Using Google Earth to Study the Basic Characteristics of Volcanoes

Journal Article | October 2010

With the advent of Google Earth and the database of volcanoes supplied by the Smithsonian Institution’s Global Volcanism Program, students can describe almost any volcano on Earth. In this article, the authors guide…

Editorial: A Sporting Chance

Journal Article | April 2009

In this month’s column, the author admits that she didn’t have a particularly positive image of student-athletes when she began teaching. She anticipated that the “student” part of that name was merely vestigial: a…

Color Code

Journal Article | November 2011

Students use hair color to make a clear connection between genotype and phenotype.

Summertime, and the Reading Is Easy

Journal Article | June 2004

If your plans for preparing for the upcoming summer school year include relaxing with a good read, join the club! NSTA's Reading Club, that is. The arrival of summer means that many teachers finally have some free time…

Find out Why?

Journal Article | January 1999

This year, the National Science Foundation (NSF) reaches out to families and asks them to discover the power of asking, "Why?" The mission of NSF's Find Out Why program is to engage all Americans in science, engineering…

Commentary: Valuing Informal Science Learning Environments

Journal Article | December 2005

Understanding the spark that museums and science centers ignite for a continuum of learners helps teachers to think more creatively about engaging students in the classroom and challenges them to consider the power…

Bringing Antarctica Home

Journal Article | January 2012

A virtual expedition brings polar science to students and parents to school. Students got the opportunity to interact with scientists traveling to Antarctica.

Point of View: Research Only Matters if You Do Research That Matters

Journal Article | February 2008

If we want research to matter we must make the questions asked and issues pursued be about real things, whose answers really matter to the teachers and professors, to the students, and to others who need to know. Merely…

Cold Water, Warm Ice?

Journal Article | April 2012

This article describes engaging students in two simple observations to address the concepts of changes of states, heat, temperature, and molecular potential and kinetic energy.

Learning in Virtual Environments

Journal Article | September 2003

A charter school for homeschooled students tries its hand at distance education. The activities in this article demonstrate how learning takes place in the virtual environment.

Science in Any Language

Journal Article | October 2003

This article describes how Guided Language Acquisition Design (GLAD) teaching strategies can help English language learners (ELL) with science. GLAD is a model for planning science, social studies, and literature-based…

Everyone Needs a Mentor

Journal Article | August 2002

Mentoring is a complex role that encompasses criticism and praise, pressure and nurturing, logistics, organization, and persistence. While many school districts have specific procedures and objectives for mentoring, the…

Teaching Through Trade Books: Teaching the Three R's: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

Journal Article | February 2012

This column includes activities inspired by children’s literature. This month’s lessons focus on the journeys of trash items and how students can affect their paths.

A Garden of Learning

Journal Article | June 2008

In order to beautify the school environment and further student learning, fourth-graders cultivated a Native Plant Learning Garden. They were responsible for designing a layout, researching garden elements, preparing…

Rethinking the Role of the Science Teacher: Eschewing standardized testing in favor of authentic assessment

Journal Article | April 2000

Researchers believe an uncomfortable trend is developing in education reform—teaching is being influenced by large-scale assessments that fail to capture students’ abilities to do sustained work. This article focuses on…