The Prepared Practitioner: Brain-Based Education

Journal Article | January 2009

Brain-based is an increasingly popular buzzword in educational circles. Brain research promises to take teaching from (supposedly) mere craft knowledge to a scientifically based realm from which researchers can make…

Chemistry Wrap Up

Journal Article | March 2000

Class activities and independent projects for high school students using household plastic wraps can help students understand more about the chemistry of everyday objects. The activities described in this article…

Chemistry Rocks: Redox chemistry as a geologic tool

Journal Article | August 2001

Teachers can use students’ interest in the color in rocks as a starting point for a redox chemistry lesson. In this activity, each group of students examines one or more of the rocks. By matching a rock’s color to a…

Celebrate Summer with Reading

Journal Article | June 2007

School is out and the summer is full of both official and unofficial holidays that prompt us to enjoy science and the profession of sharing it. As in past years, the reviewers and editors of NSTA Recommends—ready and…

Tech Trek: Cell phones for science

Journal Article | December 2009

Although in some schools cell phones have to be turned off or perhaps kept in lockers to avoid misuse, the authors hope to demonstrate in this article how they can be used under supervision to assist learning. This…

Demonstrations to Save the World

Journal Article | March 2003

Students develop a better understanding of concepts when they are introduced with a model, simulation, or demonstration. In this activity, students use bubbles to model environmental issues and increase collaboration…

Debating Real-World Issues

Journal Article | January 2001

Debate is one methodology that encompasses the nature of science, science and technology in society, and the history of science and has been shown to enhance critical thinking (Hammerich, 1998). The ability to look at…

Favorite Demonstration: Tips for Using Demonstrations Effectively

Journal Article | June 2004

Demonstrations are powerful learning tools when properly used in combination with other teaching strategies. They are effective ways to model scientific principles in a manner that allows students to visualize, practice…

Library of Conservation: Using children's literature to teach the concept of stewardship integrates science and language arts

Journal Article | October 1999

As we try to achieve the National Science Education Standards (National Research Council, 1996) and promote general science literacy for young children, we might begin by discussing conservation or stewardship. Children…

Teaching With Jazz: Using Multiple Cases to Teach Introductory Biology

Journal Article | September 2006

Case studies challenge students to think, to process ideas at a higher and more complex cognitive level, and to experience science as a process rather than as a collection of facts. This article describes an…

Science Sampler: Phasing in lunar observations

Journal Article | February 2006

Increase students' understanding of the phases of the Moon through this interdisciplinary unit which includes a pre-test to gauge students' prior knowledge and a post-test to assess their increased understanding of the…

Science 101: How do plants move?

Journal Article | August 2009

Just as with any organism, simple growth causes plants to move, but we’re going to focus on movements that are unique to plants and, in some cases, pretty creepy. Sorry for the pun. Here the author describes a bunch of…

Life Is Change: A community project captures life processes and fosters K-12 curriculum collaboration

Journal Article | April 2003

The phrase "Life is change" is meant to convey to high school students that a key characteristic of living organisms is continual change. A community photography project captures the essence of biology and fosters…

Safer Science: Goodbye MSDS, Hello SDS

Journal Article | February 2012

This column provides best safety practices for the science classroom and laboratory. This month’s issue discusses a proposed rule change to the Hazard Communication Standard, a national standard that addresses chemical…

Says Who? Students apply their critical-analysis skills to fight town hall

Journal Article | April 2002

Biology students critique and challenge a public health proposal to limit citizen exposure to environmental toxins. They won the challenge and learned that while they are only in high school, their abilities to analyze…