JoinAll Book Chapters
Book Chapter
The purpose of the assessment probe, in this chapter, is to elicit children’s ideas about changes in matter. The probe is designed to reveal whether students recognize that not all changes are reversible....
Book Chapter
The purpose of the assessment probe, in this chapter, is to elicit children’s descriptions of motion. The probe is designed to reveal how students describe the path of a moving object as it leaves a winding track....
Book Chapter
The purpose of the assessment probe, in this chapter, is to elicit children’s ideas about waves. The probe is designed to reveal students’ ideas about water waves and the waves’ interactions with floating objects....
Book Chapter
The purpose of the assessment probe, in this chapter, is to elicit children’s ideas about variations in sound. The probe is designed to reveal students’ thinking about factors that affect pitch....
Book Chapter
The purpose of the assessment probe, in this chapter, is to elicit children’s ideas about magnets. The probe is designed to reveal children’s ideas about the strength of a magnet in relation to the size of the magnet....
Book Chapter
The purpose of the assessment probe, in this chapter, is to elicit children’s ideas about the Earth materials that make up landforms. The probe is designed to reveal whether students recognize that mountains are made primarily of rock—a precursor...
Book Chapter
The purpose of the assessment probe in this chapter, is to elicit children’s ideas about soil. The probe is designed to find out if students recognize that soil is made up of living and nonliving material....
Book Chapter
Into the Jungle: A Guide to Investigating Your New Science Classroom
This chapter is all about what to do when you are given your first classroom. As a science teacher, you often inherit a jungle of supplies that are organized in a way that only one person would understand … and that person is most likely retired an...
Book Chapter
Working With a Mentor: How to Approach the Relationship
This chapter is about how to go about creating a working relationship with a mentor teacher. Most new teachers are assigned mentor teachers, who get the position based on the number of years they have worked in a school, not necessarily their ability...
Book Chapter
Life on a Budget: How to Use Your Money for Classroom Supplies Wisely
This chapter details how new teachers can make the best use of their science classroom funds, no matter how small the budget. The chapter outlines how a teacher can spend wisely throughout the year, use community resources for free gear, and know wha...
Book Chapter
Classroom Management 101: Easy Steps to Big Success
This chapter focuses on common classroom management techniques used by science teachers who allow for inquiry and hands-on learning in a controlled environment. The chapter looks at how young teachers can establish routines that allow them to apply t...
Book Chapter
Lab Safety: More Than Just Goggles
Every science classroom visited has always had a safety rules poster clearly displayed. As a new teacher, I assumed these were issued to every science teacher upon graduation. Hands-on science requires safe practices—a message that was resonated lo...
Book Chapter
This chapter looks at the role that parents play in the life of a new teacher. It highlights back-to-school night, parent-teacher conferences, and how to engage parents as a resource for teaching science. Additionally, tips on how to establish bounda...
Book Chapter
The Grading Dilemma: Balancing Great Ideas With a Manageable Paper Load
This chapter centers on finding a balance between all the great lessons created in the classroom and all the paperwork said lesson leaves behind. So, how do you avoid the mountain of papers as a new teacher? Specific assessment approaches that can be...
Book Chapter
Getting to Know Your Students Outside of the Classroom: Coaching and Community
This chapter focuses on interacting with students outside of the classroom to improve the effectiveness of teaching. It highlights engagements through coaching (athletics and academic groups like FIRST LEGO League and Science Olympiad), as well as co...