I have a few students who chatter excessively and need advice on methods that have worked to quiet the disruption. I also need to involve students who are reluctant to participate in a group setting.
—H., Arizona

I like a chatty, active classroom— provided the students are on task. I would give students opportunities to chat and work in groups but kept them focused on thought-provoking topics or problems. Organize the groups yourself to minimize off-topic socializing. Limit discussions to keep them moving forward and have follow-up or extension activities for those who finish quickly. Requiring groups to present overviews of their discussions can be a good way to wrangle the talkers and channel their discussion to the work.

When you don’t want students chatting, have assigned seats and be sure to separate friends who chat too much.

My advice for handling shy students changes with different types of group work.
Labs: Create roles that each member has to assume for hands on or lab activities. Here is a link to a resource in the Learning Center describing the responsibilities I assigned for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) projects: https://goo.gl/EshMpi

Discussions/Workgroups: I believe shy students sometimes need more time to gather their thoughts and are less likely to join ongoing conversations. “Think-Pair-Share” approaches build in time for individual reflection and ensure that everyone in a group has a turn.

Employ some self-assessments or group assessments as part of the process. You are welcome to use these from my resource collection in The Learning Center:
Group Evaluation: https://goo.gl/UbqmNX

Hope this helps!

When you have a moment to plan for teaching in January, reach for the 2018 November/December issue of Science and Children for inspiration. With a focus on visual literacy the activities discussed in the columns and articles promote helping children learn from and use images and models to understand science concepts. 

In The Early Years column, “Analyzing Media Representations of Animals,” I wrote up an activity using guidance from the National Association for Media Literacy Education (NAMLE) to analyze, evaluate, and create media. Many children’s books show images of animals that are not at life size, either to fit on the page or for convenience of design. If children have seen the animals they may be able to understand that the image is not at life-size, but if the animals are unknown, children can’t know what the actual size is. Engaging children in exploring how images accurately represent size or are possibly misleading, perhaps showing animals such as mice and horses at the same size, is part of teaching media literacy. Helping children create their own illustrations and photos of animals develops their understanding of how others use images.

What size is this animal in “real life”?

Can one of our senses fool another one? The Poetry of Science column, “Visual Poetry,” presents a poem, and science activity, and internet resources for additional support!

The Engineering Encounters column, “Bears on a Boat Plus,” is a visit into a second-grade classroom where we learn from science educators and English-language Learner specialists about their work revising the classic plasticine clay activity into a problem-based learning one. They used the 5E model (Bybee) for two one-hour lessons on consecutive days. (Karen Nemeth of Language Castle posted additional resources for “Working with an English Language Learner” on the NAEYC Hello social media site.)

Have your students ever drawn pictures of scientists or themselves as scientists? In the Methods & Strategies column, “Draw a Scientist,” Laura Beth Kelly offers suggestions for teachers who want to broaden their students’ ideas about science and scientists.

These four columns are only part of the helpful materials shared by educators in the 2018 November/December issue of  Science and Children.  Don’t miss reading pages 74, 75 and 80 where you can read the “Call for Papers” and be inspired to share your own science teaching practice!

Resource

Bybee, Rodger W. 2014. The BSCS 5E Instructional Model: Personal Reflections and Contemporary Implications. Science and Children. 51(8): 10-13.

Materials thoughtfully provided or set up by teachers often inspires children’s open exploration of a phenomenon. Much learning happens during this period of using their senses and tools to make observations of what intrigues them as they try things out, following up on their ideas and trying new things rather than making observations based on a teacher’s instruction. Specific activities and further focused exploration build from this beginning, as teachers hear or identify children’s questions, pose others, and additional materials may be provided. The Young Scientist series teacher resource books on nature, water, and building structures are a good starting point for developing science explorations.

In this class at the Clarendon Child Care Center, an open exploration of shadow using a wall and a lamp on the flloor opened up a stream of stories as children built on outdoor imaginative play where their shadows “ate each other.” Some of these marvelous stories expressed beginning scientific ideas about light and shadow. With a teacher nearby, the four and five year olds were careful with the light and had their stories recorded by teachers Sarah Abu-El-Hawa and Carly Gertler. Allowing the action to be child-led revealed their understanding of both the science of shadows and the structure of stories.

Further explorations were planned after asking questions such as, “How do shadows happen?” and “How do shadows come alive?” to help children reflect on their experiences. The class’s work continues. Documentation panels share the work with families and help children remember and think about their work thus far. 

This week in education news, Sen. Lamar Alexander plans to retire; 2018 federal report found that only 18 percent of the innovations funded by the Education Department lifted student achievement; project-based learning has developed a significant following in recent years; Illinois ranks fifth nationally in the number of STEM degrees awarded and has the fifth-largest STEM workforce in the country; federal school safety panel takes no stance on giving teachers guns as a means to protect students; preschoolers are natural engineers with an inclination to design the world around them; and robotics has emerged as the sport of STEM education.

