When I’m introducing young children to a small live animal, such as a worm or a beetle, I may first offer them a chance to use a magnifier to look at a photograph of the animal, up close. From there we may progress to looking at the worm inside a small clear container (with some moisture for its comfort), and later, if the children are interested, they may hold a worm in their hand. “Later” may be in five minutes or in five weeks—it’s important not to rush this hands-on investigation. This gradual introduction may not be necessary for many children (and adults). Author John McCormick tells of his sons’ exposure to cicadas in “Parenting Lessons From Nature’s Creepy Crawlers”.

If you live on the East Coast you may have heard that the periodic cicada Brood II mature nymphs are now emerging from the ground in large pockets from North Carolina to Virginia to New Jersey to New York and Connecticut. They climb onto a leaf or other structure and cast off their “shells” or exoskeletons, which are exuviae—the remains after an insect molts from the nymph stage into an adult form, and slowly unfold their wings. You can report cicada sightings to help map the extent of different broods:
http://project.wnyc.org/cicadas/
http://www.magicicada.org/report/report.php
Or use maps to find out if you will be lucky enough to see more than a few of these interesting insects:
http://www.cicadas.info/
http://www.cicadamania.com/wedding.html
http://www.wjla.com/blogs/weather/2013/04/get-ready-for-swarmaggedon-the-emergance-of-the-cicada-18631.html
If you aren’t lucky enough to have huge numbers of periodic cicadas in your neighborhood, watch and listen to this short video narrated by Sir David Attenborough who gets a close up visit as he relates information about their lifecycle.
Comment below to describe your children’s close encounters with small animals and to list your favorite cicada website.
 

From reading various tweets and blogs, I often find interesting projects and applications. Some are definitely related to science and math, while others have more of a tangential application. I recently found one of the latter (and it’s pretty cool).
On the Open Culture site, there was a posting about music visualization, specifically one of Bach’s Brandenberg Concertos. This features the work of Steven Malinowski in translating musical sounds into graphics. As you play the music, shapes and colors move across the screen to illustrate the notes.
Although one could follow the notes in a score or a piece of sheet music (assuming one can read music), this is a different experience. I can read music and I’ve played a lot of Bach’s organ music, but seeing colors for each instrument or voice is fascinating. The patterns, intricacies, tempo, and overlaps are more evident. There is a link to a YouTube page with even more of these visualizations from other composers.
My colleague and I often played classical music in the background as students worked on projects. The first day we tried this, a student closed his eyes and said “Ahhhh…Mozart.” This was a student we would never have suspected as knowing much about classical music! My colleague loved opera, but we found (with student feedback) that students preferred instrumental music (“The words confuse our thinking.”) I’m wondering how these visualizations might be used to calm down or transition at the beginning of class or as a demonstration of patterns? Or just for fun?
 

What can tell us if an animal is using a plant for food or for a place to rest or live? What will we see if a caterpillar has been eating a leaf  a bird has been roosting on a tree branch? These questions were posed to kindergarten and first grade classes who were about to walk around the school grounds.
The young children went on a “nature walk” looking for evidence and they found it: holes in leaves, insect eggs on a leaf, bird “doo-doo” and ants going into holes in trees. By drawing their observations, the children were able to refer back to them when they returned to the classroom. Discussion with the teacher in the field prepared the children to discuss with other students back in the classroom.
Sitting in a whole class circle, the kindergartners were reminded that they were going to talk together by taking turns. They were asked to share their evidence of animals using plants for food or shelter. Ms Tingler sat back, occasionally acknowledging the next speaker and giving reminders to speak to all (not just the teacher), and the children shared what they saw and thought. They thought that some animal (maybe a caterpillar) had been eating those leaves, and the bird that made the droppings might have been sitting on the branch above, and the ants were using the tree as shelter. There was a lot of repetition, reinforcing the group nature walk experience.
The student science talk shows their beginning understanding that patterns in the natural world (holes in leaves) can be observed and used as evidence, and that animals need food in order to live and grow—part of the practices, core ideas and crosscutting concepts defined in the Next Generation Science Standards.
When asked if we humans are animals, some children said yes, some said no, and some said “Kind of like animals.” To try to clarify their thinking, I asked, “Are people in the same group as animals or as plants?” Evidence given for being plants was that babies come out from mothers, just as seeds come from fruits. Evidence given for being animals was that we have “fur” and eyes, ears, mouth and nose, “like animals.” The children made a great start discussing the question. Further investigation and collecting evidence will be the basis of more discussion. I think they will conclude that people are animals, and like plants, are living organisms that reproduce.

