to ensure…

Motivating Students With Robotics

Journal Article | March 2008

In recent years, the need to advance the number of individuals pursuing science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fields has gained much attention. The Montgomery County/Virginia Tech Robotics Collaborative (…

The Early Years: Water Leaves "Footprints"

Journal Article | March 2013

This column discusses resources and science topics related to students in grades preK to 2. This month’s issue discusses an activity to help students learn how water shapes the Earth's surface.

Science Sampler: Designed by Nature—Exploring linear and circular life cycles

Journal Article | January 2008

Designed by Nature is a series of six sequential lessons that help middle school students explore the environmental impacts of producing and disposing of everyday items, and the role of citizens, consumers, and…

Idea Bank: Traveling Safely Overseas

Journal Article | August 2003

Overseas field trips can be exciting and rewarding for both teachers and students. To ensure a healthy and safe return, this article features certain steps that MUST be taken before embarking on an overseas adventure.

Deconstructing to Instruct: The Role of Deconstruction in Instruction and Assessment in Middle School Science Classrooms

Journal Article | December 2010

We want to challenge our students, but we need to give them tasks and assessments they can realistically succeed at and are valid indicators of their learning. Deconstructing planning, teaching, and assessment can help…

Teaching Inquiry Skills Using Rainsticks

Journal Article | October 2000

South American tribes created rainsticks—percussion instruments made from bamboo or dried cactus filled with rice—to appeal to the gods in hopes of bringing rain. In Africa, rainsticks are musical instruments. In the…

Teacher Research: Challenging Our Assumptions

Journal Article | August 2009

Teacher research—often called “action research”—is an intentional and systematic inquiry into one’s own classroom practice with the goal of improved student learning (Cochran-Smith and Lytle 1993). In this article, the…

After the bell - Algebraic Thinking Part II: The Use of Functions in Scientific Inquiry

Journal Article | August 2005

Functions are not only a necessary mathematical tool for scientific inquiry--the use of functions on standardized tests is increasing to the point where students must be proficient in the subject. This activity, the…

Modeling the Research Process: Alternative Approaches to Teaching Undergraduates

Journal Article | April 2005

An Introduction to Research course was modified to better teach the process of scientific inquiry to students who were not engaged in research projects. Students completed several tasks involved in research projects,…

Wind Solvers

Journal Article | September 2009

Measuring real weather provides a nice opportunity for data collection and problem-solving when students work to create a procedure before they gather data. It is also a powerful way to get students to notice the…

Science Survivors

Journal Article | December 2001

Educators in Mexico respond to the need for integrating science into other disciplines with a guided-inquiry curriculum module called Adventures on a Deserted Island. The program engages elementary students in an…

A Cooperative Learning Approach to Teaching Introductory Biology: Experimenting with an Innovative Teaching Style at the University of California, Davis

Journal Article | February 1998

Why are students unable to make the transition from understanding concepts to applying them? It seems that the standard lecture format does not provide students with an opportunity to test comprehension of a subject.…