Dynamic Equilibrium. These two words represent what is essential in teaching Earth science: the idea that forces are constantly working against one another, but often do so in ways that nearly counteract one another.

In a river, deposition and erosion, as central concepts, can be used to explain a range of phenomena, such as meandering rivers and the richness of floodplain soils. For all of the crust being created at mid-ocean ridges, an almost equivalent amount is being destroyed in subduction zones. Stars are constantly affected by the equilibrium of a fusion reaction tearing them apart while gravity tries to shrink stars under its own immense mass.

In all of these situations, something approaching dynamic equilibrium is typical, but also some very interesting phenomena happen when equilibrium is no longer met. Indeed, Earth science offers so many examples of the NGSS Crosscutting Concept of Stability and Change, yet it is so easy to consider it as a law of averages: If the end result is close to zero, then why do the individual forces matter?

One instance of this idea occurs when teaching about Earth’s Energy Budget, the idea that our climate results from the balance of energy coming in from the Sun as shortwave radiation and escaping through a mix of long and shortwave radiation (shown in the chart above top). But this chart doesn’t tell the full story.

For shortwave radiation, the chart on the top gives a global average of 341.3 W/m². But is it the same all across Earth? How do any differences unfold seasonally?

Climate models from NOAA show a very different picture of incoming shortwave radiation across seasons, where the tilt of the Earth changes the position of maximum insolation. This combined with regional differences, such as the large amount of cloud cover over the Amazon rainforest and a lack of it over deserts, causes subtle differences in how much radiation enters. Two maps showing seasonal differences in January and July using one of NOAA’s modeling projects (data set pulled from Lamont Doherty’s Climate Library, found here) are shown below  the energy budget diagram. The question becomes this: Which chart should we use when teaching about climate? And if we choose the one on the bottom, how do we support students in constructing arguments and explanations for the differences they see?

As part of our recent collaboration between the American Museum of Natural History’s Seminars on Science and science teachers at Math for America (MƒA), we explored the use of discussion protocols through various charts covering different segments of the Earth’s Energy Budget (specifically longwave radiation, shortwave radiation, latent heat flow, and sensible heat flow). As we explored each chart individually, then in groups looking at the same map, and finally as a jigsaw using the discussion diamond, we realized the wealth of concepts that could be explored—seasonal differences, evapotranspiration, warm and cool ocean currents, specific heat, the water cycle—in a way that elicits a more global understanding of concepts that simply could not happen with the standard way of thinking about this work. (The two pictures below show this work in our classroom, and the set of materials can be found here.)

Afterward, we examined other resources, especially those from NASA’s Earth Observatory, in which global maps across a myriad of variables can be plotted month to month. (Think a connection exists between precipitation and primary productivity? Throw the two maps on the same screen and see them month to month!) What became apparent is not only the power of thinking of Stability and Change as more than a law of averages, but also how considering this data together, with a group of teachers, is incredibly important for engaging in this work in the classroom.

The idea of dynamic equilibrium is a powerful one in Earth science because it encourages us to explore how change comes not merely from one force, but how that force is positively or negatively reinforced throughout a system. The idea of dynamic equilibrium is important in our classrooms as well! Looking at rich content, such as that found in the Seminars on Science program, with a group of experienced science teachers, such as those in your school or in fellowship programs like MƒA, can be the positive reinforcement system that helps grow your classroom into a model for NGSS.

 If you have any thoughts on Stability and Change and how it can be deeply taught in Earth Science, or want to share a similar story of deepening your classroom by working on rich content with other teachers, please share below in the Comments section!

John Russell taught middle school science in New York City for 10 years, and is a program officer at Math for America, a New York City nonprofit that is building a community of accomplished mathematics and science teachers who make a lasting impact in their schools, their communities, and the profession at large, through collaboration and continued learning.

Dave Randle taught middle and high school science in New York City for 15 years, and is a senior manager of professional development at the American Museum of Natural History, working closely with the museum’s Seminars on Science online courses.

This article was featured in the June issue of Next Gen Navigator, a monthly e-newsletter from NSTA delivering information, insights, resources, and professional learning opportunities for science educators by science educators on the Next Generation Science Standards and three-dimensional instruction.  Click here to sign up to receive the Navigator every month.

Visit NSTA’s NGSS@NSTA Hub for hundreds of vetted classroom resources, professional learning opportunities, publications, ebooks and more; connect with your teacher colleagues on the NGSS listservs (members can sign up here); and join us for discussions around NGSS at an upcoming conference.

