(photo by Cathy Parker, TOPScience Project Coordinator)

When a scientist visits a classroom, a kind of magic happens for teachers and students. For students, the visit can be an experience that shapes their perception of scientists and the nature of science. For teachers, the visit can be the start of a partnership with someone who shares their passion for science, as well as someone who brings the latest research–and sometimes even the latest in lab equipment–into the classroom.
Technology has made it even easier to bring a scientist to the classroom, as you’ll learn in this article from the November issue of NSTA Reports. Find out the ingredients your colleagues and some visiting scientists recommend to create an unforgettable learning experience that makes a scientist’s work more real to your students. And leave a comment about your own experiences: What made your scientist’s visit a “hit” with your students?