Favorite Demonstration: One Hot Demonstration -- The Urban Heat Island Effect

Journal Article | June 2006

Demonstrations are most successful as a teaching tool when they can link a scientific principle to a real-life application of the knowledge. When posed as an inquiry activity, classroom demonstrations reinforce factual…

Idea Bank: Classroom Newsletter

Journal Article | January 2005

Have you ever struggled with trying to motivate your students to learn science? If your answer is a resounding "yes!"-- the implementation of a class newsletter may be the solution. A class newsletter project can…

National Astronomy Day: Bringing the Universe to Your Students

Journal Article | January 2012

The authors discuss National Astronomy Day and demonstrate how to successfully bring astronomy into the school. Browse this collection of ideas for "bringing astronomy to the people."

Tech Trek: Time for class

Journal Article | August 2004

One of the most abstract concepts that you will teach to your students is the concept of time. Usually introduced at the beginning of the school year, the concept of time is taught along with measurements and scientific…

Engaging Middle School Students With Technology: Using Real-Time Data to Test Predictions in Aquatic Ecosystems

Journal Article | June 2011

Take advantage of teen internet savvy and redirect students' online travels toward exploration of our environment through streaming real-time data (RTD). Studies have shown that using RTD adds relevancy to students'…

Linking Environmental Science Students to External Community Partners

Journal Article | February 2004

This article describes a course that integrates environmental science students into local community organizations. Despite initially high expectations, students who completed the course held negative opinions about…

Issue-Oriented Science

Journal Article | February 2002

Current science can be made more relevant to students with teacher-guided discussions of science articles students have clipped from newspapers and magazines. This activity encourages active involvement with the…

My Brother’s Keeper

Journal Article | September 2004

In this interrupted case, students read about the alarm-calling behavior of a certain type of ground squirrel and then work in groups to develop hypotheses to explain the behavior and describe data that might be used to…

Editor's Roundtable: Inroads to issues and tools for teachers

Journal Article | June 2005

Scientific literacy is the overriding goal of both AAAS Project 2061 and the National Science Education Standards (NSES). Both project 2061 and the Standards advocate that students, as early as middle level, be provided…

Science Sampler: Mastering metrics

Journal Article | August 2005

By the time students reach a middle school science course, they are expected to make measurements using the metric system. However, most students, and most U.S. residents for that matter, are not proficient with it. To…

Society for College Science Teachers: What Currency Should We Use?

Journal Article | December 2005

A colleague's favorite question when the issue of evaluationg teaching arises is to ask, "What's the currency?" In this article, we discover the various quandries involved in quantifying quality teaching.

The Effectiveness of a Case Study-Based First-Year Biology Class at a Black Women’s College

Journal Article | October 2010

The authors used a case study-based approach in the introductory biology course at Spelman College. The course taught to entering freshmen was divided into three modules—ecology, evolution, and biodiversity, each…

Lights, Camera, Reflection! Digital Movies: A Tool for Reflective Learning

Journal Article | June 2008

At the end of a biology course entitled Ecology, Evolution, and Genetics, students were asked to consider how their learning experience had changed their perception of either ecology or genetics. Students were asked to…

Editor's Roundtable: Taking the time

Journal Article | September 2005

Teachers can enrich students' lives by making outdoor experiences part of their curriculum. How many trips and how long each experience lasts is determined by individual sensibilities and influenced by administrative…

Science 101: What's the difference between frogs and toads?

Journal Article | March 2004

Frogs and toads belong to a group of Amphibians known as Anura (Latin for "without tail"). Though different on many levels, frogs and toads share some basic similarities. Here are the basic facts about these animal…