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

Future NSTA Conferences

2018 STEM Forum & Expo

• Philadelphia July 11–13

Dive into Three-Dimensional Instruction Workshop

• Philadelphia, July 14–15

2018 Area Conferences

• Reno, October 11–13
• National Harbor (MD), November 15–17
• Charlotte, Nov. 29-Dec. 1

2019 National Conference

• St. Louis, April 11-14, 2019

Follow NSTA

Stability and Change is one of the seven Crosscutting Concepts (CCs) that can be difficult to convey in a lesson. Other CCs like Patterns, Cause and Effect, and Systems and System Models can be easily incorporated in the structure of a lesson. With a little planning, Stability and Change can be frequently demonstrated in a lesson.

Science teachers must remember that Stability and Change is all about conditions and factors: what condition(s) and factors affect stability and lead to a change. This article will focus on weathering and deposition of rock during the rock cycle and how Stability and Change can be incorporated in class discussion following the lesson activities.

The rock cycle is a slow process, but it is all about Stability and Change. During the rock cycle, rocks are ever-changing, but because these changes happen slowly, it can be difficult for students to observe and understand them. To “speed up” geologic time, use household materials to simulate rocks to help students discover the factors and conditions affecting weathering of rock in the rock cycle. 

To give my students control of these factors and conditions, , I use breakfast cereal to simulate rock types. Cereal has a much faster “weathering” process, and using it allows students to apply their prior knowledge of cereal to develop questions to explore weathering as it relates to Stability and Change. 

In this simulation, students are given eight different cereals. The cereals should vary in the type of grain used, amount of sugar contained, and overall composition. This will allow students to make concrete predictions that can be tested and analyzed.

First, have students research the cereals and make their prediction. Their goal is to predict which cereal will have the lowest percentage loss of matter after the simulation. Students start by calculating the mass of a predetermined amount of cereal, which is then placed inside a PVC pipe and tumbled for a set amount of time or number of shakes. After the weathering simulation, students re-calculate the cereal’s mass to determine the percentage loss.

Stability and Change can be illustrated by having students examine the data. Which cereal had the smallest, or largest, percentage loss? What factors present in the cereal affected the amount of matter lost? What conditions contributed to the weathering of the cereal?

From there, students will generate additional questions.  Connecting the results to actual rock types is the final step. Students can make predictions about the activity of rocks based on the factors and conditions they discovered while working with cereal. (This activity could also be done with snack chips, cookies, or even pretzels of different shapes and types.)

One pitfall to avoid is becoming predictable in your lesson structure. In the lesson just described, the discussion about Stability and Change occurred at the end. In the next lesson, the discussion about CCs will occur at the beginning.

Creating and using stream tables allows students to test factors and conditions and focus on the Stability and Change of rocks and deposition. Begin by running a simple stream table so students can identify factors that can affect the amount of deposition in a stream. Students should be able to identify slope, speed of the water, shape of the river, or river materials as possible factors. It is important to allow students to test their ideas, even if you know the idea is not a valid factor.

Before testing, have a conversation about Stability and Change in relation to the factors to be tested. How will the variable change the river? As students test their ideas, they will be able to see, and evaluate, the Stability and Change their factors created. Revisiting their initial thoughts will help students deepen their understand deposition through Stability and Change. This discussion will also help students develop follow-up questions, new factors to test, or connections to previous activities.

How do you incorporate Stability and Change into your class activities and discussion? What innovative methods have you developed to engage your students in the CCs? If you would like to share your classroom activities through pictures and ideas, or get a copy of the lessons described in this article, connect with me on Twitter: @BKd204Sci or @ngssSfocus. The more we share, the more we all grow in our understanding of NGSS and ability to teach them.

Brian Klaft has taught middle school science for 27 years. He currently teaches at Francis Granger Middle School in Indian Prairie District (IPSD) 204 in Aurora, Illinois. Previously he taught in the Chicago Public Schools and South Berwyn District 100. Over the past five years, Klaft has served on IPSD’s science curriculum team, working with other district science staff to align the NGSS to district curriculum. As a member of NSTA’s physics curator team, Klaft curates content on waves and electromagnetic radiation at the middle school level.

Blog Link: https://brianklaft.wordpress.com/

This article was featured in the June issue of Next Gen Navigator, a monthly e-newsletter from NSTA delivering information, insights, resources, and professional learning opportunities for science educators by science educators on the Next Generation Science Standards and three-dimensional instruction.  Click here to sign up to receive the Navigator every month.

