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NSTA Press Book

Rise and Shine: A Practical Guide for the Beginning Science Teacher

Rise and Shine provides a friendly support system that new science teachers can turn to in their first days, months, and even years in the classroom. This easy-to-read book offers plenty of helpful techniques for managing the classroom, maintaining d...

By Linda Froschauer, Mary L. Bigelow

Elementary High School Middle School General Science Teaching Strategies New Science Teachers Preservice Science Education Professional Learning old Teacher Preparation

NSTA Press Book

The Everyday Science Sourcebook, Revised 2nd Edition: Ideas for Teaching in Elementary and Middle School

“This sourcebook was created because science should be memorable, not memorizable.” — from the Introduction to The Everyday Science Sourcebook, Revised 2nd Edition...

By Lawrence F. Lowery

Elementary Middle School NGSS Science and Engineering Practices

NSTA Press Book

Teaching Science Through Trade Books

“‘What was your favorite book as a child?’ In more than 10 years of facilitating workshops, we have never heard anyone reply, ‘My fourth-grade science textbook.’ Clearly, textbooks have an important place in the science classroom, but usin...

By Christine Anne Royce, Emily Morgan, Karen Ansberry

Elementary Middle School Earth & Space Science General Science Physical Science Assessment Curriculum Instructional Materials Lesson Plans Teaching Strategies Interdisciplinary Literacy Teacher Preparation

Moon Phase and Solar Eclipse

Book Chapter

Moon Phase and Solar Eclipse

The purpose of this assessment probe is to elicit students’ understanding of the Earth- Sun-Moon system well enough to explain the causes of Moon phases and solar eclipses and how these two phenomena are related. ...

Elementary High School Middle School Astronomy Earth & Space Science Assessment

What Are Stars Made Of?

Book Chapter

What Are Stars Made Of?

The purpose of this assessment probe is to elicit students’ ideas about how astronomers investigate the composition of stars. The probe is designed to see if students recognize that the colors from the light given off by a star (its spectrum) revea...

Elementary High School Middle School Astronomy Earth & Space Science Assessment Disciplinary Core Ideas Phenomena Three-Dimensional Learning

How Far Away Is the Sun?

Book Chapter

How Far Away Is the Sun?

The purpose of this assessment probe is to elicit students’ ideas about relative distance. The probe is designed to find out if students can apply the same scale used to represent the difference in sizes between the Earth and Sun to also repre...

Elementary High School Middle School Astronomy Earth & Space Science 5E Science and Engineering Practices

Comparing Eclipses

Book Chapter

Comparing Eclipses

The purpose of this assessment probe is to elicit students’ ideas about eclipse phenomena. The probe is designed to determine if students have a mental model of the Earth-Sun-Moon system that allows them to figure out why we see more eclipses of th...

Elementary High School Middle School Astronomy Earth & Space Science 5E Science and Engineering Practices

How Long Is a Day on the Moon?

Book Chapter

How Long Is a Day on the Moon?

The purpose of this assessment probe is to elicit students’ ideas about the day-night cycle on the Moon. The probe is designed to find out if students can coordinate two concepts: the Moon turns once on its axis each month, and half of the Moon ...

Elementary High School Middle School Astronomy Earth & Space Science 5E Science and Engineering Practices

Falling Through the Earth

Book Chapter

Falling Through the Earth

The purpose of this assessment probe is to elicit students’ ideas about Earth’s gravity. The probe is designed to find out how students think gravity acts inside the Earth. ...

Elementary High School Middle School Astronomy Earth & Space Science 5E Science and Engineering Practices

NSTA Press Book

Uncovering Student Ideas in Astronomy: 45 New Formative Assessment Probes

What do your students know—or think they know—about what causes night and day, why days are shorter in winter, and how to tell a planet from a star? Find out with this book on astronomy, the latest in NSTA’s popular Uncovering Student Ideas in ...

By Page Keeley, Cary Sneider

Elementary High School Middle School Astronomy Earth & Space Science Assessment Curriculum Instructional Materials Lesson Plans NGSS Phenomena Teaching Strategies Interdisciplinary Teacher Preparation

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