I am the only science teacher at my school and I do not have anyone to ask for help. How can I post a question to all the members of NSTA? (I became a NSTA member in September.) I see there are forums and [e-mail] lists, but I do not know how to participate. For example, right now I’m looking for resources on dissections.
—Chris, Kutztown, Pennsylvania
You may be the only science teacher in your school, but you have thousands of colleagues through NSTA. You’ll find NSTA members are eager to help you and share their experiences and resources—we want all of our students to be successful! In addition to the NSTA blogs, Facebook, and Twitter (#nsta), there are several ways of tapping into this collective expertise:

• NSTA’s Community Forums are threaded discussions on topics submitted by the participants. The forums are divided into Science Disciplines (chemistry, earth and space science, elementary science, general science and teaching, life science, physical science, and STEM) and Pedagogy and Research (evaluation and assessment, new teachers, NGSS, professional development, and research in science education). Choose a forum to examine an existing topic, search for a topic or concept, or post a new topic/question. If you’re looking at an existing topic, you have the option to post your own reply to the group or send a private message to a responder for more information. There is an option to be reminded via e-mail if someone responds to your topic. I searched the community for “dissect” and found several threads that you might start with for your question about dissection:
  • Virtual Dissecting (New Teacher forum)
  • Teacher-Guided Dissections vs Instruction-Sheet Guided Dissections (Life Science forum)
  • Which Dissections Are Best? (Life Science forum)
  • Dissections (Life Science)

• Use NSTA’s E-mail List Server (under the Member Services tab) to access group e-mail discussions that allow members to exchange information in a peer-to-peer environment. NSTA members can subscribe to any (or all) of the 14 topic areas: biology, chemistry, computer science, Earth science, elementary, environmental science, general science, pedagogy, physical science, physics, technology education, new teacher, retired teacher, and Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS–the newest list). Colleagues on the list can share ideas, get information, and ask questions. The lists are active 24/7, so information from your colleagues is readily available when you need it. In your case, go to the biology list and ask about activities or lesson plans related to dissections. Include specifics such as the grade level, learning goal, and time frame so your colleagues get a better idea of what you need. I’d suggest setting up a separate e-mail account (e.g., gmail) for the list so your school or personal e-mail accounts don’t get overwhelmed, especially if you subscribe to more than one list.

• NSTA’s SciLinks does not have a keyword for dissection. So another option would be to search NSTA publications. There have been several articles in NSTA journals on the topic of dissection. I’ve put together a collection in the NSTA Learning Center to get you started.

I was intrigued with the concept of Diagnosis for Classroom Success as soon as I heard about it. Author Nicole Maller wanted to make the most of her face-to-face time with her students, so she combined elements of storytelling and role-playing to teach her high school students Anatomy and Physiology.
Students in her classroom have to attend medical school, completing vital research to graduate. Then they sign the Hippocratic oath, learning the role that ethics play in medicine. On their first day on the job, they have to collaborate with colleagues to treat four celebrity patients. Using their medical school knowledge, they have to consider the patients’ risk factors and symptoms and develop an initial hypothesis. The student-doctors will face conditions, such as sickle cell anemia, pregnancy, HIV, and diabetes.
To diagnose their patients, the doctors will conduct six labs:

• Urinalysis
• Digestive By-Product and BMI Analysis
• Blood Smears (Read a sample chapter.)
• HIV Test
• Lung Capacity
• Hormone Test

Once the team of student-doctors reaches a consensus, the medical chart must be completed for each patient. Then all student-doctors will develop a written, visual, and/or oral report; they will be evaluated on their ability to collect and analyze evidence; making connections between the biology content and the various labs used to diagnose the patients; and on their understanding of the topics discussed.
Finally, the student-doctors receive feedback from their evaluators who will determine whether or not doctors may continue practicing medicine or are at risk of losing their licenses.
It’s been many years since I studied anatomy in  high school, but reading this book made me want to take this class! The student edition outlines the tasks and provides students with the charts, medical records, and data tables needed to complete them. The teacher edition (which includes the Student Edition) provides research on the value of using narrative and role-playing in instruction; how the unit will align with the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and the Common Core State Standards (CCSS); how to properly prep for the unit; and the role of the teacher in each lab. Read a sample chapter from the Teacher Edition.
As you spend time this summer planning next year’s lessons, consider this innovative approach to make your students sit up and take notice.
NSTA offers this book as a print and e-book bundle or as an e-book alone.