Visit NSTA’s NGSS@NSTA Hub for hundreds of vetted classroom resources, professional learning opportunities, publications, ebooks and more; connect with your teacher colleagues on the NGSS listservs (members can sign up here); and join us for discussions around NGSS at an upcoming conference.

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

Future NSTA Conferences

2018 STEM Forum & Expo

• Philadelphia July 11–13

Dive into Three-Dimensional Instruction Workshop

• Philadelphia, July 14–15

2018 Area Conferences

• Reno, October 11–13
• National Harbor (MD), November 15–17
• Charlotte, Nov. 29-Dec. 1

2019 National Conference

• St. Louis, April 11-14, 2019

Follow NSTA

Media literacy

“Dinosaurs aren’t alive anymore” is a statement that may be spoken by young children as both a statement and a question. Do they really know that dinosaurs are no longer alive? Do they use evidence to support this idea? I asked small number of educators and parents to discuss with their children and yes, the children are certain that dinosaurs are not alive any more and they learned this from trusted sources—at school, from a sibling, and from books. Children may see images of dinosaurs in books, cartoons and documentaries about dinosaurs. They may view large models at museums and play some of the many apps featuring dinosaurs on digital devices. (There were almost no apps when I searched for “isopod” or “pillbug,” one of my favorite animals!) Some children become dinosaur experts as they learn from many resources and remember information about specific species and time periods. How do adults help children figure out what information is based on scientific research and physical evidence and which aspects of what they view may be embellished for entertainment? 

Making sense of any kind of media resource means being able to understand what we want to get from it, and the intentions of those who created the resource among other goals. Many thanks to the Technology and Young Children interest forum of the National Association for the Education of Young Children for holding Quarterly Meet Ups online, and bringing resources and conversation about “media literacy” to the attention of early childhood educators. In the May/June meet-up and Q&A follow-up session, many aspects of media literacy were discussed based on a talk by Faith Rogow, PhD. Rogow, founding President of the National Association for Media Literacy Education (NAMLE), and founder of Insighters Educational Consulting.

As a science educator I appreciate the focus on using evidence to support our claims, that is, telling why we think an idea is generally true. One of the basic understandings about the nature of science is “Scientific Knowledge is Based on Empirical Evidence.” See the overview matrix on page 5 of the APPENDIX H – Understanding the Scientific Enterprise: The Nature of Science in the Next Generation Science Standards NGSS.  We want children to be able to distinguish between statements that are not supported by data or are based on limited data (“worms have eyes because all animals have eyes”) and those that are based on observed and researched evidence (“I looked with a magnifier and didn’t see any eyes”).  We, and children, may still have some misconceptions but we have a path for learning that allows us to accept alternative explanations when we use critical thinking. Rogow talked about including discussion of the illustrations as well as the words while reading aloud to help children become media literate. She describes “the “ABC”s of media literacy—the foundational skills and knowledge that are the building blocks for the complex capabilities we want children to develop as they grow.” 

Read her description of what a media literate five-year-old can be expected to do and understand. These skills and understandings about asking questions and having evidence for ideas also support scientific learning.

I am just beginning to learn about “media literacy” and invite you to use the resources I list to learn along with me. Please list additional resources as comments!

Faith Rogow, PhD, Founder and Media Literacy Specialist, Insighters Educational Consulting

• Media Literacy in Action in the Early Years: Activity Ideas for Reasoning and Reflection, Webinar by Faith Rogow. October 28, 2015. Sponsored by the National Association for Media Literacy (NAMLE) and supported by the Pennsylvania Office of Child Development & Early Learning with Race to the Top Early Learning Challenge funds. See Key Questions matrix
• Chapter 7, “Media Literacy in Early Childhood Education: Inquiry-Based Technology Integration” in Technology and Digital Media in the Early Years: Tools for Teaching and Learning. 2015. NAEYC and Routledge 

National Association for Media Literacy Education (NAMLE)

• Definition of media literacy 
• Building Healthy Relationships with Media: A Parent’s Guide to Media Literacy 
• Friedman, Arielle (2016) “Three-Year-Old Photographers: Educational Mediation as a Basis for Visual Literacy via Digital Photography in Early Childhood,” Journal of Media Literacy Education, 8(1), 15 -31. 

