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  • Picking the Best Solution

    Lesson Plan |

    The purpose of this assessment probe is to provide practice in using a decision matrix. The probe is designed to see if students are able to interpret a decision matrix and to help you determine difficulties they may…

  • What’s the Problem?

    Lesson Plan |

    The purpose of this assessment probe is to elicit students’ initial response to an ill-defined problematic situation. The probe is designed to reveal whether students recognize that in a problem situation, there is…

  • What’s Inside Our Solar System?

    Lesson Plan |

    The purpose of this assessment probe is to elicit students’ ideas about the solar system. The probe is designed to find out if students can distinguish between objects in the solar system and objects outside of the…

  • From the Field: Events and Opportunities, December 14, 2021

    Reports Article |

  • Testing for Success

    Lesson Plan |

    The purpose of this assessment probe is to elicit students’ initial ideas and attitudes about the procedure that should be followed when testing models to determine if a design solves the problem. The probe is designed…

  • Co-Constructing Classroom Agreements with Students

    Professional Learning Unit |

    Science is social! Norms can support a classroom community in which students and teachers actively try to make sense of the natural and built worlds.

  • Brainstorming

    Lesson Plan |

    The purpose of this assessment probe is to elicit students’ ideas about brainstorming. The probe is designed to determine the extent to which students understand the norms of good teamwork during the brainstorming…

  • Mass, Volume, and Density

    Lesson Plan |

    The purpose of this assessment probe is to elicit students’ ideas about density. The probe is designed to find out whether students have commonly held ideas about mass, volume, shape, and other properties that interfere…

  • Transdisciplinary Learning: Working Across Disciplines to Address Complex Real-World Problems

    Professional Learning Unit |

    Participants will explore the transdisciplinary approach to STEM education and consider how this shift fosters workforce readiness skills.

  • From the Field: Events and Opportunities, January 25, 2022

    Reports Article |

  • Will It Form a New Substance?

    Lesson Plan |

    The purpose of this assessment probe is to elicit students’ ideas about chemical change. The probe is designed to find out how students determine whether a new substance with a different chemical makeup is formed when…

  • Making Sound

    Lesson Plan |

    The purpose of this assessment probe is to elicit students’ ideas about sound. The probe is designed to reveal whether students recognize that sound is produced by vibrating matter.

  • Scientist Circles: Fostering Student Participation and Collaboration in Class Discussions

    Professional Learning Unit |

    Moving students into a circle so they can see and speak directly to each other can transform a quiet classroom into a collaborative discussion space!

  • Using the Putting the Pieces Together Instructional Routine

    Professional Learning Unit |

    In this module, educators will be introduced to the four elements of the Putting the Pieces Together (PT2) Instructional Routine. In the Putting the Pieces Together Instructional Routine, students synthesize ideas they…

  • NSTA Announces Sale of Headquarters Building

    Blog Post |

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