Join
Menu
Menu Search Join
 

The Sun Tower

Science and Children—November/December 2000

With funding and support from the NASA Office of Space Science through the IDEAS program, a team of teachers from Gullett Elementary School in Austin, Texas, and a research scientist at the University of Texas, worked on activities and curriculum to capture students’ natural excitement about outer space. In order to include a strong daytime component to the program, the motion of the sun across the sky was an obvious choice. This article describes how a Sun Tower was used as a tool to engage students in scientific inquiry and reinforce their understanding of the dynamic universe.
With funding and support from the NASA Office of Space Science through the IDEAS program, a team of teachers from Gullett Elementary School in Austin, Texas, and a research scientist at the University of Texas, worked on activities and curriculum to capture students’ natural excitement about outer space. In order to include a strong daytime component to the program, the motion of the sun across the sky was an obvious choice. This article describes how a Sun Tower was used as a tool to engage students in scientific inquiry and reinforce their understanding of the dynamic universe.
With funding and support from the NASA Office of Space Science through the IDEAS program, a team of teachers from Gullett Elementary School in Austin, Texas, and a research scientist at the University of Texas, worked on activities and curriculum to capture students’ natural excitement about outer space. In order to include a strong daytime component to the program, the motion of the sun across the sky was an obvious choice. This article describes how a Sun Tower was used as a tool to engage students in scientific inquiry and reinforce their understanding of the dynamic universe.
 

Research on the River: High school and university students use technology and integrated science to study the quality of the James River

The Science Teacher – September 2000

This project—the JAMES (Joining Across Miles Environmental Systems)—gave high school students the chance to do research involving technology and integrated science and allowed university science methods students the chance to gain experience working with high school students. Overall, this project demonstrates the importance of collaboration enhancing the learning environment of K-12 and university students and their instructors.
This project—the JAMES (Joining Across Miles Environmental Systems)—gave high school students the chance to do research involving technology and integrated science and allowed university science methods students the chance to gain experience working with high school students. Overall, this project demonstrates the importance of collaboration enhancing the learning environment of K-12 and university students and their instructors.
This project—the JAMES (Joining Across Miles Environmental Systems)—gave high school students the chance to do research involving technology and integrated science and allowed university science methods students the chance to gain experience working with high school students. Overall, this project demonstrates the importance of collaboration enhancing the learning environment of K-12 and university students and their instructors.
 

What Might Happen If . . .?

The Science Teacher—April 2000

The lessons many students learn in traditional school curricula are too removed from the problems they encounter in daily life to be useful. One tool that can be used in the classroom to help students analyze and understand the consequences of events, decisions, and scientific and technological innovations or developments is the futures wheel (Wagschal and Johnson, 1986). This article describes how students can use the futures wheel to analyze analyze science-related social issues and consequences in preparation for decision making.
The lessons many students learn in traditional school curricula are too removed from the problems they encounter in daily life to be useful. One tool that can be used in the classroom to help students analyze and understand the consequences of events, decisions, and scientific and technological innovations or developments is the futures wheel (Wagschal and Johnson, 1986). This article describes how students can use the futures wheel to analyze analyze science-related social issues and consequences in preparation for decision making.
The lessons many students learn in traditional school curricula are too removed from the problems they encounter in daily life to be useful. One tool that can be used in the classroom to help students analyze and understand the consequences of events, decisions, and scientific and technological innovations or developments is the futures wheel (Wagschal and Johnson, 1986). This article describes how students can use the futures wheel to analyze analyze science-related social issues and consequences in preparation for decision making.
 

Idea Bank

The Science Teacher—March 2000

The Idea Bank provides tips and techniques for creative teaching, in about 1,000 words. This month’s Idea Bank includes an analogy for understanding electron configurations, information on electronic mailing lists, along with a listing of some useful listservs and bulletin boards on the Internet, and some tips on the use of a digital watch for timing activities.
The Idea Bank provides tips and techniques for creative teaching, in about 1,000 words. This month’s Idea Bank includes an analogy for understanding electron configurations, information on electronic mailing lists, along with a listing of some useful listservs and bulletin boards on the Internet, and some tips on the use of a digital watch for timing activities.
The Idea Bank provides tips and techniques for creative teaching, in about 1,000 words. This month’s Idea Bank includes an analogy for understanding electron configurations, information on electronic mailing lists, along with a listing of some useful listservs and bulletin boards on the Internet, and some tips on the use of a digital watch for timing activities.
 