National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)

• “Technology and Interactive Media as Tools in Early Childhood Programs Serving Children from Birth through Age 8,” a joint position statement of the National Association for the Education of Young Children and the Fred Rogers Center for Early Learning and Children’s Media at Saint Vincent College. January 2012. 
• Webinar on Technology and Interactive Media in Early Childhood Programs presented by Chip Donohue (Erikson Institute), Roberta Schomburg (Fred Rogers Center, St. Vincent College), and Sabrina Burroughs (Erikson Institute) November 2017 
• Donohue, C. & Schomburg, R. (2017). Technology and Interactive Media in Early Childhood Programs: What We’ve Learned from Five Years of Research, Practice and Observing Children. Young Children, 72(4), pp. 72-78. 
• Technology and Digital Media in the Early Years: Tools for Teaching and Learning. Editied by Chip Donohue, PhD. 2015. NAEYC and Routledge. 

Technology and Young Children (TEC) Center at the Erikson Institute

• Media Literacy in Early Childhood: A Critical Conversation
• Technology and Interactive Media for Young Children: A Whole Child Approach Connecting the Vision of Fred Rogers with Research and Practice by Katie Paciga, PhD and Chip Donohue, PhD.
•  Three Tips For Early Childhood Educators For Putting NAEYC/Fred Rogers Joint Tech Position Statement Into Practice.  

Please add additional resources and your experiences as comments!

For me, an hour spent outdoors in an interesting and pleasant-if-somewhat-challenging environment is satisfying in a unique way and cannot be compared with an hour spent learning through any kind of media, including listening to a book being read aloud, reading a book, viewing photographs, participating in a webinar, watching a video, or listening to a music recording. But I really appreciate having access to all these experiences and would not want to give up any of them. 

We are proud to be working with 2018 NSTA/NCTM STEM Teacher Ambassadors, who are here at NSTA’s headquarters this week participating in an intensive communications, media, and policy training designed to expand the classroom teacher voice at the local, state, and national levels. These dynamic teacher leaders bring a variety of experience and expertise and will lend their unique perspectives in support of STEM education.

So, who are these STEM teacher superstars? We asked if they could be a STEM superhero, what would be their superpower? Read on to find out what they had to say.

Nathan Auck 

Utah Department of Education 

“If I were a STEM superhero, my superpower would be the power of convergence. I’d be able to nimbly and effectively empower disparate groups of students to work together in exploring the insights that exists at the intersections of the study of math, science, engineering and technology.”

James Brown 

Sand Creek Middle School, Albany, New York

“If I were a STEM superhero, my superpower would be to create renewable energy wherever energy is needed and my superhero name would be Captain Sustainability.”

Peg Cagle 

Reseda High School, Los Angeles, California

“My STEM superpower would be the ability to make everyone see the beauty and wonder of mathematics so that no one would ever, ever again say ‘I am not a math person!’”

Patrick Honner 

Brooklyn Technical High School, New York, New York

“My STEM superpower would be X-ray Math Vision. With X-ray Math Vision, I can see the mathematics that underlies our every experience and encounter. And the best part of this superpower is that it can be taught to others!”

Brian Langley 

Novi High School, Novi, Michigan

“If I were a STEM superhero, I would possess the power of ‘super-observancy.’ I would have an uncanny ability to detect changes in nature, especially regarding turtles (for some reason).”

Alison “Sunny” Mall 

Homer High School, Homer, Alaska

“I’m a math teacher so I already have a superpower! But if I had to choose a SECOND superpower, I would choose the power to annihilate math anxiety in students with a single touch (and vaccinate them for all future math experiences).”

Maria McClain 

Deer Valley High School, Antioch, California

“My STEM superpower would be VISUALIZATION, the ability to SEE underlying mathematical concepts in all real life situations and transfer that vision to others. My mission is to touch each student and help them SEE, understand, and appreciate the beauty and magic of the mathematics that is all around us.”

Renae Pullen 

Caddo Parish Public Schools, Shreveport, Louisiana

“If I were a STEM superhero, my power would be a ‘metacomplexus.’ I’d have the ability to solve difficult real-world problems and design innovative solutions in nanoseconds.”

Richard Velasco 

Lincoln Middle School & Pullman High School, Pullman, Washington

“If I were a STEM superhero, my STEM superpower would be teleportation, including being able to teleport anything or anyone that I’m holding. The ability to teleport instantly would be very convenient in enabling global collaboration in solving STEM-related problems.”

Camilla Walck 

Princess Anne High School, Virginia Beach, Virginia

“If I were a superhero, I would want my power to be the ability to make others see how their daily actions influence the environment. I would make them fall in love with nature and open their eyes to the beauty of all it has to offer.”

Imagine if you were asked what technology would look like in two decades. Through our ExploraVision science competition, that very same question has fueled over 400,000 young minds in the U.S. and Canada for 26 years. This year, nearly 5,000 students from Kindergarten through 12^th grade imagined ways to solve or treat common issues in agriculture, healthcare, energy storage and much more.

