Establishing close communication with families is an objective for early childhood educators and the programs they work in (NAEYC, ECERS-R, Head Start). You might be connecting with family members when greeting children at the door to the classroom in the morning or at pick-up time at the end of the day, sending email and paper newsletters, posting on school social media sites, and holding school open houses and parent-teacher conferences. A consistent connection at drop-off can ease the transition from home to school.

In the April/May 2016 issue of Science and Children I wrote about a practice at the Clarendon Child Care Center in Arlington, Virginia where teachers use a “Question of the Day” to connect with families in the morning drop-off time and stimulate children’s thinking about a topic. The questions are written on a large pad of paper where families can draw or write, if they choose, during morning arrival. The topics of the questions can refer to an on-going investigation or recent weather event, be a prompt for a new activity, or be a question asked by a child. Here are examples from the early childhood program. Click on a photo to see a larger version:

I might ask, “What does foam look and feel like?” when we are exploring how bubbles form and sponges absorb water. Or “What change might happen next in the growth of the Paw paw tree?” 

What additional questions would you add to a list for your program?

On August 21, 2017, the United States will be treated to the first total eclipse of the Sun visible in the country in almost 40 years.

Because the 2017 total eclipse will be visible only in the United States, it is known as The All American Total Solar Eclipse.

The spectacular total eclipse will only be visible in a narrow band about 60 miles across, stretching from a beach in Oregon to a beach in South Carolina.

However, everyone in North America will see a partial solar eclipse, where a “bite” will be taken out of the Sun.

On August 21, 2017, some school districts will already have started the fall semester, while others will still be on summer break. If you are planning to travel to see the total eclipse, it may be too late, as many of the hotels and campgrounds in the eclipse path have already been reserved by astronomy enthusiasts.  However, now is the right time to start planning for how you can make the solar eclipse a centerpiece of your science teaching during the coming year.

First of all, you will want to download the free 8-page Eclipse Observing Guide published by the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA).

This will give you all the basic information you need: The cause of eclipses, where and when you can see the 2017 eclipse, what time it will happen in each part of the United States, and how to help students observe it safely (including how to get inexpensive, but safe glasses). Feel free to share copies of the booklet or its URL with colleagues, plus students and their families.  (When you look at the map of the total eclipse path, if you find you have relatives or friends in that zone, now may be the time to start being REALLY nice to them.)

Next, you can start deciding how to incorporate the Sun, Moon, and eclipses into your 2016-17 curriculum, so you can make the most of this wonderful teachable moment.  NSTA realized that this would be great timing to publish a book full of hands-on experiences and teaching resources for educators, Solar Science: Exploring Sunspots, Seasons, Eclipses, and More.

Solar Science provides detailed experiences and information that will not only prepare you and your students for the eclipse, but also give you the tools you need to convey key science concepts associated with the eclipse: the motions of the Moon and Sun in the sky, the causes of the Moon’s phases, how these relate to the causes of an eclipse, and the reason we had to wait 40 years to see another total solar eclipse in the United States.  All of experiences in the book are aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)  and use the 5E instructional model.

But we hope your eclipse teaching activities will not be limited to your students.  We know that people learn best what they teach others, so please consider having your students become eclipse experts to their families, to other classes, or to your whole school.  If you get ambitious, they (and you) could link up with your local library or community center to become a resource to the entire community.  You could:

• Host an eclipse observing party at your school that includes information, demonstrations, and safe observing. For example:
  • Start the party before the eclipse begins and have eclipse glasses or materials available for everyone to make their own pinhole sun-projector.
  • Connect with your local amateur astronomy group to see if they will set up telescopes to observe the eclipse. Check out the Night Sky Network to find if there is an amateur astronomy group near you.
  • Follow the instructions in the NSTA Observing Guide to have binocular stations to project images of the Sun.
  • Sell eclipse viewing glasses as a school fundraiser (See web links for bulk purchase of glasses in the Eclipse Observing Guide).
• During the weeks leading up to the eclipse, offer to do public sessions at the local library or community center, where you share ways to observe the eclipse safely or have them build pinhole sun projectors. This is another place to set up binoculars to show how to safely view the eclipse and/or to sell eclipse viewing glasses.

No matter what you decide to do, we wish you a cloudless, safe eclipse, and an educational event that will be remembered by your students for the rest of their lives.

