JoinAll Blog Posts
Blog Post
It’s summer and maybe some of us are involved in writing/revising the science curriculum for our schools. Rather than just creating a laundry list of topics to be “covered” based on a textbook table of contents, you might be looking...
By Mary Bigelow
Blog Post
Teachers (and administrators) love so see the word “free.” FREE in this case stands for Federal Resources for Excellence in Education. This website, maintained by the U.S. Department of Education, has links to hundreds of web-based resour...
By Mary Bigelow
Blog Post
The ocean's hidden worlds
What do you get when you combine knowledge, passion, experience, and some fantastic graphics? A friend sent me the link to a TED video of Robert Ballard’s talk on Exploring the Ocean’s Hidden Worlds. I thought I was fairly knowledgeable, ...
By Mary Bigelow
Blog Post
In previous entries, I’ve mentioned the online, collaborative projects that are part of the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology’s (CLO) Citizen Science program. Well, they’ve done it again!...
By Mary Bigelow
Blog Post
Doesn’t it seem like there’s always something new in technology? How can we keep up with what’s going on? I’ve found a resource that can be very helpful: TipLine – Gates’ Computer Tips. This award-winning blog is w...
By Mary Bigelow
Blog Post
A different kind of assessment
Several issues of NSTA journals this year have had an assessment theme, including the April/May issue of Science & Children and the January issue of Science Scope. I recently became aware of another assessment project called MOSART, which stands ...
By Mary Bigelow
Blog Post
Assessment to guide instruction
“I don’t have many grades for this quarter, so I better give a few quizzes soon.” “I don’t have time for assessments – just let me teach.” I’m sure we’ve heard comments such as these (or thought them ourselve...
By Mary Bigelow
Blog Post
At first when I saw this issue, I thought of community partnerships, in which students work with organizations outside of school. But I realized by reading the articles, that the activities and resources also apply to the communities of learners with...
By Mary Bigelow
Blog Post
Well, this conference is history, and I’m exhausted in a good way— both physically and mentally. From talks by astronaut Barbara Morgan, Rodger Bybee, and Bill Nye the Science Guy to the awesome resources in the exhibit area to the sessio...
By Mary Bigelow
Blog Post
So, you’re a presenter and your time slot is the last one of the conference, and your room is the farthest from the lobby. Will anyone come? In the case of Sami Kahn’s presentation on Wikis in the elementary classroom, she didn’t ha...
By Mary Bigelow
Blog Post
Sunday morning is a tough time for a presenter. Early departures, church services, brunch dates, or too much Saturday evening make it difficult for some to attend sessions at this time....
By Mary Bigelow
Blog Post
Some presenters had basic lectures with PowerPoints, some provided “think-pair-share” opportunities for participants, some had laptops for participants and guided us through simulations or software tools (an advantage to sitting up front)...
By Mary Bigelow
Blog Post
This session prepared us to lead a one-week unit in which students take a “journey” to the Moon. Facilitators Tara Clopper and Heather Slatoff led us in hands-on activities, including designing our own mission patches. One perk with t...
By Debra Shapiro