For over two decades, Toshiba America and the National Science Teachers Association have joined forces through ExploraVision to encourage the next generation to think big and have a role in shaping a better future. We believe that investing in early STEM education and project-based learning can foster a lifelong passion for innovation that leads to scientific breakthroughs.

From June 7-8, we gathered all eight ExploraVision winning teams in Washington, D.C. to exhibit their forward-thinking projects to elected officials, members of the media, and Toshiba Corp executives. From finding a potential cure for Cystic Fibrosis to increasing the efficiency of electric cars, this year’s national ExploraVision winners truly proved themselves to be the future generation of STEM changemakers.

Rethinking the Future of Solar Energy

Science is all about paving the way for a brighter future, and these high school students from Ward Melville High School in East Setauket, NY are doing just that—with sun. They envisioned a way to improve the efficiency of solar energy using 3D printed carbon nanotubes. Now that’s what we call clean technology.

Ending Lupus with Two-Drug Combination Therapy

A cure for Lupus has long eluded scientists and medical professionals, but these Academy of Arts and Sciences high school students from Granada Hills, CA decided to tackle the disease with a combination of pre-existing therapies. The two-drug cell therapy these young health scientists invented could shape healthcare in 20 years.

A New Way to Treat Autism with Wearable Technology

Inspired by a classmate with Autism, these students from Saint Anthony’s High School in South Huntington, NY developed a way for people on the spectrum to navigate confusing social situations. The EMREC smart bracelet they invented creates fun, personalized therapies for patients to improve emotional recognition abilities. Wearable devices that incorporate IoT and Bluetooth technology are the future of healthcare.

Making Language Visual with Augmented Reality

Imagine a world where everyone could understand each other, and language wasn’t a barrier to communication. That’s exactly what this sibling duo from The Gagie School in Kalamazoo, MI had in mind when they developed their Word Watch headset. This augmented reality headset/goggle combination can translate any verbal words into a visual text the wearer understands. Word Watch ultimately helps improve personal or professional relationships globally.

Treating Cystic Fibrosis with Nano-Sponge Technology

When these middle school students from Plainview-Old Bethpage Middle School in Plainview, NY learned their Vice Principal’s granddaughter suffered from Cystic Fibrosis, the turned empathy into innovation. The CFAST system uses nano-sponge technology to absorb excess mucus in patients’ lungs, leading the world one step closer to finding a cure for CF.

Maximizing the Efficiency of Electric Cars

At Toshiba, we know the future of transportation rests on electric vehicles. Similarly, middle schoolers at St. Brother Andre School in Ottawa, Canada found a more sustainable way to harness energy. Their Perpetual Energy Motor makes electric vehicles more efficient between charges to better manage energy. This motor could become a reality in the next several years.

Improving Crop Yield with IoT Devices

As the world’s population continues to grow, how can farmers modernize agriculture? These elementary school students from L.D. Batchelder School in North Reading, MA think the answer lies in wireless IoT devices. The iSWARM would use sensors to give farmers updates about the health of their crops in real-time. Over time, this will help improve crop yield and change the face of agro-technology.

A Unique Smart Toilet to Manage Illness

These elementary school students from St. Thomas the Apostle in Miami, FL believe that many illnesses could be prevented if symptoms were detected early on. That’s why they invented the Smart Toilet, which monitors bodily fluids and sends results to a smartphone app. With this kind of technology, the future of healthcare becomes more personal and meaningful.

The ground-breaking work these national ExploraVision winners created is a testament to the importance of encouraging scientific exploration in young students. We are proud to provide them with educational savings bonds and other prizes to inspire their next big ideas. Learn more about ExploraVision.

Photos Courtesy of Jax Photography

How can you check for understanding during a lecture to make sure it is engaging?
—S. Ohio

Although I hated lecturing, I often felt the need to do so, particularly in advanced grades. My advice is to keep direct instruction short and avoid mindless note-taking. Some things I can suggest:

• Have students complete anticipation guides, a reading, KWL (Know, Want-to-Know, Learned) chart, or hand-in questions related to the topic.
• Break up the lecture into smaller segments and have them complete an activity between the segments. As a student teacher my cooperating teacher taught me that a student’s attention span in minutes is equal to their grade level!
• Hand out Cloze-format notes (blanks where key words or phrases occur) that the students fill in as the lecture progress
• Have ‘’students respond to specific “buzz words” during the lecture to receive a small reward such as stickers or a treDevelop a mantra for the big idea of the lecture that everyone chants at intervals: “Space is really big!” ”Everything is made up of atoms!” “Living things need energy!”
• Ask students to hold up small whiteboards or paper with happy, sad or neutral emojis indicating their understanding. An alternative is holding up a green, yellow or red card small enough to cup in their hand.
• If the technology is available, use polling software to get responses as you go.

