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Seed sprouting, activity and observation
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It’s fun for children to plant seeds in a special container, but it can be hard to remember to water them, leading to disappointment if the plants don’t survive. Planting grass seed in some bare spots on any lawn is…
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An admin's eye view of teaching lab activities
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I think administrators are evil. Or maybe it’s more accurate (but much less inflammatory) to state that they’re dangerously misinformed. One of the reasons I feel this way is because of the teaching load (and therefore…
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In a presentation I attended last year, Dr. Rita Colwell, the former director of the National Science Foundation, described 21st century science as “international and interdisciplinary.” Interdisciplinary is one of…
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We are opening a new academy for grades 10, 11, and 12. We’re going to have a science lab for combined use in biology, chemistry, and physics. I’ve taught in labs, but I’ve never designed one. Where do…
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In last month’s issue of Science and Children, Bill Robertson asks the question “Why do we classify things in science?” He notes that many teachers teach classification as an end in itself or as a communications…
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March 20, 2009, will be the 40th anniversary of the publication of Eric Carle’s The Very Hungry Caterpillar, a book loved by children for its parade of fanciful food, by parents for the healthy eating message, and by…
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I recently received the first seed catalog in the mail. For those of us in the northern states, seeing the pictures of flowering plants is a harbinger of spring! In the same delivery was this issue of S&C, themed…
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I’m very fortunate to be attending NSTA’s National Conference on Science Education this year. I’ve never been to an event of this size, and I want to get the most I can out of it. Do you have any suggestions for a first…
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Spring flowering bulbs planted where they can be seen
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Are the daffodils blooming yet at your school? My across-the-street neighbors get about 6 more hours of direct sunlight on their front yards in February and March than I do, so I always have a preview of what nature…
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To celebrate the 200th anniversary of Charles Darwin’s birth (February 12), the Science Section of the New York Times (February 10, 2009) has several fascinating articles. Even if you don’t teach biology, they’re worth…
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Learning about motion and appropriate restraints
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Some children chafe at any restriction, including car seat straps. Doing an activity about force and motion may not make them any happier to be strapped in but it may help them understand what could happen if they weren…
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Planting peas—who will help students record the growth?
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I’m wondering what crops your class grows—Peas? Collards? Cilantro? Zinnias? Marigolds? Planting peas on President’s Day has been the first item on my planting list for many years, and is the topic of the Early…
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Must haves—flashlights, mirrors, and sunshine
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Sometimes as a teacher leads an activity, a student verbalizes all the observations and new questions that were hoped for, making one think, “Was this child coached to say these things, or am I really eliciting all this…
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Count the birds you see on February 13–16 for just 15 minutes!
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I’ve never taken part in the Great Backyard Bird Count but it sounds like an interesting way to learn about collecting data and become part of a greater group contributing to knowledge about bird population trends. The…
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I have to attend a workshop on teaching reading in the content areas. Is it really the job of a secondary science teacher to teach students how to read? —Sofia, Visalia, California Short answer—Yes, it is…
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