When my children were very young, we really enjoyed our weekly trek to the public library for story time and checking out books. We would stagger out balancing stacks of what we called “fact books”. You name the subject, we checked out trade books on it: electricity, dinosaurs, elevators, animals of the Amazon. I was fascinated by their innate curiosity of subjects they knew nothing about, simply because they were intrigued by the pictures they saw. These trade books taught them a great deal over the years.
NSTA has a long history of supporting the use of trade books to help teach important science concepts. From the Outstanding Science Trade Books list NSTA selects each year, along with the Children’s Book Council, to the long-running column, Teaching Science Through Trade Books, in the Science & Children journal to the popular Picture-Perfect Science Lessons series, NSTA understands the importance of lively, engaging children’s picture books that present sound and accurate science. NSTA Kids continues this long tradition in exciting new ways.
Two different series, I Wonder Why and Next Time You See, have the new NSTA Kids stamp. The I Wonder Why series includes titles written specifically to provide age-appropriate (K–6) resources about science and nature and to satisfy children’s questions about why things are the way they are. As I wrote this post, I enjoyed reading:





 
 
 
 
 
 
The Next Time You See series takes a slightly different approach, seeking to inspire a sense of wonder at everyday phenomena.


These books are written to encourage children to learn more about the world around them.
I admit reading these books made me wistful for the days when my kids were little. Now they satisfy their curiosity through the devices that are always in their hands. They can get their answers quickly now, but I think the fact that they are still asking questions can be traced back to their early years.

To illustrate the interconnectedness of science and engineering, the editor’s note this month is a crossword puzzle. I think I need to review the K-12 Framework in more detail to solve it. Or else I can see this connectedness through the featured articles in this month’s issue.
Building on Student’s Knowledge of Solar Cells* illustrates integrating math and science with engineering design tasks. The activity is part of a unit on solar energy, and students apply what they know to the design and testing of solar-powered model cars. The authors include many photos of the students’ designs, data tables, a worksheet that is more of a thinking guide, and assessment questions. The authors also emphasize the “role of the teacher in structuring engineering design tasks in a way that supports critical content knowledge.” And I liked their note that “Projects such as this one require engagement beyond the superficial.” Cars seem to be a natural interest for middle schoolers, and another article shows how to tap into this interest. The authors of Integrating Science and Engineering Practices in an Inquiry-Based Lesson on Wind-Powered Cars describe a 7e lesson applying concepts of motion to a design and test of a wind-powered car. [SciLinks: Solar Cells, Solar Energy, Winds, Wind Energy, Renewable Sources of Energy, Motion-Speed Relationship]

Two articles illustrate the use GPS and GIS technology in the classroom. The authors of The Isle of Navitas: Planning for Energy Use with Web GIS use a simulated island to help students explore the development of efficient energy use. Students learned how to apply spatial skills and use web GIS to explore the island’s features and energy resources. All of the materials and resources (teacher guide, handouts, visuals, and scoring guides0 used are accessible through the websites mentioned in the article. Watershed Waypoint: Using GPS and GIS to Learn About Watershed Features shows how to integrate concepts from geography and science with spatial thinking. Although the authors personalized the activity to their school’s location, they note that it can be modified for other locations. They also include examples of the student “worksheets” they used as thinking guides. A geography teacher I used to work with would be really interested in this, too. [SciLinks: Global Positioning System, Geographic Information Systems, Watersheds, Latitude and Longitude, Sustainable Development]
How can you show the connections between engineering and biology? The students in the article Hand Drawn: Lessons on Neuromuscular Control and Prosthetic-Hand Design were introduced to biomedical engineering. They took what they knew from medical studies and research (how joints work) and physics (simple machines) and used that knowledge to solve a problem—helping amputees function with prosthetic limbs. The authors also note how design specifications  illustrate that “a key distinction between an engineering design project and an art project is the emphasis on functionality as well as form.” [SciLinks: Bones and Joints, Joints and Muscles in the Body, Simple Machines, Skeletal and Muscular Systems]
Do you need a new approach to the water cycle? Lunch-Trash Solar Stills* describes a challenge to students to use information about the water cycle to design a solution to the problem of recovering potable water. The authors describe a series of activities that use simple and readily available materials.[SciLinks: Water Cycle, Water Quality]
*Check out the Connections for this issue (February 2013). Even if the article does not quite fit with your lesson agenda, this resource has ideas for handouts, background information sheets, data sheets, rubrics, etc.

As elementary teachers continue to struggle to find time to teach science to their students in an already crowded schedule, particularly as the emphasis on literacy has actually reduced the amount of time designated for science study, authors Jessica Fries-Gaither and Terry Shiverdecker have combined forces and experiences to write Inquiring Scientists, Inquiring Readers: Using Nonfiction to Promote Science Literacy, Grades 3–5.

Using text sets, or collections of multiple genres of nonfiction, can support inquiry-based instruction by assisting students as they pose questions, design investigations, and confirm and extend the knowledge they’ve learned through direct investigation. The seven nonfiction genres recommended by the authors include reference, explanation, narrative expository, how-to, biography, field guide, journal, and poetry.
Literacy instruction has changed in recent years to place a greater emphasis on nonfiction text with students of all ages. A great deal of reading and writing in everyday life is nonfiction.
One challenge that teachers who try to combine science in with their literacy instruction often encounter is that students end up reading about science rather than engaging in any scientific inquiry themselves. With this book, the authors have deftly paired the appropriate readings and text sets with the inquiry-based investigations for your students to engage in.