Don’t overlook the importance of note-taking! Use a graphic organizer like the Cornell system to help them learn.

Hope this helps!

Image credit: muhammed_hassan via pixabay

This week in education news, Project Lead The Way unveils a new end-of-course assessment that will test students soft skills as well as their knowledge of STEM subjects; despite a relatively steady rise in per-pupil funding, real teacher salaries rose just 7 percent since 1970, and have been largely flat since 1990; Iowa allocated $1 million to train computer science teachers; evolution and climate change skeptics lose battle over science textbooks in Florida; four senators challenge funding for global warming education programs; California legislative committee approves a bill that would provide teaching candidates willing to commit to teaching science or math curriculum for four years a state grant of $10,000; and 82% of teachers believe technology enhances learning.

STEM-Focused Program Will Test High-Schoolers’ Soft Skills

Project Lead The Way announced its new End-of-Course Assessment, the first of its kind to measure high school students’ mastery of the skills most critical for college and career success — including problem solving, critical and creative thinking, collaboration, communication, and ethical reasoning and mindset — in addition to their knowledge of STEM subjects. Read the brief featured in Education DIVE.                                                                                           

Average Teacher Salary Is Below The Living Wage In Half The Country, Report Says

In more than half the states, the average teacher is not making a living wage, a new report says. In this report, researchers at the nonprofit Education Resource Strategies found that despite a relatively steady rise in per-pupil funding, real teacher salaries rose just 7 percent since 1970, and have been largely flat since 1990. Since the 2008 recession, per-pupil funding and real teacher salaries, both adjusted for inflation, have declined in most states. Read the article featured in Education Week.

‘It’s OK To Fail:’ How Indiana Teachers Are Rethinking STEM For The Real World

In Kraig Kitts’ biology classes, it’s OK to fail. “That’s science. That’s the nature of it,” said Kitts, a science teacher at Center Grove High School. “Sometimes we don’t know. As teachers, we have a lot of pressures that everything works, every time, 100 percent.” This is the message Kitts wants to send to his students. It’s also the message he wants to relay to other Indiana teachers. Kitts is the mastermind behind the Lilly Experience for Teachers in STEM, a two-day workshop for teachers of STEM designed to redefine the field by connecting math and science curriculum to real-world applications. Read the article featured in Chalkbeat.

Iowa Dedicates $1 Million To Train Computer Science Teachers

Iowa schools are encouraged to teach computer science in every grade, making it a subject of importance in K-12 education. Recently, the Iowa Board of Education adopted suggested computer science standards, which set learning goals for students. Many Iowa schools already include computer science lesson in some form. But not all do — so to help bridge that gap, the state is offering the voluntary standards and a new $1 million state fund for teacher training. Read the article featured in the Des Moines Register.

Evolution, Climate Change Skeptics Lose Battle Over Collier Science Textbooks

The Collier County School Board voted 3-2 to adopt a new batch of science textbooks after residents filed objections to more than a dozen of them. Four Collier residents opposed some of the textbooks, making arguments ranging from unbalanced views of evolution and climate change to inaccurate racial depictions of science experts. Read the article featured in the Naples Daily News.

Insights Into Early STEM Learning

The years from birth through primary school comprise a particularly rich time for encouraging the growth of curiosity and creativity necessary in later life for careers related to STEM. Fostering STEM learning at an early age helps children develop a can-do attitude toward careers in these fields. However, learning needs to be developmentally appropriate. Furthermore, educators need guidance and support to create positive STEM education experiences for children. Read the article featured in Forbes.

Does Harrisburg Value The ‘S’ In Pennsylvania STEM Education?

Recently, Harrisburg has been making some welcome progress on the STEM and education fronts for the state. But we’ve only scratched the surface of what we need to do to provide competitive K-12 STEM education in Pennsylvania. Read the article featured in The Philadelphia Inquirer.

GOP Senators Challenge Funding For Global Warming Education Program

Four Republican senators called for an investigation of National Science Foundation grants, saying the federal agency had ventured beyond science and into political advocacy, particularly with its support of a program to encourage TV weathercasters to report on global warming. The four senators called for a probe by the foundation’s inspector general, saying the $4 million program to increase climate reporting by meteorologists “is not science – it is propagandizing.” Read the article featured on the NBC News website.

