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- Classroom seating arrangements
- Back to school with SciLinks
- “Iron Science Teacher”
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- Preserving specimens
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Category Archives: Ms. Mentor
What teachers do in the summer…
This summer, I attended the Space Academy for Educators at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama. I am a K–5 reading specialist, and I also am the Science Power Hour instructor in our afterschool program. Obviously, we will be learning lots and lots about space this year! What concepts should I expect my [...]
Posted in Ms. Mentor Tagged classroom strategies, conference, NSTA Recommends, online resources, resources, SciLinks, space exploration 2 Comments
Classroom seating arrangements
I am trying to decide how to arrange my classroom with 22–27 chemistry students per class. Last year, my desks were arranged in the traditional manner: rows with an aisle. This year I’m thinking of setting the desks up in pods of four or in pairs. Do you have any advice on desk arrangements? —Melanie, [...]
“Iron Science Teacher”
As part of a three-year professional development project for elementary and middle school science teachers, the directors and coaches wanted to have a culminating activity to demonstrate what the teachers had learned. In addition to the questionnaires and surveys, they decided to do a local version of The Iron Science Teacher. I was invited to [...]
Preserving specimens
It’s me again, the “bone collecting” teacher with a new question. How effective is rubbing alcohol in preserving specimens? Since I live at the beach, I am always finding marine specimens to use for student observations. Typically, I do not have any biological preservative available, so I’ve been using rubbing alcohol. —Susan, Myrtle Beach, South [...]
Differentiated instruction in science
I am a science specialist and I teach students in first through fifth grades. My school is becoming the resource room building in the district. I expect to have large class sizes, 25–30 students, with mixed ability levels. I could have as many as 12 special education students in one class. I’d like to try [...]
Cooperative learning in the lab
I teach fourth and fifth graders in our school’s “Discovery Lab.” With over 700 students I am constantly brainstorming procedures to help the lab run smoother. One thing that I want to try is to assign student roles for group work. Do you have suggestions for these roles or any other information that might be [...]
Science treasures
I am a school librarian. When I was cleaning out a cupboard, I found a box of nature-related prints. There are over 300 of them, with a copyright of 1900. Most are of birds, but there are others of flowers, other animals, seashells, and rocks. Are they worth anything? What should I do with them [...]
Starting a science club
I would like to have a science club in our middle school. How should I get started? What types of competitions we can enter? What else should I consider? I have taught Life Science and Physical Science for 15 years. —Liz, Billings, Montana Working with students in a club setting is a wonderful opportunity to [...]
Elementary science schedules
At our elementary school, we’re exploring the idea of changing from self-contained classrooms to departmentalizing in grades 4 through 6. In terms of science instruction, what are some advantages and disadvantages we should consider? —Erin, Jackson, Mississippi Any time we change how we do things in schools, there should be some fact-finding and thoughtful discussion [...]
Meet the parents