Sen. Lamar Alexander, Capitol Hill’s Top Republican on Education, Won’t Run in 2020

Sen. Lamar Alexander, R-Tenn., who has been Capitol Hill’s leading Republican on education issues for more than decade, announced Monday that he’s not planning to run again in 2020. Read the article featured in Education Week.

STEM Toys Promise to Turn Kids into Tech Geniuses. Grown-Up Coders are Skeptical

Like many parents, Dave Balter and Sarah Hodges spend hours and hours before the holidays each year puzzling over the array of educational toys that promise to help children develop scientific curiosity and technological skills. Toys aren’t just toys anymore. There’s a growing market for so-called STEM toys, which promise to imbue young minds with science, technology, engineering, and math skills. But for every product that helps kids learn, there are plenty of others that simply cash in on parents’ desire to prepare their kids for a changing economy. Read the article in the Boston Globe.

The ‘Dirty Secret’ About Educational Innovation

As part of the federal recovery effort to boost the economy after the 2008 recession, the U.S. Education Department suddenly had a big pot of money to give away to “innovations” in education. Since then, more than $1.5 billion has been spent on almost 200 ideas because Congress continued to appropriate funds even after the recession ended. Many of the grant projects involved technology, sometimes delivering lessons or material over the internet. In order to obtain the grants, recipients had to determine if their ideas were effective by tracking test scores. Results are in for the first wave of 67 programs, representing roughly $700 million of the innovation grants and it doesn’t look promising. Read the article featured in The Hechinger Report.

Project-Based Learning is a New Rage in Education. Never Mind That it’s a Century Old.

Put the phrase “project-based learning” into a search engine and the results could lead you to think that it is a highly successful approach to learning that is thoroughly modern and even transformative in a way never seen before in American public schools. While project-based learning can indeed be successful and exciting, it is hardly new. It is, in fact, a century old, as education historian Jack Schneider explains in this post. Read the article featured in the Washington Post.

Illinois Second Only to California in Number of Computer Science Degrees Awarded — and More from STEM Survey

Illinois is cranking out science and technology workers, but diversity and inclusion in the fields are still lacking. Illinois ranks fifth nationally in the number of STEM degrees awarded and has the fifth-largest STEM workforce in the country. Read the article featured in the Chicago Tribune.

Federal School Safety Panel, Parkland Commission Hit Similar Notes – Except on Guns

A school safety panel assembled by President Donald Trump took no stance on strapping teachers with firearms as a means to protect students in a report released Tuesday, taking a much softer tone than a Florida commission that recommended the measure last week. Read the article featured in POLITICO.

To Fix the Tech Gender Gap, Fix Computer Science Education

This dearth of women in tech isn’t because women hate computer science or simply due to the widespread harassment that many women experience in the industry. The real reason men dominate the computer science industry is because computer science education is only accessible for a small percentage of students who are disproportionately male. Read the article featured in the Washington Examiner.

Putting the ‘E’ in STEM for the Littlest Learners

Watch 3-year-olds at play and you’ll see them building. On the beach, it’s a sandcastle encircled by a moat. In the classroom, it’s a towering edifice constructed of cardboard or blocks. Yet as natural as it comes to the youngest school goers, engineering hasn’t been incorporated into the preschool and kindergarten curricula the way it has in the upper grades. The “e” in STEM has been largely missing for the youngest learners, at least in any significant way. Read the article featured in Education Week.

Robotics, the Sport of STEM Education

A new sport is emerging in local middle schools — robot battles. St. Mary’s Episcopal School, a private all-girls pre-K through high school, held its first VEX IQ Challenge Tournament at its East Memphis campus last weekend. The event sold out within 30 minutes. If an indication is needed to show how popular robotics competitions have become among kids, that’s it. Read the article featured in the Daily Memphian.

All 50 States Plant a Flag for Universal STEM Education

Those of us who were terribly spoiled by the attention of prior federal administrations that championed science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education went to ground in January 2017. Although the March for Science in March 2017 was a clarion call for action, many feared that the national movement toward STEM literacy for all students was in mortal peril. Read the article featured in The Hill.

Stay tuned for next week’s top education news stories.

The Communication, Legislative & Public Affairs (CLPA) team strives to keep NSTA members, teachers, science education leaders, and the general public informed about NSTA programs, products, and services and key science education issues and legislation. In the association’s role as the national voice for science education, its CLPA team actively promotes NSTA’s positions on science education issues and communicates key NSTA messages to essential audiences.

The mission of NSTA is to promote excellence and innovation in science teaching and learning for all.

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There are many safety hazards associated with the use of hand and power tools, and teachers and students should be trained to recognize them and understand what safety precautions should be taken to avoid them.