STEM Teacher Shortage Bill Advances

Teaching candidates willing to commit to teaching science or math curriculum for four years would receive a state grant of $10,000 under a bill approved by a key legislative committee. AB 2186 by Assemblyman Tony Thurmond, D-Richmond, would cost $30 million in state funds overall—a significant reduction from the $200 million that was originally proposed. The bill would also provide $5 million to cover program oversight, which would be performed by a local educational agency selected by the Commission on Teacher credentialing. Read the article featured in K-12 Daily.

Study: 82% Of Teachers Believe Tech Enhances Learning

A new MidAmerica Nazarene University survey of 1,000 teachers with at least five years of classroom experience found that 82% believe tech enhances learning, but that 70% also face “persistent” disruptions due to smartphones. The researchers, who wanted to get a better idea of how classroom technology is being used, also found that around 56% of educators reported their tools and resources are tech-based, with 42% of assignments still done by hand, and 66% said technology improved students’ productivity and engagement. Read the brief featured in Education DIVE.

How A Classics Education Prepares Students For A Modern World

With modern challenges, such as cyber-bullying or the increasing cost of medicine, a classical education, with its focus on philosophy and inquiry, can offer students the opportunity to gain knowledge and develop innovative thought, while examining issues through a moral lens. But how does a philosophy that has been taught for centuries stay relevant in an education age immersed with iPads and apps, and careers driven by the digital economy, automation and personalization? The need for thoughtfulness in our technocentric world extends beyond the creation and use of new tools. Today, students are charged with shaping policy and fighting injustice, and have endless information, and misinformation, pushed to them. Read the article featured in EdSurge.

Makerspaces Necessitate Greater Mindfulness Of Gender Bias In STEM

Despite the popularity of makerspaces, a new report from Drexel University finds that women are underrepresented in leadership roles, holding just 24% of positions, with 25% fewer girls taking part in makerspace projects in high school. The report also found gender bias in the way teachers speak of their students, referring to boys as “geek” or “builders” but to girls as just “girls.” Read the brief featured in Education DIVE.

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.

Follow NSTA

Guest blogger Anne Lowry teaches preschool in Reno, Nevada. She has been teaching for over twenty years, drawing on her undergraduate background in archeology and geology, and her masters in early childhood education, to create a classroom full of inquiry.

Welcome Anne!

This past school year has been an amazing example of the power of phenomenon based learning.  My preK class became interested in light due to learning about and observing the 2017 Solar Eclipse, and continued with light throughout the rest of the school year.  Their curiosity about light spread to other classes—light was chosen as the theme for our “summer camp”. 

But why has the phenomenon of light been so powerful?  I looked at this question from three different angles.  First, I looked at the writings on phenomenon based learning.  Second, I observed and documented my students’ work. Third, I talked with my students about their thinking.

Painting backgrounds to show the passage of time (changes in light) for a 3-D art project.

To better understand this story, let me take you on a brief journey through this past school year.  After viewing the 2017 Solar Eclipse, the students  asked lots of questions about light.  They invited several people, including a research physicist and an eye doctor to visit and discuss their questions.  The discussions with these experts led to more questions and new investigations, where the students looked at the relationships between light and energy. They looked at light as a way of measuring time, focusing mostly on sunlight shadows and the shades of blue in the sky, and explored how artists use light to give time clues.

Using a light tube to look for the light, seeing it when an object is inserted in the opening.

The students were interested in how light moved. They remembered exploring sounds using an oscilloscope which had reminded two children of waves at the beach. Another classmate was not originally convinced of the wave analogy, so they dropped pebbles in water at the water table to see the waves. Using these experiences as analogies they decided that light moves in waves which led to questions about wind and electricity, which then led to exploring plumbing and construction.  They were particularly interested in the visibility of light.  They spent considerable time using a “light tube” made of a dark non-reflective material while shining a flashlight down inside it.  Looking into the tube through a hole in the side, there didn’t seem to be any light.  But if an object such as a child’s hand interfered with the light, the object became visible.  This led to lots of questions about light we can and can’t see. As my school is in the high desert, the many of the students were already aware of ultraviolet light, primarily from the standpoint of why sunblock and sunglasses were important. 

Using a UV flashlight to spot plastic prey in the water table.

