I once worked with a principal who encouraged us to check off the comments boxes on progress reports and report cards. Most of these were rather generic and impersonal. We thought—wouldn’t it be great to have database of comments to choose from that really reflected our science activities and goals? Fast forward a few years [...]
As I was packing up materials and readying the classrooms for summer storage I reflected back over the year and thought about the next. Developing an on-going inquiry (or overlapping inquiries because more than one class uses the space at this school) is foremost in my mind. I want to find some resources to share [...]
Have you noticed this graphic in an NSTA publication? SciLinks is a database of websites that have been submitted by a corps of “webwatchers“—teachers who search for and review websites related to topics in science. The websites are organized by content and grade level. Teachers can access SciLinks either by using the codes in a [...]
While reviewing some materials from a workshop, I came across a few online gems this week to add to the SciLinks keyword assessment. Even some of the experienced teachers in the workshop had to stop and think about the differences between analytic and holistic rubrics. We were guided to Jon Mueller’s page on Rubrics for [...]
The last few days of the school year are a challenge—the time in between the final projects/assessments and the last day of school. Students assume that the year is over, and to stay “busy,” they are sometimes inundated with videos or word puzzles. I often used this time for science activities we didn’t get to [...]
The devastating earthquake and tsunami in Japan is on the minds of all of us, including our students. The event and aftermath is tragic and the continuing nuclear emergency is a reminder of how fragile society can be. As educators, we can help our students make sense of these events and give them the opportunity [...]
Congratulations to all of the teacher-presenters at NSTA—to those who were willing to share their ideas and experiences. It’s a quantum leap from the classroom to the national stage, but in the sessions I attended, my colleagues rose to the occasion. For example, Greg Benedis-Grab from The School at Columbia University (NY) shared ideas he [...]
Does your (or your child’s) early childhood program include science inquiry experiences? Here are a few resources to get started, or to expand on, your understanding of science inquiry. These resources are on my list because I have read them (some—not all, yet), or other works by the authors, or read the reviews on NSTA Recommends [...]
Students today encounter a flood of images and content from print and online sources. Increasingly, the ability to read, process, and derive meaning from those images and pictures will be central to student success. Authors Jo Anne Vasquez, Michael Comer, and Frankie Troutman have assembled for teachers a thorough overview of this timely topic in [...]
At the beginning of every school year, I had to submit a list of 2–3 professional goals, with an action plan of how I would meet them. Using appropriate instructional technology to improve student engagement and learning was one of my standard goals. If one of your goals is expanding your technology efforts beyond PowerPoint, [...]
