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No good news from the Nation's Report Card on Science
The 2009 National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP) Science scores were released last week, and NSTA was fortunate to have a number of journalists calling and asking our thoughts about the results. We sent a statement that began:...
By Francis Eberle
Blog Post
There is an old physics joke about a professor who gave a test that included a question that required to the student to explain how to measure the height of a tall building using a barometer. In essence, the punch line is found in a humorous exchange...
By Martin Horejsi
Blog Post
Data collection and representation
Click here for the Table of Contents...
By Mary Bigelow
Blog Post
Each January, NASA’s Day of Remembrance honors the crew members of Apollo 1, space shuttles Challenger and Columbia, and others who have given their lives in the cause of exploration. This event is especially poignant today, the 25th anniversar...
By Mary Bigelow
Blog Post
Chemistry Now, week 3: molecule structure, properties
As part of the weekly, online, video series “Chemistry Now,” NSTA and NBC Learn have teamed up with the National Science Foundation (NSF) to create lessons related to common, physical objects in our world ...
By admin
Blog Post
I’ve been following Qwiki in its beta form, and now it’s available to all. Qwiki is a multimedia resource with more than two million entries (so far). The entries are narrated (the text appears also) with illustrations and links to other ...
By Mary Bigelow
Blog Post
The limits of molecular learning
As the evening wore down and the hour hand moved north of the seven, my sixth grade daughter informed me she had a big science test the next day and needed help studying. She admitted confusion about some of the concepts, but half the assessment was ...
By Martin Horejsi
Blog Post
*Great Backyard Bird Count, February 18-21, 2011...
By Peggy Ashbrook
Blog Post
February’s Science 2.0 column focuses on how you can transform your classroom by using video lectures. Check out these videos by two of the pioneers of this approach: [youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHK_a9SuTIk[/youtube] [youtube]http:...
By Eric Brunsell
Blog Post
Chemistry Now, week 2: cheeseburger chemistry—cheese
As we mentioned last week, NSTA and NBC Learn have teamed up with the National Science Foundation (NSF) to launch “Chemistry Now,” a weekly, online, video series that uncovers and explains the science of common, physical objects in our world and ...
By admin
Blog Post
Personalized professional development
I am part of a team of elementary teachers (pre-K through fifth grade). Where can we find professional development (PD) in Earth sciences? —Patricia, Houston, TX I’m really excited you and your colleagues take an interest in Earth sciences. Stude...
By Mary Bigelow
Blog Post
Conference sessions of great interest to early childhood teachers
The March 10-13, 2011 National Science Teachers Association’s national conference in San Francisco promises many good sessions for early childhood (preK-2) teachers as well as for the ol...
By Peggy Ashbrook
Blog Post
Chemistry Now, week 1: chemistry of water
In celebration of the International Year of Chemistry, NSTA and NBC Learn have teamed up with the National Science Foundation (NSF) to launch “Chemistry Now,” a weekly, online, video series that uncovers and explains the science of common...
By admin
Blog Post
I like to think of science as the process of discovering or creating knowledge. Sure it has many other definitions, but to me, in its most basic form science generates information, and that information is understood and communicated by humans as know...
By Martin Horejsi
Blog Post
Importance of teaching science in early childhood promoted by NSTA President Alan McCormack
For any who did not get a chance to read the wonderfully supportive statement by the National Science Teachers Associatio...
By Peggy Ashbrook
Blog Post
I was just reading about Google’s Global Online Science Fair. My first thought was why didn’t I think of that? But even if I had, it would have been mere seconds considering the scale of such a thing to squash any chance of mustering the nece...
By Martin Horejsi
Blog Post
Data collection in early childhood
The January 2011 issue of Science and Children focuses on collecting data. In the Early Years column I wrote that “Young children collect data every day. They note who has pink sparkly shoes and find out who will share the ball on the playground....