Safety Precautions

For hand tool use, follow these general precautions published by the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology:

• Hand tools shall only be used for their intended purpose.
• Inspect tools for damage prior to use.
• Hand tools shall be maintained in good condition free of damage. For example, wooden handles on tools, such as a hammer or an axe, shall be tight and free from splinters or cracks.
• Bent screwdrivers or screwdrivers with chipped edges shall be replaced.
• Always direct tools such as knives, saw blades, etc. away from aisle areas and away from other employees working in close proximity.
• Knives and scissors must be sharp; dull tools can cause more hazards than sharp ones.
• Cracked saw blades must be removed from service.
• Wrenches must not be used when jaws are sprung to the point that slippage occurs.
• Impact tools such as drift pins, wedges, and chisels must be kept free of mushroomed heads.
• Iron or steel hand tools may produce sparks that can be an ignition source around flammable substances. Spark-resistant tools made of non-ferrous materials should be
used where flammable gases, highly volatile liquids, and other explosive substances are stored or used.
• Keep the work area and tools clean. Dirty, greasy tools and floor may cause accidents.
• Tools shall be stored in a dry secure location.
• Carry and store tools properly. All sharp tools shall be carried and stored with the sharp edge down. Do not carry sharp tools in a pocket.
• Wear the proper personal protective equipment (PPE).

OSHA provides the following general precautions for power tools use:

• Never carry a tool by the cord or hose.
• Never yank the cord or the hose to disconnect it from the receptacle.
• Keep cords and hoses away from heat, oil, and sharp edges.
• Disconnect tools when not using them, before servicing and cleaning them, and when changing accessories such as blades, bits, and cutters.
• Keep all people not involved with the work at a safe distance from the work area.
• Secure objects with clamps or a vise, freeing both hands to operate the tool.
• Avoid accidental starting. Do not hold fingers on the switch button while carrying a plugged-in tool.
• Maintain tools with care; keep them sharp and clean for best performance.
• Follow instructions in the user’s manual for lubricating and changing accessories.
• Be sure to keep good footing and maintain good balance when operating power tools.
• Wear proper apparel for the task. Loose clothing, ties, or jewelry can become caught in moving parts.
• Remove all damaged portable electric tools from use and tag them: “Do Not Use.”

Whether using hand or power tools, follow these five basic safety protocols to prevent accidents:

• Have regularly scheduled maintenance to keep tools in good operating condition.
• Use the correct tool for the job.
• Inspect all tools for damage prior to use. Never use a damaged tool!
• Read the manufacturers’ instructions before using any tool.
• By way of safety training, learn how to assess and use the appropriate engineering controls, operating procedures, and personal protective equipment.

Hand and Power Tool School Safety Programs

School administrations must develop a tool safety program that includes student and teacher safety procedures and employer and employee responsibilities for hand and power tools.

Suggested Employer (administrators and supervisors) Responsibilities

• Develop a hand and power tool safety program (including periodic evaluations and updates) based on OSHA and other regulatory agency standards.
• Provide oversight to make sure tools are free of defects and properly maintained.
• All tools must be operated according to manufacturer’s recommendations.
• Provide appropriate safety training and record keeping for employees using tools before working with them.
• Provide appropriate supervision to ensure employees and students are complying with the safety program.
• Make sure defective tools are taken out of service immediately.
• Conduct periodic inspections of instructional site using hand and power tools.

Suggested Employee (teachers and paraprofessionals) Responsibilities

• Attend safety training programs before using tools;
• Visual inspection for tool defects or hazards prior to use.
• Immediately tag defective tools as out of service.
• Report defects to supervisor.

For an example of a hand and power tool safety program check out the safety program developed by Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology. Also, check out this PowerPoint employee/student training program titled Power Tool Safety.

Submit questions regarding safety to Ken Roy at safersci@gmail.com or leave him a comment below. Follow Ken Roy on Twitter: @drroysafersci.

NSTA resources and safety issue papers
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I understand that confidence comes with experience, but I was wondering if you have any tricks or tips that helped you become more confident as a teacher?
– J., Ohio

To calm my own nerves, I would remind myself:

• No one expects perfection. Just be reflective of your lessons and interactions with students.
• I was older and more educated than all the students I taught.
• This is my job and nothing was going to stop me or mess with that.
• Most of the time, only I would know that a lesson didn’t go as planned.
• Safety concerns are always the first priority. I never questioned my decisions to maintain safety.
• Unless the building burns down or students are hurt, any mistake is relatively minor and nearly always fixable.

Making snap decisions can be difficult, particularly early in your career and hesitancy can be interpreted as a lack of confidence. To help prepare them to make decisions, I would ask student teachers to think through some scenarios and describe their vision of a perfect classroom. What were they doing as the teacher? What were the students doing? What were the outcomes? What were the interactions like? Every decision you make should be based on your vision of what your perfect classroom would be like.