“Creative Final Projects” in Mathematics and Science: An Educational Instrument for Maximizing Students' Learning and Understanding

Journal of College Science Teaching—February 2000

In a final class project, art and communications students taking science and mathematics courses at Chicago’s Columbia College and the Illinois Institute of Art produce a significant creative work using a media of their own choosing. In this article, the authors explain the approach, discuss various assessment techniques and the underlying philosophy behind student final projects, and give examples of final projects that successfully integrate various areas of science and mathematics.
In a final class project, art and communications students taking science and mathematics courses at Chicago’s Columbia College and the Illinois Institute of Art produce a significant creative work using a media of their own choosing. In this article, the authors explain the approach, discuss various assessment techniques and the underlying philosophy behind student final projects, and give examples of final projects that successfully integrate various areas of science and mathematics.
In a final class project, art and communications students taking science and mathematics courses at Chicago’s Columbia College and the Illinois Institute of Art produce a significant creative work using a media of their own choosing. In this article, the authors explain the approach, discuss various assessment techniques and the underlying philosophy behind student final projects, and give examples of final projects that successfully integrate various areas of science and mathematics.
 

SCST: Changes in Science Education—Are We Getting Ready? Predicting Education’s Future

Journal of College Science Teaching—February 2000

In this column the leadership of SCST shares its views with JCST readers. This article's focus is on the new millennium which establishes a natural marking point for change. Reflection on the last 10 years might give some insight into the direction we will follow.
In this column the leadership of SCST shares its views with JCST readers. This article's focus is on the new millennium which establishes a natural marking point for change. Reflection on the last 10 years might give some insight into the direction we will follow.
In this column the leadership of SCST shares its views with JCST readers. This article's focus is on the new millennium which establishes a natural marking point for change. Reflection on the last 10 years might give some insight into the direction we will follow.
 

Designing Assessments with the <em>Standards</em>: Using the standards to create learning goals and assessment tools

Science and Children—January 2000

As teachers make the transition to inquiry-centered science, they discover a need for new assessments. In response to this need, a group of 125 elementary teachers embarked on a three-year investigation of science assessment. This project was a component of the professional development provided by the Partnership for Systemic Change, which includes the Rahway, Linden, and Readington Township Public Schools in New Jersey; the North Penn School District in Pennsylvania; and the Merck Institute for Science Education. The following examples include assessments that teachers designed to determine whether students were achieving the K–4 earth materials standards.
As teachers make the transition to inquiry-centered science, they discover a need for new assessments. In response to this need, a group of 125 elementary teachers embarked on a three-year investigation of science assessment. This project was a component of the professional development provided by the Partnership for Systemic Change, which includes the Rahway, Linden, and Readington Township Public Schools in New Jersey; the North Penn School District in Pennsylvania; and the Merck Institute for Science Education.
As teachers make the transition to inquiry-centered science, they discover a need for new assessments. In response to this need, a group of 125 elementary teachers embarked on a three-year investigation of science assessment. This project was a component of the professional development provided by the Partnership for Systemic Change, which includes the Rahway, Linden, and Readington Township Public Schools in New Jersey; the North Penn School District in Pennsylvania; and the Merck Institute for Science Education.
Use protozoa to model macroscopic ecological and biological processes—such as symbiosis, succession, and feeding strategies—with these 28 hands-on investigations. This innovative resource will facilitate understanding and learning through inquiry, assessment, and real-life applications of lab science. Includes reproducible materials and the text is linked to the Standards.
Use protozoa to model macroscopic ecological and biological processes—such as symbiosis, succession, and feeding strategies—with these 28 hands-on investigations. This innovative resource will facilitate understanding and learning through inquiry, assessment, and real-life applications of lab science. Includes reproducible materials and the text is linked to the Standards.
Questions, questions, questions! They are a large part of a teacher’s stock-in-trade. We use questions to help students review, to check on comprehension, to stimulate critical thinking, to encourage creativity, to emphasize a point, to control classroom activities, reduce disruptive behavior, to help determine grades, to encourage discussion, to discourage inattentiveness, and for other reasons and purposes. Questioning style and content varies from teacher to teacher, student group to student group, and situation to situation.
Questions, questions, questions! They are a large part of a teacher’s stock-in-trade. We use questions to help students review, to check on comprehension, to stimulate critical thinking, to encourage creativity, to emphasize a point, to control classroom activities, reduce disruptive behavior, to help determine grades, to encourage discussion, to discourage inattentiveness, and for other reasons and purposes. Questioning style and content varies from teacher to teacher, student group to student group, and situation to situation.

How to ... Ask the Right Questions

Questions, questions, questions! They are a large part of a teacher’s stock-in-trade. We use questions to help students review, to check on comprehension, to stimulate critical thinking, to encourage creativity, to emphasize a point, to control classroom activities, reduce disruptive behavior, to help determine grades, to encourage discussion, to discourage inattentiveness, and for other reasons and purposes. Questioning style and content varies from teacher to teacher, student group to student group, and situation to situation.
Questions, questions, questions! They are a large part of a teacher’s stock-in-trade. We use questions to help students review, to check on comprehension, to stimulate critical thinking, to encourage creativity, to emphasize a point, to control classroom activities, reduce disruptive behavior, to help determine grades, to encourage discussion, to discourage inattentiveness, and for other reasons and purposes. Questioning style and content varies from teacher to teacher, student group to student group, and situation to situation.
Subscribe to
Asset 2