Thank you Council for Elementary Science and APAST, SEPA, the NSTA Committee on Preschool-Elementary Science Teaching, and Science and Children for the “Elementary Extravaganza”! (Click here, then scroll down to see photos.) Well before 8am science educators were lining up to get into the ballroom where each one (of ~ 100) tables was a different presenter ready to [...]
This morning’s session on the Framework for the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) drew quite a crowd. In addition to the people sitting and standing around the periphery, I saw a number of educators standing in the hallway just outside the door. Some attendees posed questions, ranging from the inclusion of controversial topics in the [...]
The other evening, as I was out walking, I noticed that the moon seemed exceptionally bright. I took out my binoculars and spent a few minutes gazing at the craters on the full moon. What a sight! Learning about and appreciating the relationship between the Earth, Sun, and Moon can be a lifelong interest. The [...]
Happy New Year! This year I look forward to more conversation in the early childhood community about science education. The January 2012 Early Years column adapts an activity about making craters from Marie Faust Evitt’s book, Thinking BIG, Learning BIG. Craters on the Moon are visible without a telescope, even in daytime, a time when teachers [...]
I recently talked with a high school senior who wants to become an elementary teacher. “Working with younger students, one thing I won’t have to think about is technology,” she said. She certainly has some misconceptions about elementary students! I thought about her as I read this issue of Science and Children and the examples [...]
Some bits and pieces gleaned from listserves, blogs, and tweets– Professional development 10 Amazing Free Online Computer Science Classes from Stanford University. Each class is open to the public and is taught by a Stanford professor. Non-Stanford students do not get academic credit, but certificates are awarded as a document of participation. Wouldn’t it be [...]
Being part of a military family, Veterans Day holds special significance for me. Members of my family have served in the Coast Guard, Navy, and Army. Wherever I am on Veterans Day, I seek out a way to reflect on the sacrifices and accomplishments of the men and women who serve in our armed forces. [...]
When a scientist visits a classroom, it’s the start of a partnership that shapes students’ perception of science and enhances a teacher’s content knowledge.
A California middle school teacher tells how seed-lending libraries can help integrate science into the curriculum.
– The Scientific Process Berkeley’s Understanding Science website is a great resource for learning more about the process of science. The resource goes much deeper than the standard “PHEOC” model of the scientific method by emphasizing peer review, the testing of ideas, a science flowchart, and “what is science?” checklist. http://undsci.berkeley.edu/ Understanding Science also provides [...]
