Ocean Acidification: Hands-On Experiments to Explore the Causes and Consequences

Journal Article | January 2011

Ocean acidification is one of the most serious environmental issues facing the planet (e.g., Doney 2006; Guinotte and Fabry 2009). It is caused by excess carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere. Human activities such as…

Diving into Literature, Mathematics, and Science

Journal Article | August 2002

Students dive into this integrated lesson structured around Jules Verne’s 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.

Tried and True: Teaching the practice of science, unteaching the “scientific method”

Journal Article | June 2010

Many teachers continue to teach the scientific method not only because they too were taught to believe in it, but also because it is still emphasized in many textbooks. However, it was just such mechanical teaching of…

Issues In-Depth: Advancing understanding of drug addiction and treatment

Journal Article | January 2009

While most school districts utilize a drug abuse resistance curriculum, as science teachers, it is our responsibility to understand the science behind drug addiction in order to most effectively educate our students…

Editor's Note (November/December 2005)

Journal Article | October 2005

Scientists write in many ways as they develop and share what they do. It only makes sense that our students do as well. This issue presents ideas for using writing to create purpose in science class.

Seeing the Carbon Cycle

Journal Article | December 2005

The most important biochemical reactions for life in the ocean and on Earth are cellular respiration and photosynthesis. These two reactions play a central role in the carbon cycle. The ocean-based carbon cycle is…

Science 101: Do other planets have summer?

Journal Article | June 2005

This articles tackles the question of whether other planets have a summer, what it consists of and how their summers relate and differ from our own on Earth.

Dinocenters

Journal Article | September 2010

Like peanut butter and jelly, kindergarteners and dinosaurs go well together. Therefore, the authors developed a cross-curricular unit based on the books All Aboard the Dinotrain (Lund and Fine 2006) and Dinosailors (…

The Building Blocks of Geology

Journal Article | August 2001

Elementary level students often have difficulty grasping the difference between minerals and rocks. Because minerals and rocks are basic to the understanding and study of Earth science, knowledge of their…

Science Shorts: Snowflake Symmetry

Journal Article | November 2009

Even if you get snow in your area, studying real snowflakes in situ can be challenging, but you can still develop a dynamic, hands- and minds-on exploration that can be conducted year-round. Images of actual snowflakes…

Embed Assessment in Your Teaching

Journal Article | February 2003

Broadly defined, embedded assessment using performance tasks requires students to write, read, and solve problems in genuine, rather than artificial ways. It is as an ongoing, cyclical process in which teachers gather…

President’s Message: Meeting the Needs of the New World Student

Journal Article | August 2007

To succeed in the 21st century, students have to learn how to be creative problem solvers who can work in collaborative groups. These new-world students must have the ability to think critically, use technology…

Every Day Science Calendar: August 2006

Journal Article | June 2007

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

Our Human–Plant Connection

Journal Article | March 2011

Teachers incorporate plants into the curriculum to learn about various subjects in addition to botany. Students use web-based resources, such as the Human Flower Project website, to explore the world of plants.

Idea Bank: "Seeing" the Light

Journal Article | August 2001

The Idea Bank provides tips and techniques for creative teaching, in about 1,000 words. In this month’s Idea Bank, students begin the physics class by studying the behavior of light. In this activity, the teacher…