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I see that NSTA has just published the Tool Kit for Teaching Evolution by Judy Elgin Jensen. According to its description,...
By Mary Bigelow
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Science activities that children initiate motivate teachers to extend and expand the activity. Children learn more details about their area of interest and make connections with other concepts when they work more than once on activities about the sam...
By Peggy Ashbrook
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I want to use more essay-type questions on my unit assessments, but with 150 students I feel swamped trying to grade all of the papers and provide feedback. Any suggestions for making this a good learning process? —Brian, Reading, Pennsylvania ...
By MsMentorAdmin
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Sink? Float? Try it with pumpkins
For an activity to explore buoyancy—what materials and which objects sink or float in water—I gave each child in a small group an object to hold....
By Peggy Ashbrook
Blog Post
Earth materials, features, and processes
Which branch of science seems to attract lifelong learners? You can make a strong case for the life or physical sciences, but my vote would go to the earth sciences!...
By Mary Bigelow
Blog Post
Yes, a science teachers' conference IS the place for early childhood teachers
I’m looking forward to the NSTA Regional Conference in Portland, Oregon, in November, a cornucopia of a conference so full of interesting presentations that each of my time slots is double (sometimes triple) booked with workshops and fieldtrips....
By Peggy Ashbrook
Blog Post
Little children love to ask questions such as Why? How come? But it seems that in school, it’s the teacher who asks most of the questions. This issue provides some suggestions and examples for helping students to apply their curiosity to scienc...
By Mary Bigelow
Blog Post
Do you have any suggestions for a brand-new science department chairperson? —Derek, Chillicothe, Ohio First of all, congratulations on assuming a leadership role in your school! This is a wonderful opportunity to share your expertise and to le...
By MsMentorAdmin
Blog Post
Research in science classrooms
Wow — students doing real research! This adds a different dimension to the “labs” that students do. There is certainly a time and place for replication or follow-the-directions activities (for example, to learn how to use various eq...
By Mary Bigelow
Blog Post
Observing, Learning about, Appreciating, and (Maybe) Holding Small Animals Such As Insects
In the fall we may begin to see more spiders in our houses and schools. Why is that? Are they moving indoors as the weather cools?...
By Peggy Ashbrook
Blog Post
I’ve been asked to chair a committee to look into using science “kits” for our elementary classes. We’re interested in this, but where do we start? —Mariana, Manchester, New Hampshire...
By MsMentorAdmin
Blog Post
Understanding and using symbols
It was Monday morning and a sharp corner on a large immovable object (left by another group sharing the space used by the preschool…sound familiar?) unexpectedly turned into a chance to assess the understanding of symbols by one three-year-old....
By Peggy Ashbrook
Blog Post
It’s interesting in this issue to see how teachers can incorporate inquiry learning into topics such as Bernoulli’s Principle, bridge design, photosynthesis, a beach clean-up program, rocks, paper airplanes, maple seeds, and ponds....
By Mary Bigelow
Blog Post
As a preschool teacher I try to be aware of how my work might introduce or reinforce misconceptions in my students’ understanding of concepts. In the Perspectives column in the September issue of Science and Children, Michele H. Lee and Deborah L. ...
By Peggy Ashbrook
Blog Post
At our inservice last month, we learned several strategies for writing in science classes. But when I tried one in my classroom, it went over like a lead balloon. What was I doing wrong? —Rosalind, Denver, Colorado...
By MsMentorAdmin