They drew upon their experiences with sunglasses making objects more visible and remembered what the visiting eye doctor had said about sunglasses blocking ultra violet (UV) light.  They compared sunglasses and colored filters with both LED and UV flashlights. (Do not let children shine lights directly into their eyes.) They became fascinated by the different wavelengths of light as they explored how UV and fluorescence are used to capture attention. They noticed which colors and color combinations they could see better from a distance.  They commented that several color combinations seem to blend together while others “hurt my eyes!”.   This developed into an ongoing discussion about visual literacy and meanings. This was a great example of the teacher co-learning with the students.  We all brought in different materials such as clothing, packaging material, advertising material, logos, old license plates, and similar items. The students tested these with both LED and UV flashlights, taking notes, and drawing conclusions. One of the most discussed was that their favorite restaurants all had red in the logos, which they could see from far away.  The students were surprised by how bright purple and white became, and concluded that those signs would be very visible at night or on stormy days.

Towards the end of the year the students were expanding investigation of light into explorations of plants and animals.  They created their own UV flowers for bees to find, and researched how animals use the UV range of vision to find prey and avoid dangers.  During the different investigations the students used a variety of resources:  personal observation, library books, family interviews, and the internet.  The last was also used for lessons of source reliability.  Some of the class favorites include:

Arizona State University: Ask a biologist. The Visible and Non-visible Light Spectrum

 NOVA Next, article about how animals perceive power lines

Arizona State University: Ask a biologist. How Do You Know If an Animal Can See Color?

Students working on one color test using a UV flashlight.

This led to an action campaign on behalf of eagles, who can be damaged by both wind turbines and power lines as they fly.  One of the students remembered that by putting a purple filter in front of an LED flashlight, clothing color changed.  After reminding other classmates of this, especially how purple tennis shoes turned pink, the  students created color tests using construction paper, paints, and a UV flashlight.  

Once they had determined that purple showed the least change to their eyes, they composed and edited a letter which was sent to various local, state, and national organizations asking them to paint wind turbines purple, which would be visible but not distracting to an eagle.  These letters were sent, and the class received serious replies.

It was an amazing year.  But why?  This was a good group of average students at a supportive school. Why had this specific class kept the focus on light?

Was this due to starting with a phenomenon?  Everything in my notes came back to that:  beginning the year with the eclipse. I reviewed what I knew of phenomenon and phenomenon based learning, and found the NGSS brief on phenomena described my class’ experiences exactly.  My students had taken an observable event, extended the event, and spent the rest of the year figuring out the properties of light.

The description in the brief also matched what I had observed and documented throughout the year. To be sure, I reviewed discussions I had had with the students throughout the year, and then held several “year in review” reflections with my students.  

But there were additional factors in why the phenomena of the eclipse was so powerful:

The eclipse phenomena was theirs.  They had experienced it in person.  They thought as scientists do as they came with up with their own questions, made models, tested ideas and communicated the results.

The power of the phenomena went even further.  The students realized they could do research.  They had talked to “real scientists” and had their questions answered through in class visits Not only could they do research, but they could use their research to solve a problem they saw.  They had taken part in group scientific writing, and translated that into letters suggesting a specific course of action based on their research and had received serious responses.  

The investigations of phenomenon were powerful for my students because they allowed them to emulate scientists and take charge of their own scientific journey.  And that is the reason why one of this years’ students can’t wait to go to high school so, “I can do science there every day in a big lab!” and why the majority of my class now want to be scientists when they grow up.

Reference:

Using Phenomena in NGSS-Designed Lessons and Units

I was wondering how other teachers implement technology in the classroom? I think that simulations have the ability to encourage student inquiry, but often their presence seems to distract students from the learning. What are your thoughts?
—K., Wisconsin

There are many different kinds of technology in addition to laptops and tablets. Smartphone apps, sensors, meters, and cameras can have great impact on learning. Spreadsheet programs, video-editing, photo-manipulation, and desktop publishing all have a place in the science classroom. The big thing to remember is that it is not the technology that is important but how you use it in science education.

When using any technology there has to be a purpose. With simulations, I also planned a debriefing and a review assignment. Make sure you know what you want the students to learn from the simulation.

I have used technology many ways, including:

• graphing lab data using spreadsheets;
• video analysis of moving objects using cell phones;
• measuring the heat of flames, beakers and boiling water using infrared thermometers;
• using electronic probes to measure distance, velocity, temperature, oxygen, carbon dioxide, light, magnetic fields, and more;
• photographing specimens through a microscope or telescope;
• scripting, filming and editing public service announcements, mini-documentaries or science shows;
• creating websites and wikis to highlight and discuss issues;
• creating brochures, pamphlets and posters;
• programming microprocessors such as Arduino technology to use various electronic sensors ; and
• video conferencing with scientists.

Hope this helps!

Photo Credit: U.S. Navy