On behalf of the staff of the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) and our leadership team, I would like to thank the following members of our Board, Council, Standing Committees, Advisory Boards, and Panels whose terms of appointment end on May 31, 2013. NSTA is shaping the next generation of science education, and the experience, wisdom, and willingness of the following individuals to volunteer their time has been pivotal in guiding us in the past year. The theme of my presidency is “Build the Scaffolding for 21st Century Science Literacy,” and it’s been an amazing journey and a privilege to have them at my side throughout my tenure. So, to all of you on the list below, I say “Thank You” and I look forward to working with you in new capacities in the years to come.
NSTA members who are interested in volunteering for a position on one our committees, advisory boards, or review panels can find more information at http://www.nsta.org/involved/default.aspx#committees.

—Karen L. Ostlund, NSTA President, 2012–2013

Board of Directors
Michael Lowry, Chattanooga, TN
Thomas Lord, Indiana, PA
Linda Lacy, Excelsior Springs, MO
Council
Gloria Allen, Washington, DC
Cynthia Willingham, Vestavia Hills, AL
Ramona Lundberg, Clear Lake, SD
Sally Harms, Wisner, NE
John Graves, Bozeman, MT
Jennifer Thompson, Juneau, AK
Standing Committees
College
Thomas Lord, Indiana, PA
David Crowther, Reno, NV
Suzanne Gould, Anderson, IN
Oliver Grundmann, Chandler, AZ
Coordination and Supervision
Jo-Ne Bourassa, Macon, GA
Joseph Kelly, Meridian, ID
Michael Szydlowski, Columbia, MO
Linda Lacy, Excelsior Springs, MO
High School
Michael  Lowry, Chattanooga, TN
Gail Hall, Montpelier, VT
Kerryane Monahan, Ft. Pierce, FL
Eric Walters, New York, NY
Informal        
Laurie Stuart, Seward, AK
Brad Tanner, Sarasota, FL
Middle Level
Scott Diamond, Lexington, KY
Amy Hunt, Chula Vista, CA
Alison Seymour, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA
Multicultural/Equity
Toni Carmichael, Lake Forest, IL
Maya Garcia, Washington, DC
Sheila Smith, Ridgeland, MS
Preschool-Elementary
Cathy Jamison, Wake Forest, NC
Michael Szydlowski, Columbia, MO
Jennifer Williams, Belle Chasse, LA
Preservice Teacher Preparation
Chelsea Ann Duhon, Baton Rouge, LA
Timothy A. Laubach, Norman, OK
Eric J. Pyle, Harrisonburg, VA
Cathy Wissehr, Fayetteville, AR
Professional Development   
Jeanne Fox, Chickasaw, AL
Eric Hadley, Florissant, MO
Barbara Tharp, Houston, TX
Research
Mary Atwater, Athens, GA
Jacqueline McDonnough, Richmond, VA
Barry Thompson, Evans, GA
Awards and Recognition
Peggy Carlisle, Flowood, MS
Craig Gabler, Tumwater, WA
Karen Maher, Juneau, AK
Jean Tushie, Eden Prairie, MN
Candace Lutzow-Felling, Boyce, VA
Budget and Finance
Peter McLaren, Providence, RI
Barbara Pietrucha, Point Pleasant, NJ
Nominations
Mary Louise Bellamy, Cary, NC
Annette Barzal, Medina, OH
Rita Hagevik, Wendell, NC
Cecilia Owens, Westborough, MA
Maryann Stimmer, New York, NY
Advisory Boards
Aerospace
Eric Brunsell, Oshkosh, WI
Steve Heck, Loveland, OH
James Kuhl, Central Square, NY
Conference
Carolyn Hayes, Greenwood, IN
Development
Michelle Ellis, Gastonia, NC
Linda Froschauer, Westport, CT
International
Julie Heintz, Calumet City, IL
Mary McDougall, Calgary, AB, Canada
Alison Seymour, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA
Investment
Ruth Ruud, Fairview, PA
Journal of College Science Teaching
Marshall Sundberg, Emporia, KS
Eliza Richardson, University Park, PA
Mark Turski, Plymouth, NH
NSTA Reports
Stephen Crandall, Inverness, FL
Jeanelle Day, Willimantic, CT
Deborah Tucker, Napa, CA
Michael Lowry, Chattanooga, TN
Retired Members     
Robin Curtis, Williamsburg, VA
John Jackson, Altadena, CA
Mary Strother, Glen Allen, VA
Science&Children
Jessica Fries-Gaither, Hilliard, OH
Elizabeth Barrett-Alexander, New Rochelle, NY
Todd Hoover, Halifax, PA
Science Matters
David Bydlowski, Livonia, MI
Eric Packenham, Logan, UT
Science Safety
Jeri Leonard, Wylie, TX
Science Scope
Sandy Buczynski, San Diego, CA
Kimberly Lightle, Columbus, OH
C. Anne Wallen, Winston-Salem, NC
Special Needs
Kahille Dorsinvil, Medford, NY
Maya Israel, Cincinnati, OH
Mary Beth Katz, Birmingham, AL
Sally Harms, Wisner, NE
Technology
Andrea Ellinger, Seattle, WA
Caryn Meirs, Smithtown, NY
Manorama Talaiver, Chesterfield, VA
The Science Teacher
Pradeep Dass, Boone, NC
Joel Gluck, Cranston, RI
George Griffith, Almena, KS
Michael Lowry, Chattanooga, TN
Urban Science
Martha Day, Bowling Green, KY
David Miller, Las Vegas, NV
Theresa Robinson Thomas, Chicago, IL
Gloria Allen, Washington, DC
Panels
NSTA/CBC Review
Betty Crocker, Denton, TX
Sharla Dowding, Newcastle, WY
Steve Rich, Douglasville, GA
New Science Teachers Academy
Joyce Gleason, Punta Gorda, FL
Timothy Laubach, Norman, OK
Janet Magargal, Drexel Hill, PA
Shell Science Teaching Award Judging
Deborah Cornelison, Ada, OK
Hubert Dyasi, Yonkers, NY
John Jackson, Altadena, CA