Dennis Schatz was for many years the Senior Vice President of the Pacific Science Center in Seattle, and is the author of 23 science books for children. He was program director for science education at the National Science Foundation from 2011 to 2015, before returning to Pacific Science Center as Senior Advisor.  (See www.dennisschatz.org for more information)

Andrew Fraknoi is the Chair of the Astronomy Department at Foothill College in the San Francisco Bay Area and a former Executive Director of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific.  He is the lead author of a college astronomy textbook and appears frequently on local and national radio programs explaining astronomical developments.

Solar Science is published by NSTA Press and is available in the NSTA Science Store.

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

Future NSTA Conferences

NGSS Workshops

• Discover the NGSS, San Diego, June 29–30
• NGSS Summer Institute, Reno, July 15
• NGSS Summer Institute, Detroit, Aug. 8
• Discover the NGSS, Fall 2016 & Spring 2017

2016 STEM Forum & Expo

• Denver, July 27–29

2016 Area Conferences

• Minneapolis, October 27–29
• Portland, November 10–12
• Columbus, December 1–3

2017 National Conference

• Los Angeles, March 30–April 2

Follow NSTA

Parent groups have claimed that the specific needs of students with dyslexia—a learning disorder affecting the ability to read—are often unaddressed because educators don’t know enough about the condition. The parents also say schools can be reluctant to use the term in relation to learning disabilities addressed by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Recently, parent groups have been using the Twitter hashtag #saydyslexia to draw attention to their claims (see “On the web”).

The grassroots effort elicited a response from the federal government, saying that states, school districts, and educators should not avoid describing a particular student’s learning needs as related to dyslexia (OSERS 2015).

A step in the right direction

“There is nothing in… IDEA that would prohibit the use of the [term] dyslexia… in IDEA evaluation, eligibility determinations, or IEP [individualized education program] documents,” according to OSERS’s “Dear Colleague” letter to educators (OSERS 2015).

A student’s IEP “must be accessible to the regular education teacher and any other school personnel responsible for its implementation, and these personnel must be informed of their specific responsibilities related to implementing the IEP and the specific accommodations, modifications, and supports that must be provided.”

Dr. Bill Cassidy, a U.S. Senator from Louisiana, says the OSERS response “is a step in the right direction, but there’s still more work to be done. Scientific data shows that we can help students with dyslexia reach their educational potential by providing them with an evidence-based curriculum” (Cassidy 2015).

A common misconception

A common misconception about dyslexia is that letters or words seem reversed, such as the letter b appearing as d, says Dr. Mary Lou Gavin, senior medical editor for KidsHealth.org. “But the major problems with dyslexia are phonemic awareness, phonics, and rapid word recognition,” she says. “Dyslexia is not a visual problem. Dyslexia occurs because of subtle problems in information processing, especially in the language regions of the brain.”

To a person with dyslexia, Gavin says, words may seem like this:

Thew ord sare n otsp aced cor rect ly.
We spell wrds xatle az tha snd to us.
Sometimesallthelettersarepushedtogther.

Up to 17% of U.S. school-age children have dyslexia (Shaywitz 1998). When a comprehensive evaluation indicates a diagnosis of dyslexia, Gavin says, teachers can take steps to help, including

• offering reading assignments in audio formats;
• offering extra time for tests and homework;
• providing outlines, sharing notes, or recording lessons;
• providing customized learning aids and computer software; and
• connecting them with trained tutors.

“Students with dyslexia are often the target of bullies,” Gavin says. “Bullying and academic struggles could result in low self-esteem. It might be helpful to gently remind a student with dyslexia who’s struggling in class that the condition doesn’t mean he or she can’t achieve success in science.”

Famous people with dyslexia include Nobel Prize–winning molecular biologist Carol Greider, paleontologist Jack Horner, and polar explorer Ann Bancroft (YCDC 2016). Alexander Graham Bell, Pierre Curie, Thomas Edison, Albert Einstein, and Michael Faraday are often said to have had dyslexia, but they were not assessed with current diagnostic methods.

Michael E. Bratsis is senior editor for Kids Health in the Classroom. E-mail him with comments, questions, or suggestions.