By Peggy Ashbrook
Blog Post
Every spring, our fourth grade does a one-day field trip. The teacher who usually planned the event retired, and I was asked to take over. We’d like to visit a science-related venue this year, but I’ve never organized an event like this. ...
By Mary Bigelow
Blog Post
As part of the quest to find relevant resources for SciLinks topics, I’ve been poking around YouTube, TeacherTube, and other video sites. I’ve certainly seen the good (which are considered for a SciLinks review), the bad (poor design or l...
By Mary Bigelow
Blog Post
Here are some helpful websites addressing digital photography. Instead of an endless list of sites (I call them link dumps), I have provided only one link per category, and that link is a good one IMHO. Basic improvements to your photography: Kodak&#...
By Martin Horejsi
Blog Post
Displaying science on classroom bulletin boards
I teach science to fifth and sixth graders. I have a separate classroom equipped as a lab. It’s an ideal situation, but as a new teacher, I’m struggling to keep up with everything. It may sound trivial, but I am concerned about my bulleti...
By Mary Bigelow
Blog Post
Happy New Year! Over the holiday break, I found this blog on a colleague’s Facebook page. Free Technology for Teachers has lots of suggestions for free (yes, free) applications. Today’s entry (January 4) is 11 Science Resources to Try in ...
By Mary Bigelow
Blog Post
December’s Science 2.0 includes a brief example of how Dale Basler (physics teacher and co-host of Lab Out Loud) creates his own videos for use in his physics classroom. Here are a few examples: Bobber Meets Roundabout from Dale Basler on Vim...
By Eric Brunsell
Blog Post
From January’s Science 2.0 column: Picture This Assessment “I have often used microscopic images of everyday objects as warm-up exercises to start class, and to get kids involved in making observations and asking questions,” says John Burk,...
By Eric Brunsell
Blog Post
A blog (and column) works best when it focuses on community. We would love to hear your feedback and suggestions. Let us know if you want us to write about something specific. Also, we are always looking for cool tech projects to showcase. Let us kno...
By Eric Brunsell
Blog Post
Young scientists publish their work
One of the many blogs I subscribe to is Not Exactly Rocket Science from Discover magazine....
By Mary Bigelow
Blog Post
In the November and January issues of The Science Teacher, we wrote about using digital cameras in the classroom. November’s column (read it free) focused on using high speed cameras during inquiry....
By Eric Brunsell
Blog Post
December’s Science 2.0 column focused on using rich media to spark questioning and inquiry. Here is a fully developed example from Dan Meyer’s blog that could work well in a physics classroom. First, the video: [youtube]http://www.youtube.c...
By Eric Brunsell
Blog Post
Our middle school science department has started using the BSCS 5E instructional model. We like this framework, but we’re having a hard time fitting in all the components every day. It doesn’t seem possible, given that the class periods a...
By Mary Bigelow
Blog Post
Sulfur + iron + tantalum …
What on earth could this be a recipe for? ...
By NSTA Web Director
Blog Post
Welcome to the Science 2.0 Blog
Although blogs (web logs) were once only a reverse chronological diary of thoughts and observations, today’s blogs are so much more. First of all, the vast amount of aggregatible content has brightened a once text-heavy presentation. Images, videos...
By Martin Horejsi
Blog Post
NSTA's Book Beat wins 2010 MarCom Award
NSTA’s Book Beat was honored in November 2010 with a Gold MarCom award for e-newsletters. The MarCom Awards is an international creative competition that recognizes outstanding achievement by marketing and communications professionals....
By Claire Reinburg
Blog Post
As NSTA expands its efforts to develop Communities of Practice—particularly with its web presence—I thought I would share a few tips on how chapter or associated group leaders can engage and foster communication online. If your chapter o...
By Teshia Birts, CAE
Blog Post
Exploring sound and music as part of science learning
Exploring how sound is made is one way music is used in early childhood classrooms. I like to use a triangle to focus children’s attention on the tiny movement that generates the sound. They touch the still triangle and then remove their hand....
By Peggy Ashbrook