Knockoffs. You can buy them anywhere—from a street vendor, a flea market, or the local discount shop. But what if you’ve decided to pay more for the “real thing”? How can you be sure you’re getting the handbag, shoes, device, or even medication you’re paying for?

That’s going to be less of a concern thanks to the innovation resulting from the collaborative effort of Drs. Jeremy Wilson and Evangelyn Alocilja at Michigan State University. Take a look at Science of Innovation: Anti-Counterfeiting Devices to find out how knockoffs might be knocked out of the marketplace.

The series is available cost-free on www.NBCLearn.com, www.science360.gov, and www.uspto.gov/education. Use the link below to download the lesson plans in a format you can edit to customize for your situation. And if you had to make significant changes to a lesson, we’d love to see what you did differently, as well as why you made the changes. Leave a comment, and we’ll get in touch with you with submission information. We look forward to hearing from you!

–Judy Elgin Jensen

Image of fake Chuck Taylors courtesy of Bill Walsh.

Video

SOI: Anti-Counterfeiting Devices highlights how Dr. Evangelyn Alocilja contributed her expertise in nanotechnology, which she had used in her own research to detect bacteria and other contaminants in food, to the problem of counterfeit goods.

Lesson plans

Two versions of the lesson plans help students build background and develop questions they can explore the clues that might identify a product as an authentic name brand or a knockoff and what strategies might they employ to ensure their products are authentic. Both include strategies to support students in their own quest for answers and strategies for a more focused approach that helps all students participate in hands-on inquiry.

SOI: Anti-Counterfeiting Devices, A Science Perspective models how students might investigate how the size of a soluble particle affects its rate of dissolving.
SOI: Anti-Counterfeiting Devices, An Engineering Perspective models how students might design anti-counterfeiting devices.

You can use the following form to e-mail us edited versions of the lesson plans: [contact-form 2 “ChemNow]