Inquiry and Literacy

With this book, imagine the possibilities. To name just a few, your students could read:

• Gregor Mendel: The Friar Who Grew Peas and then learn the science process skill of experimenting
• How Tall, How Short, How Far Away and then learn to determine which measuring tools are best for measuring a variety of items
• Ice Cream: The Full Scoop and then learn a tasty example of a phase change as they make ice cream
• Ice Hockey and Curling and then play a game to learn the forces and motion of a sliding object
• The Dance of Life and then learn how the sanderling might be adapted to two very different environments

Throughout the book, the authors replace individual lessons with a learning-cycle format (including hands-on investigations, readings, directed discussion, and problem solving).
Other related resources for combining literacy and science instruction in the elementary grades include NSTA Press® titles:

• Everyday Science Mysteries, Grades K–8
• Language and Literacy in Inquiry-Based Science Classrooms, Grades 3–8
• Picture-Perfect Science Lessons
• Science the “Write” Way
• Once Upon a Life Science Book

Scientists and engineers don’t necessarily start out to innovate, but unexpected things happen! This installment of the “Science of Innovation” video series describes how Dr. Deborah Chung, an expert in composite materials and structural science, was more-or-less “messing around” with materials just to see what would result. What Dr. Chung found could have a dramatic impact on bridge, road, and building construction.

You can set the stage for your students to be similarly inspired by allowing them to “mess around” with materials you have available as they develop and refine their own questions for investigation. Doing so might conjure up scenes of chaos, but teachers who build in a little extra time for students to examine the available materials and fiddle around with them find that it actually conjures up more thoughtful explorations!

The connected lesson plans, loosely based on Brian Hand’s science writing heuristic, allow plenty of leeway for students to put their inspirations to work. This STEMspirational series, developed by the team of NBC Learn, USPTO, NSF, and NSTA, will give you a leg up in incorporating authentic engineering activities into your curriculum. And it will allow students to see how science and math knowledge result in incredible technologies. The series is available cost-free on www.NBCLearn.com, www.science360.gov, and www.uspto.gov/education. Take a look, and then let us know what you think!

–Judy Elgin Jensen

Image of overpass courtesy of Danielle Scott.

Video

SOI: Smart Concrete highlights Dr. Deborah Chung’s innovation that makes concrete able to sense, in real time, the forces to which it is subjected.

Lesson plans

Two versions of the lesson plans help students build background and develop questions they can explore regarding the characteristics of materials. 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: Smart Concrete, A Science Perspective models how students might investigate a question about how a composite such as concrete reacts to compressional forces.

SOI: Smart Concrete, An Engineering Perspective shows how students might make and test a composite that models smart concrete.

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

I’m looking for professional development (PD) opportunities. I have a master’s degree, but as part of my PD plan, I’d like to earn additional graduate credits. In my current situation, commuting in the evenings or on weekends to a university is not possible. I’m thinking of trying an online course for the first time. What do I need to know or think about?
—Marti, California
Online and offsite learning is increasingly common, and it’s helpful for classroom teachers to have this experience themselves. Here are some things I’ve learned from being both a student and instructor in online experiences:

• Identify your learning goals. Do you want to develop deeper science content knowledge in your subject area? Expand your knowledge of other subjects? Acquire more classroom strategies?
• Match the course with your goals as you read course descriptions. As you look at university websites, you’ll see many offer online opportunities for credit. Museums and science centers also offer courses, which often can be taken for graduate credits through a partnership with a university. Find out your school or district online PD requirements. As you consider a provider, determine if the coursework and credits will be acceptable and if the institution is an approved one. (The NSTA Learning Center has a list of universities and programs that offer courses, too.)
• Consider your own learning preferences and schedule as you read course descriptions. In synchronous courses, the instructor and students log in at the same time and  follow an established calendar of classes. The instructor often lectures or lead discussions while displaying PowerPoint slides, websites, visuals, or other documents. Students have the opportunity to ask questions or take quizzes with immediate feedback. Depending on the platform used, you can also interact with other students in real time via chat or messaging options. In this type of course, you need to set aside a specific time in your schedule to “attend” the class. In asynchronous courses, the instructor posts materials, tests, study guides, videos, podcasts, reading lists, and assignments that can be accessed any time. Usually there is a timeframe for completing assignments. The instructor checks in periodically to answer questions or provide feedback. This would be similar to an independent study course. As a student you have more flexibility with an asynchronous course; a synchronous one is more scheduled and provides opportunities for more interaction. Many courses are a combination of the two formats, incorporating “live” instruction with subsequent opportunities to participate via collaborative documents, wikis, or chats.

• Be sure you have the appropriate technology. At a minimum, you’ll need a computer and an Internet connection (the faster the better for synchronous courses or ones that use a lot of videos). Some course platforms require a microphone and camera for your audio and video input. If written assignments are required, you’ll need to upload them electronically (it’s typically the same as attaching a file to an e-mail). Most institutions have a “check-up” module to help you determine if you have what you need. They also should have a technician on duty to assist you.
• Develop a timetable that works for you. With an asynchronous course, it’s easy to put things off. I found it helpful to schedule time for the coursework and stick to the schedule (late night worked best for me). I know teachers who do the course work after school hours when things are quiet and before they go home to other responsibilities. If you do work at home, set aside a time and a place where you can work undisturbed.

If you’d like to try online learning before you invest in credit courses, NSTA has free opportunities via the Learning Center:

• Web Seminars are 90-minute synchronous experiences on a variety of topics. There are several scheduled each month.
• Science Objects are two-hour online interactive content modules on a variety of topics. These are completed asynchronously.

 
Photo:   http://www.flickr.com/photos/cristic/3297941286/