A Permanent Agenda for Science Teachers

Journal Article | December 1999

It may seem a singular act of arrogance for us to suggest that a permanent agenda for science teaching exists. Trends come and go, and veteran professionals have seen the recurrence of familiar ideas. But the…

Singing in the Choir

Journal Article | February 2001

Teacher preparedness programs like those offered by NASA rely on the vocal cords of the “choir” to spread the word about the motivational benefits of participating in such programs. In addition to gaining creative ideas…

Teacher’s Toolkit: Methods for success as a middle school science teacher

Journal Article | August 2007

Effective teachers are prepared with methods for teaching science. Without them, the first day of school will be a disaster that will likely continue throughout the year. This article outlines some methods that will…

Teaching Through Trade Books: Oil Spill!

Journal Article | February 2005

An oil spill occurs somewhere in the world almost everyday of the year, and the consequences can be devastating. In this month's column, students explore the effects of oil spills on plants, animals, and the…

When a Hypothesis is <em>Not</em> an Educated Guess

Journal Article | March 2001

The terms prediction and hypothesis are often used interchangeably, yet one term means to think about what might happen and the other means to think about why something will happen. Misuse of these terms may deprive…

Editor’s Corner: Brainy Science

Journal Article | December 2006

Despite being a subject of intense interest and scrutiny for all of human history, many aspects of human brain function are still rather poorly understood. However, this is about to change rapidly, as modern imaging…

Editor's Roundtable: Making Science Meaningful

Journal Article | February 2013

Science Scope’s editor shares insights on what research reveals about how best to engage students and help them see science as relevant and meaningful to their lives.

Teacher’s Toolkit: Misconceptions in the science classroom

Journal Article | August 2010

To address misconceptions, teachers first need to uncover them. Although misconceptions will surely emerge as you move through a lesson, it’s best to identify them prior to new learning. Here’s where the role of…

The Artistic Oceanographer Program

Journal Article | March 2009

The Artistic Oceanographer Program (AOP) was designed to engage elementary school students in ocean sciences and to illustrate basic fifth-grade science and art standards with ocean-based examples. The program combines…

A Recipe for Inquiry: A traditional cookbook lab for determining the molar volume of a gas is modified to include inquiry

Journal Article | August 2003

Inquiry-based learning requires students to think about what they are doing before and during the experiment and provides opportunities to apply previously learned concepts to new situations. In this article, students…

Teaching Through Trade Books: What's the Matter?

Journal Article | January 2012

This column includes activities inspired by children’s literature. This month’s issue explores the different properties of matter.

Arthropod Genetics

Journal Article | January 2000

Think about invertebrates for a minute. Do arthropods come to mind? The phylum Arthropoda is the most diverse of the invertebrates, spanning from horseshoe crabs to lobsters to insects. These organisms have in common…

Reading Aloud

Journal Article | June 2008

Many resources are available to elementary teachers who wish to support science learning with literature. Unfortunately, somewhere between middle school and high school, the emphasis on using literature to teach science…

Having pHun With Soils

Journal Article | March 2013

Test the pH of soil to explore its impact on an ecosystem.

Guest Editorial: A Brief History of the National Middle Level Science Teachers Association

Journal Article | October 2011

An opinion piece about the highlights and membership benefits of NMLSTA.