All Blog Posts
Blog Post
Ideas and inspiration from NSTA’s November 2017 K-12 journals
Looking for lessons that align with NGSS? Teaching NGSS-Aligned Lessons in Science Classrooms has several examples that illustrate three-dimensional learning. Science & Children – Vocabulary in Context...
By Mary Bigelow
Blog Post
Teach Students to Design Innovation
What if you could challenge your third grade students to design the train of the future? The exciting new book Transportation in the Future, Grade 3: STEM Road Map for Elementary School shows students how to do just that....
By Carole Hayward
Blog Post
A Tree is Nice—Exploring seasonal changes WHEN the season changes
In regions where trees drop their leaves in fall, this big change draws children’s attention to the existence of seasonal changes. More subtle changes and incremental changes, such as more or less rain and slowly dropping or rising air temperatures...
By Peggy Ashbrook
Blog Post
I have been thinking about getting a thermal imaging camera. Specifically, an attachment for an iPhone that allows it to do thermal imaging. If you had one in your classroom, what would you use it for? – R., Alaska...
By Gabe Kraljevic
Blog Post
Educating Students About Veterinary Science
Oregon State University’s Summer Veterinary Experience informs academically talented high school students from underrepresented populations about diverse career options in veterinary medicine. PHOTO COURTESY OF OSU COLLEGE OF VETERINARY MEDICINE...
By Debra Shapiro
Blog Post
Ed News: Educators Are More Stressed At Work Than Average People, Survey Finds
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By Kate Falk
Blog Post
STEM Certificate: The View from AAPT
For the last several months, the American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT) has been a partner with NSTA and other professional organizations discussing the implications of a STEM certificate. There are many challenges in this venture–not ...
By Korei Martin
Blog Post
We are incorporating more writing opportunities in our middle school and high school science classes, both “formal” and ”informal” writings. How can one teacher grade more than 180 pieces of writing in a timely fashion with feedback that all...
By Gabe Kraljevic
Blog Post
Spiders and ants and bees, oh wow!
Are you seeing a lot of spiders this last week in October?...
By Peggy Ashbrook
Blog Post
Digging Deeper: Peeling Back the Practices: What Did High School Students Think?
One of the big shifts in the NGSS is the integration of Disciplinary Core Ideas (DCIs) with Crosscutting Concepts (CCCs) and Science and Engineering Practices (SEPs). In other words, content is not taught in isolation: The teacher consciously include...
By Cindy Workosky
Blog Post
Engineering: From Trial-and-Error to NGSS-Aligned
Four years ago, when the other seventh-grade science teacher and I started redesigning our curriculum for the NGSS, we knew we would have to include engineering. At that time, my understanding of engineering was pretty limited. I knew that engineers ...
By Cindy Workosky
Blog Post
As our first-grade class was returning to our classroom after recess, a learner directed our attention to our school’s newest retaining wall. He asked, “Why is the wall always falling apart on that side?”...
By Cindy Workosky
Blog Post
The Engineering Design Process: A Middle School Approach
To support the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) Middle School Engineering Design, we have three goals for our students: to define problems accurately, design the best solution using a rigorous process, and evaluate and improve their designs b...
By Cindy Workosky