When students see the real-world applications of science, their interest levels soar. Teachers are experts at guiding students through the wonders of how science helps us answer questions and engineering helps us solve problems. This month, stock up on new lessons from NSTA Press books that will spark student interest. You’ll be smiling as they marvel at the everyday applications that take science lessons beyond the classroom.

Explore Natural Hazards

The just-published STEM Road Map series volume Natural Hazards, Grade 2, will help elementary students learn about the effects of natural hazards on people, communities, and the environment and consider how threats to human safety from natural hazards can be minimized. Download the lesson “Let’s Explore Natural Hazards” and lead your students on an exploration of the types of natural hazards that occur around the world. Your students will learn that natural hazards can be classified as those with weather-related causes and those caused by Earth’s movements. With hurricane and tornado images and information in the news, students are curious about what causes these types of hazards and how their effects can be minimized. Check out all the topics covered in the growing STEM Road Map series, edited by Carla C. Johnson, Janet B. Walton, and Erin Peters-Burton.

Ask Students to Study What Makes a Great Playground

At recess time, students can bring their studies of physical science down to earth with an engaging lesson from Sami Kahn’s new book It’s Still Debatable! Using Socioscientific Issues to Develop Scientific Literacy, K–5. Download the lesson “Swingy Thingy: What Makes a Great Playground?” to launch your elementary students on a study of playground swings. They’ll get to model swings as they apply their knowledge of forces to support arguments for safe and enjoyable playground design. Along the way, students develop blueprints and work collaboratively to design a dream playground. Other lessons in this new book prompt students to investigate questions like “Do we need zoos?”, “Which alternative energies are best?”, and “Is football too dangerous for kids?” Explore even more key questions using lessons from the first book in this series, It’s Debatable! Using Socioscientific Issues to Develop Scientific Literacy, K–12, by Dana Zeidler and Sami Kahn.

Explore Phenomena That Sparked Engineering Innovations

Focus on innovations sparked by accidental observations with the 22 easy-to-use investigations in Discovery Engineering in Physical Science: Case Studies for Grades 6–12, by M. Gail Jones, Elysa Corin, Megan Ennes, Emily Cayton, and Gina Childers. Your middle and high school students will use real-world case studies to embark on investigations of actual scientific discoveries that began with observations of phenomena and led to inspired inventions and applications. Download the lesson “A Sticky Situation: Gecko Feet Adhesives” to have your students explore how studying the mystery of geckos’ ability to hang by even one toe from a piece of glass led scientists to make an adhesive that mimics the properties of a gecko foot. Other case studies in the book focus on topics from shark skin and bacteria to the history of the Slinky. Check out the next volume in the series that’s coming soon, Discovery Engineering in Biology: Case Studies for Grades 6–12.

Explore NSTA Press’s Newest Books and Save on Shipping

Through October 31, 2019, get free shipping on your order of $75 or more of NSTA Press or NSTA Kids books when you use promo code SHIP19 in the online Science Store. Stock up on books that cover all grade ranges and span key topics like climate change, engineering, physical science, and life science. Browse the catalog online or view the new and forthcoming books. Offer applies to new purchases made online through the NSTA Science Store between now and October 31, 2019.