JoinAll Blog Posts
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One of my biggest questions is how to get the younger elementary students involved in science. Should we do more hands-on activities, having them participate in the environment or should we watch videos? —F., Texas...
By Gabe Kraljevic
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A Much-Needed Roadmap for STEM Educators During Unconventional, Uncertain Times
Six-time NSTA author Rodger Bybee’s deep subject-matter expertise draws on 50 years of working in the science education field as well as keeping up with relevant STEM education-related publications, meetings, and projects....
By Carole Hayward
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Careers in science and engineering
The April edition of NSTA’s Science Scope includes the article Classic Lessons 2.0: What kind of person becomes a scientist?...
By Mary Bigelow
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I’ve wanted to work in education for as long as I can remember. My mom tells a story of me “teaching” our family cat before I would leave for preschool. This typically involved storytime (me reading to the cat) and a snack (mostly for me) and w...
By Korei Martin
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Building Electric Cars Enhances STEM Learning
Brownsville (Texas) Independent School District’s top three Middle School Division cars that competed in the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) HESTEC (Hispanic Engineering, Science, and Technology Week) GreenPowerUSA South Texas Electri...
By Debra Shapiro
Blog Post
The Vernier Go Direct Motion Detector: A Modern Twist on a Timeless Design
Vernier Software and Technology has introduced the next generation of its ultrasonic motion detector. While the gold circle sensor portion looks much like it’s previous five generations, the self-contained battery power source, the cubic form fact...
By Martin Horejsi
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I was in 6th grade at Rose Tree Elementary School in Media, Pennsylvania, in October of 1957 when Sputnik was launched. When our class heard the beep-beep-beep of its telemetry when it passed overhead, the Cold War seemed very warm indeed. Th...
By David Evans, NSTA Executive Director
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Newton’s Apple Tree – Cambridge University, England...
By Gabe Kraljevic
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Ed News: 3D Printers Weave Art, Science To Harness Students' Imaginations
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By Kate Falk
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Ed News Spotlight: The #RedonEd Movement
Arguably, one of the biggest education stories of 2018 has been the protests over low teacher pay. Since late February, thousands of teachers have organized strikes in West Virginia, Oklahoma, Kentucky, Colorado, and Arizona—all states that pay te...
By Kate Falk
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The long and short of field trips.
What do you think of the value of extended field trips? What should be considered? – M., Florida...
By Gabe Kraljevic
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Tinkering: How open-ended should it be in early childhood?
The easy answer to this question is “it depends.” It depends on the reason for providing the experience and the particular materials for young children to use. Of course children often set up their own tinkering experiences using materials at han...
By Peggy Ashbrook
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How beneficial and effective can inquiry-based learning be at the younger elementary school grades (K-2)? What are some ideas for incorporating this type of learning at this level? —K., Wyoming I would argue the only way to teach science to our y...
By Gabe Kraljevic
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ED Announces FY18 Education Innovation & Research Competition
Last week the U.S. Department of Education published three notices in the Federal Register inviting applications for the Education Innovation and Research Program’s Early-phase, Mid-phase, and Expansion competitions....
By Jodi Peterson
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I had eagerly anticipated a session at the NSTA National Conference in Atlanta called How Do We Make NGSS Storylines Work by Pushing Students to Go Deeper?—presented by Michael Novak and Brian Reiser—and I was not alone: Attendees filled the room...
By Cindy Workosky
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Scaffolding the Crosscutting Concepts: Graphic Organizers in Action in the Middle School Classroom
The crosscutting concepts have great potential to help students connect their learning across grade levels and science disciplines, but they can easily become the forgotten “third dimension.” Last May, we wrote about developing a set of graphic o...
By Cindy Workosky
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Using Primary Sources as Anchoring Phenomena
I think the best part of attending NSTA’s national conferences is having the opportunity to learn so much from every person you meet. The sheer number of so many likeminded educators in one place can seem overwhelming, but the opportunity to learn ...
By Cindy Workosky
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Cultivating Every Child’s Curiosity in the Natural World
At the NSTA National Conference in Atlanta, I was honored to give the Mary C. McCurdy lecture on young children and their natural curiosity about how the world works. Anyone who has ever spent time with them knows they are born scientists who are cur...
By Cindy Workosky
Blog Post
Ed News: Amid Walkouts, Charter Fight, Kentucky Commissioner Forced to Resign
This week in education news, Kentucky Education Commissioner Stephen Pruitt resigns under pressure from the Governor and State Board; a new report from Achieve includes criteria states can use to develop NGSS tests; women who watched The X-Files pu...
