JoinAll Blog Posts
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Science teachers often integrate topics in health/nutrition/wellness with science. Most children know that nutritious food and exercise are important for good health, and science classes provide opportunities for children to explore how and why....
By Mary Bigelow
Blog Post
Low-budget (or no-budget) science
I recently started teaching in an elementary school. When I first walked into my classroom, I was surprised that there were no supplies or equipment for teaching science. My colleagues said that the requisitions and orders were all placed last year, ...
By Mary Bigelow
Blog Post
Science of the Summer Olympics: the strength and flexibility of Oscar Pistorius
Oscar Pistorius attracted our attention in both the 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. First, he fought long and hard to become the first amputee to run in Olympic events....
By admin
Blog Post
The place of inquiry in the reform of science education
The National Science Education Standards use the word “inquiry” in two ways. It was to be a form of content while also being a way science must be taught....
By Robert Yager
Blog Post
You never know what you'll find…
Olivia Bouler at the Ned Smith Center for Nature and Art...
By Mary Bigelow
Blog Post
Looking at NSTA's digital journals
If you subscribe to any of NSTA’s Journals, you probably received a note about NSTA’s Digital Journals. As NSTA members, we’ve had access to journal articles as PDF files, but now the journals are also in a digital format that can...
By Mary Bigelow
Blog Post
The cameras on tablets work great for general picture taking, but they also can work as magnifiers and microscopes. A good place to start is by placing additional lenses directly on the camera to see how it preforms. Low power loupes f...
By Martin Horejsi
Blog Post
Science of the Summer Olympics: measuring a champion
As Official Time-Keeper of the 2012 Olympic Games, Omega’s high-tech timing devices have come a long way since the 1932 games in L.A. where athletes were timed to the nearest one-tenth of a second. The company brought thirty “official” stopwatc...
By admin
Blog Post
Many of you are getting ready to start (or have already started) your first teaching assignment. Welcome to the profession! Now that you’re on your own, you may have lots of questions in your first month or two. During the last few years, the M...
By Mary Bigelow
Blog Post
Science of the Summer Olympics: engineering for mobility
A record 4200+ Paralympians will compete in 20 sports at the London 2012 Games that begin August 29. Of the 20 sports included, 17 are Paralympic versions of sports played in the Olympic Games. Wheelchair rugby is one of the unique ones....
By admin
Blog Post
How professional development programs can model science
No one is against Professional Development (PD) for science teachers. But, how it is typically structured remains a major problem. Not many Professional Development efforts outline how the PD can be structured as an example of science itself....
By Robert Yager
Blog Post
I’m looking for project ideas or activities that fifth grade students can do to connect what they learn in science with the “real world” outside of the classroom. Do you have any suggestions? –Frank, Delaware...
By Mary Bigelow
Blog Post
Does “hands-on” indicate real reforms of science teaching?
Too often the reform of science for K-12 students is described as being “hands-on.” Analyses of the “Hands-On” ideas for classrooms seem to miss how and why hands-on actually does not define needed reforms adequately. Hands-on often become me...
By Robert Yager
Blog Post
Is science literacy an appropriate major goal for science education?
–Occasional commentary by Robert E. Yager (NSTA President, 1982-1983)...
By Robert Yager