If you are naturally quiet, you can consciously work on projecting your voice. I have seen teachers who become different people in their classrooms!

Hope this helps!

NSTA’s Discussion Forums and List Server groups often have questions from teachers looking for lesson ideas. Whether they are student teachers or beginning teachers looking to begin their library of science lessons, or experienced teachers looking for new ideas, NSTA’s K-12 journals have many articles that could be helpful.

Much of this interest seems to come from the elementary level, including teachers who struggle with trying to provide meaningful science lessons within a limited time frame. Two monthly features in Science & Children are relevant to this challenge.

Teaching with Trade Books explores a concept with recommended books and detailed lessons. Each article lists two books (grades K-2 and 3-5) and two lessons related to the books. (You could substitute other books related to the concept if the suggested ones are not available.) The lessons use the 5E format and have a chart showing the correlations to the NGSS. Here is a collection of recent Teaching with Trade Book articles (through the NSTA Learning Center).

The Early Years features easy-to-use lesson ideas for our younger scientists (PreK to grade 2). The article begins with a discussion of the unique needs of young children followed by an age-appropriate lesson that fosters the developing interests and curiosity of these young scientists. Here is a collection of recent Early Years articles (through the NSTA Learning Center).

NSTA’s Science & Children is a good source of other lesson ideas each month (and you can search the back issues by keyword or by year.) NSTA members can download the articles at no cost.

Many authors share resources related to the lessons and strategies in their articles through the Connections link for Science & Children. These resources include rubrics, graphic organizers, handouts, diagrams, lists of resources, and complete lessons.

For more on the content that provides a context for projects and strategies described in these articles (and additional activities), see the SciLinks: Alternative Energy Resources, Behavior, Constellations, Engineering Structures, Forces and Motion, Fossil Fuels, Genes and Traits, Heredity, How Do Animals Grow and Reproduce?, Inventions/Inventors, Life Cycles, Morse Code, Ocean Floor, Plant Growth, Seed Germination, Seasons, Simple Machines, Stars, Sun

For engineers to design and make the systems and devices all of us depend on in our daily lives, they need scientific and mathematical knowledge. Simultaneously, scientists benefit from engineering advances evident in the devices, instruments, and processes they use to test and understand the natural world.

Project Infuse, a National Science-funded project, has been exploring the complex and interdependent relationship between science and engineering to help physical science teachers enrich their teaching and learning with engineering design projects and other real-world applications. Some of the logistical challenges this project revealed were selecting and designing appropriate classroom activities; managing projects which required group work as well as multiple solutions to problems; and the need for new assessments and pedagogies.

So a team of five experts (Rodney Custer, Jenny Daugherty, Julia Ross, Katheryn Kennedy and Cory Culbertson) came together to write Engineering in the Life Sciences, 9-12, a compendium of teacher resources, engineering-infused life science lessons, and assessment tools, all of which were pilot tested with real students in a real classroom.

The book’s content is spread across six chapters, beginning with an overview of how engineering fits into life science education.

Chapter 2 offers six engineering-infused life science lessons which Project Infuse teachers deemed the most important components of the book. Each lesson includes a comprehensive list of core elements: an overview;  goals; assessment criteria; recommendations on when the lesson should be taught within a unit; a content outline; needed materials; resources; time recommendations for each stage of the lesson; instructional sequence; differentiation options; research on student learning; connections to the Common Core State Standards; source references; engineering and live science rubrics; and a matrix for lesson development and assessment.

Chapter 3 focuses on the practicality of delivering engineering design challenges and projects in science classrooms, beginning with the rollout (setting the stage), moving into ideation (guiding students toward good design), prototyping, and wrapping up.

Assessment (both summative and formative) is the focus of Chapter 4, which explores the implications for assessment under the NGSS and describes practical classroom issues and tools.

Chapter 5 offers additional lesson ideas across a broad range of interesting topics such as bio-security, green city design, invasive species control, next-generation prosthetics, and unnatural selection.

“The intent of this chapter is to plant some seeds of ideas that teachers may wish to develop into lessons,” according to the authors.

The book’s final chapter presents five engineering case studies to ignite classroom conversations around how engineering was used to find a solution to a real-world problem or opportunity. The examples were deliberately selected to span a range of science and engineering fields and can be used:

• To introduce students to engineering concepts (constraints, design, systems, and/or tradeoffs);
• As a starting point for a larger research assignment; and/or
• To spark student conversation to open-ended questions.

“In our work with science teachers and students, discussion of these as studies have provided a starting point to view and understand something of how engineering works in a variety of real-world situations, and we trust that others will find them equally useful,” explained the authors.

High school life science educators who are seeking teacher-tested and classroom-ready resources will find this book contains a treasure trove of fresh ideas. Ready to learn more? A free chapter is available, and the book is also available as an ebook.

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