By Korei Martin
Blog Post
What are some activities that I can plan for the next school-year of science with that will excite my students for the lessons to come? — C., Arkansas ...
By Gabe Kraljevic
Blog Post
Equity & Access: Policies and Best Practices for Science Educators
The Multicultural and Equity Committee is rolling out a new NSTA blog on topics of equity. The intent is for the blog to allow readers to discuss and highlight policies and best practices that promote and sustain educational equity for all students.&...
By Korei Martin
Blog Post
Ideas and inspiration from NSTA’s April 2018 K-12 journals
Regardless of what grade level or subject are you teach, as you skim through the article titles, you may find ideas for lessons that would be interesting for your students or the inspiration to adapt/create your own....
By Mary Bigelow
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From Vision to Reality: Making the NGSS Come Alive in Every Classroom
The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) are ushering in an exciting new era of science education where three-dimensional learning integrates core ideas, science and engineering practices, and crosscutting concepts to deliver an education that pr...
By Carole Hayward
Blog Post
A colleague and I were wondering what type of homework works best for our students? How do we hold them accountable? — N., California ...
By Gabe Kraljevic
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April brings "real science," Citizen Science Day, and Earth Day
Citizen Science Day is April 14, and these projects are a wonderful way for young children to continue their science learning by being part of a larger science effort doing “real science.” (For the record, I think the observations and thinking...
By Peggy Ashbrook
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Mercury: The Shining Health Hazard
At room temperature, elemental (metallic) mercury can evaporate to become an invisible, odorless toxic vapor. The warmer the air, the more quickly mercury vaporizes. Exposure to even a small amount can affect your health. Symptoms can surfa...
By Kenneth Roy
Blog Post
What are some of the best ways to start and facilitate a class discussion about science topics? – B., Arkansas I have used many different ways to get science discussions going. I think the key is to either “wow” them or provide them with so...
By Gabe Kraljevic
Blog Post
The Pasco Wireless Weather Station: Like having your own weather satellite
For almost 2000 years, Aristotle’s ideas about weather were the industry standard. Although our hindsight confirmed that many of the theories Aristotle put forth in his work Meteorologica were in error, the depth and breath of his observations and ...
By Martin Horejsi
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Building STEM Knowledge in a Breakerspace
Janet Sweat’s middle school students in Lake City, Florida, disassembled broken toys to create cars, some that would run with remote controls and others without them. Photo courtesy Janet Sweat....
By Debra Shapiro
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Coming to a City near You—March for Science 2018
About this time last year NSTA and many of our teachers joined millions in the streets of Washington, DC and in cities nationwide for the March for Science 2017. This year, March for Science (MfS) 2018 is scheduled for April 14 (find out more here). ...
By David Evans, NSTA Executive Director
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Robert E. Yager Exemplary Teaching Award—2018 winners
The Robert E. Yager Exemplary Teaching Award recognizes six full-time K–12 teachers of science who successfully use innovation and excellence in their classroom. District II None awarded District IV James Brown Science Teacher Sand Creek Middl...
By NSTA Web Director
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See photos and get resources from NSTA 2018 Atlanta
I feel recharged and activated after attending a conference and taking a few weeks to reflect and prepare to put the new understandings into practice. Whether or not you attended the 2018 NSTA national conference you can access files uploaded by pres...
By Peggy Ashbrook
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Ed News: Federal STEM Education Programs Lack Coordination, Watchdog Finds
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By Kate Falk
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“It Gets Easier”: A Teacher’s Notes from the NGSS Trenches
It gets easier....
By Korei Martin
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Is "instant snow" a good model for actual snow?
Children often use ordinary objects to represent other objects—a block might become a phone, or a rock might become a cookie, during their play....
By Peggy Ashbrook
Blog Post
I’m exhausted. I just got back from a whirlwind NSTA ed-venture. I had to check to see what the students covered with the SUB while I was gone, I had to submit lesson plans for the week. I have to catch up on grading as the quarter comes to a close...
By Korei Martin
Blog Post
Congress Agrees to Final FY18 Spending Package
This week both the House and Senate have <finally> passed legislation on federal funding for fiscal year 2018, and President Trump is expected to sign the bill into law, ending the threat of another government shutdown. The news is goo...
By Jodi Peterson