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As the editor notes, “You can’t just wing it” with middle-level science (or any level for that matter). Effective teachers have a variety of strategies to use, so that if one isn’t working with a group of students,…
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Project based learning and the Next Generation Science Standards
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Guest blog by Andrew Miller The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) call for a conceptual shift in teaching and learning. Yes, content is changing in the upcoming NGSS. In addition to traditional subject…
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Scientific and engineering practices
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If you’re concerned or apprehensive about the NGSS, this month’s Commentary Preparing for the New Standards should be on your to-read list. The author, a high school physics teacher, describes his experiences in…
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During the past few years, this blog has addressed several questions about formative assessments. These just-in-time assessments embedded in instruction help a teacher understand what students are learning, identify…
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In the late fall as the weather alternated between 40°F and 70°F overnight, bumblebees sometimes got caught by cold temperatures and spent the night on the zinnia flowers in my garden. They would crouch around the inner…
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I attended an event where we cleaned out the science warehouse for our school system. I got a lot of great stuff for my elementary science classes, including a box of rock and mineral samples that have little stickers…
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Earth structures, processes, and history
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It’s not hard to get students interested in earth science. They can see the value of learning about the weather and climate, soil, water, tides, volcanoes, earthquakes. The featured articles this month highlight…
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Students need opportunities to apply what they are learning to new situations and to experience what scientists actually do. But it’s a challenge to design and conduct authentic activities with real-life…
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Exploring natural and human-made materials
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“I found these two rocks in the sandbox and I think they’re from a volcano.” Children like to share their special found objects and talk about where they came from and what they might be. “I think this is a dead spider…
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When I was a child, one of my favorite toys was a set of wooden blocks, in a variety of shapes and sizes. We would play for hours, sometimes building models of structures and other times experimenting with designs and…
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Should I take a student teacher?
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I was asked if I would take a student teacher. This would be my first one. What should I consider in making the decision? —Mark, Queens, New York Your administrator must feel confident in your expertise to ask…
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Festive holidays and winter weather can be disruptive for the classroom schedule at this time of year but can also provide inspiration for appealing science activities. Take advantage of cooking themes to teach some…
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NSTA conferences as professional development
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The 2012 NSTA conference season is over, concluding with the last sessions in Phoenix this morning. The variety of presentations and workshops had something for everyone–some addressed specific content topics and…
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Learning from "mistakes?"
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I’d like to try hands-on labs with my fourth graders, but I’m worried they’ll make mistakes. I guess I’m afraid they won’t learn the concepts if they don’t get the right answers. Is there a way to make the activities…
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Five things you should put on your iPad Camera
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The tablet computer like the iPad can be a magic box of inquiry. For instance, it has a camera, and in particular a front facing camera. Why that is important is because students can manipulate objects on the camera and…
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