Once again, a late evening was spent on earth science worksheets. This time, however, it was not memorizing terms that presented the challenge, but rather something that caused great consternation in science in general leading up to a discovery that happened in my lifetime. (reference: http://scign.jpl.nasa.gov/learn/plate2.htm ) My daughter was trying to stuff the mechanics [...]
Sunday morning is a tough time for a presenter. Early departures, church services, brunch dates, last minute sightseeing/souvenir gathering, or too much Saturday evening make it difficult for some to attend sessions at this time. But those die-hards who made it to the convention center this morning were treated to some excellent presentations. Cameras in [...]
I’m hoping that secondary teachers will take a look at the articles that describe authentic investigations conducted by young scientists in their communities: Creative Soil Conservation and Boulder Creek Study. The latter has examples of student work as they studied the water quality in their communities, using various indicators, including the presence of aquatic invertebrates. [...]
A new series for a major cable network is searching for college students who are always inventing things and building things. If you know any smart, creative, and talented students who have a flair for science and engineering, please share this announcement with them. Ideal candidates should be freshmen or sophomores and have a couple of [...]
To help students understand this month’s earthquake in Haiti, the Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology has compiled a set of resources called Recent Earthquake Teachable Moments. These include links to animations and visualizations, presentations, news releases, and other materials for students and teachers to explore seismology within the context of current activity. These resources are [...]
The word “data” for some people conjures up pages of numbers or a dreadful experience in statistics class. But get rid of the deer-in-the-headlights look and dig into lessons focused on forensics, snow, fruit flies, and Down syndrome. The protocols, rubrics, and examples can help you work with students in this critical inquiry process. I’ve [...]
Here in the Northeast, we had to dig our way through the recent storm, the most snow we’ve had in my neck of the woods for two years! I once hosted an exchange teacher from Australia in January (their summer break), who had never seen snow. Snowplows, snowblowers, snowshoes, and skimobiles were all new to [...]
So much of science involves communication and skills in language arts. Follow this simple recipe to help your students become science communicators: Add 1 cup of science (life, Earth, physical, or general) to 1 cup of language arts. Blend well by attending sessions at the NSTA conference in Phoenix. Sample these recipe variations. Elementary Science [...]
Good morning teachers. Welcome to the second NSTA area conference of the fall season, this time in Ft Lauderdale. If you’re following along virtually, here’s a look at a morning sunrise from the beach along Atlantic Blvd (A1-A). Not that we’re boasting. We spent the rest of the day in an exhibit hall, no sun [...]
… not really. But if you attend the NSTA Conference in Ft Lauderdale on November 12th, and you happen look north shortly after 4 pm, you may be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of the shuttle Atlantis speeding from the launch pad. The Kennedy Space Center may be 160 miles away, but the shuttle casts a pretty [...]
