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Learning about shapes, with tips from a special education teacher
Working in a school with teachers who have a different expertise than I have means I have access to an informal professional learning community’s broader depth of knowledge. Early childhood teachers represent a wide variety of cultures, ages and ed...
By Peggy Ashbrook
Blog Post
This April, the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) will feature a special strand “Science and Literacy: A Symbiotic Relationship” at our 2014 Nat...
By Lauren Jonas, NSTA Assistant Executive Director
Blog Post
Lab Incident at a Manhattan High School: Another Hard Safety Lesson to Learn
On January 2, 2014, a chemistry lab safety incident involving a fire injured students at Beacon High School in Manhattan (NYC). An article in The New York Times reported that two students were burned as a result of a fireball of methanol vapor create...
By Kenneth Roy
Blog Post
I’m a new teacher fresh out of college, and I took a job as a chemistry teacher in a different state. I had a good student teaching experience, so I’m okay with the students and the curriculum and I love the area, but as a newbie I feel i...
By Mary Bigelow
Blog Post
On the winter solstice I took a walk through the yard and thought about the amount of sunlight that it receives throughout the year....
By Peggy Ashbrook
Blog Post
Navigating the authority-figure/friend territory
At least these no longer apply!...
By Mary Bigelow
Blog Post
We’ve certainly had a variety of weather-related events in recent history: killer tornadoes, devastating hurricanes and floods, and fluctuating temperatures. But the “hazards” that are the focus of this issue are those related to fo...
By Mary Bigelow
Blog Post
Connecting science and students' interests
It’s hard to think of a science topic that children are not interested in! Just about anything will stimulate their thinking and inquisitiveness. The cover of this issue brought back memories of these interests—I had a set of specimens embedd...
By Mary Bigelow
Blog Post
Preparing for your first teaching job
I’m finishing my student teaching and looking forward to getting a job as a high school physics teacher after I graduate. How can I prepare for my first job, even before I get one? —Carl, Denver, Colorado...
By Mary Bigelow
Blog Post
Sensory table explorations of matter
Experiences are the beginning of understanding science and engineering concepts. When two-year-olds explore materials and make a mixture, they are learning about the properties of “matter.” Water is a favorite kind of matter for many children and...
By Peggy Ashbrook
Blog Post
Opportunities for learning and networking at NSTA conferences
I just returned from the NSTA area conference in Denver. As always and whenever they are, these conferences are wonderful learning opportunities for science teachers....
By Mary Bigelow
Blog Post
International Comparisons – Should We Pay Attention or Not? What Are Your Thoughts?
According to the Key Results of the PISA study which was recently released, “PISA assesses the extent to which 15-year-old students have acquired key knowledge and skills that are essential for full participation in modern societies....
By Christine Royce
Blog Post
This is my first year as a middle school science teacher. I teach two different grade levels and after a few months I’m still feeling swamped. It seems like I spend every waking moment working either in my classroom or at home on lesson plans a...
By Mary Bigelow
Blog Post
Cook up science fun this holiday season
December holiday breaks and winter weather can make it difficult to keep students engaged in the classroom. Why not embrace the spirit of the season and rekindle student interest in science by incorporating cooking themes when students already have w...
By Claire Reinburg
Blog Post
Recognition and awards for science teaching in K-grade 6
Do elementary school teachers teach “real” science? Of course they do—reading just a few articles from Science and Children is evidence of this rigorous teaching that builds on earlier experiences and is the foundation for later learning. Tea...
By Peggy Ashbrook