On the web

For educators:
Factsheets on dyslexia, dyscalculia (learning problems related to math), dysgraphia (learning problems related to writing), and 63 other conditions that can affect learning: http://bit.ly/1TQalLl
Neural mechanisms in dyslexia: http://bit.ly/1Xg7kE8
SayDyslexia (SD): www.SayDyslexia.org
Study strategies for students with dyslexia: http://bit.ly/1Q5z2Uz
Teacher with dyslexia offers insight to fellow educators: http://bit.ly/1WaZ6vE
TED-Ed lesson on dyslexia: http://bit.ly/1y9Pfif
The Big Picture documentary film:
http://bit.ly/1aucmJ2

For students:
Bullying: http://bit.ly/1PM4Yep
Dyslexia: http://bit.ly/1T3FA4Y
Learning disabilities: http://bit.ly/1SG32qC
Self-Esteem: http://bit.ly/1dvg6pK

References
Cassidy, B. 2015. Cassidy: OSERS guidelines on dyslexia is a step in the right direction, but more needs to be done. http://1.usa.gov/20kpwfK
Shaywitz, S.E. 1998. Dyslexia. The New England Journal of Medicine 338: 307–312. http://bit.ly/1SEESN6
U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services (OSERS). 2015. Dear colleague: Dyslexia guidance. http://1.usa.gov/1MJaskM
Yale Center for Dyslexia and Creativity (YCDC). 2016. An index of successful dyslexics. http://bit.ly/1xtRg8v

Editor’s Note

This article was originally published in the April/May 2016 issue of The Science Teacher journal from the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA).

Get Involved With NSTA!

Join NSTA today and receive The Science Teacher, the peer-reviewed journal just for high school teachers; to write for the journal, see our Author Guidelines and Call for Papers; connect on the high school level science teaching list (members can sign up on the list server); or consider joining your p
eers at future NSTA conferences.

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

Future NSTA Conferences

NGSS Workshops

• Discover the NGSS, San Diego, June 29–30
• NGSS Summer Institute, Reno, July 15
• NGSS Summer Institute, Detroit, Aug. 8
• Discover the NGSS, Fall 2016 & Spring 2017

2016 STEM Forum & Expo

• Denver, July 27–29

2016 Area Conferences

• Minneapolis, October 27–29
• Portland, November 10–12
• Columbus, December 1–3

2017 National Conference

• Los Angeles, March 30–April 2

Follow NSTA

As early childhood educators, no matter what program we teach in or administer, we want to help children build knowledge of the world through experiences, teacher-supported investigations, and direct teaching. A conversation I had recently with a teacher made me think about how we balance direct teaching with open exploration:

Teacher: So, as I thought more about your question about what scares me about teaching this new science unit, I think I crystalized it more. I hate to be the one shoving information down to the children. I love it when they discover new things—learn something exciting. When I don’t know the information as well, I am not as comfortable with their discovery process. I’m sure that’s being an old dog learning new tricks, but I think that’s more what I’m feeling.

Peggy: One thing that comforts me when I am teaching children and I want them to get science content knowledge as well as experience, is remembering that this is just a beginning not high school graduation. They will have time to learn more facts and understand the concepts. I am not their only chance! Thank you for being brave and exploring new territory. The NSTA position statement on Early Childhood Science Education affirms that children are capable, often more capable than we teachers realize. When we check for understanding through conversations, reflecting on photographs, or having them draw and talk about their picture, we can find out if our teaching is effective.

I was reminded of how children will continue to build their understanding as they move through their school years when following a discussion on the NSTA physical science education listserv about teaching ninth graders about sound. I thought, “Children begin that work in infancy and I help them build on it in their preschool years!” The NSTA member listservs provide a wonderfully supportive community for growing as a teacher of science.

Given how much the two-to-three year olds that I work with love to use musical instruments, I thought exploring how metal objects sound in water would capture their interest and focus. This activity was inspired by the work of Alec Duncan, early childhood educator (and musician) in western Australia, who uses many instruments, makes instruments and explores sound in unique ways. Alec has a wealth of information and experience that he generously shares on his social media sites, including a blog post and video about making sound at the water table.

Very interestingly, both the 2-3 year old and the 4-5 year old children did tap on the metal bowls but they were mostly interested in stirring and mixing and creating imaginative meals! While stirring and pouring, they observed the flow of the water and we briefly discussed volume–how much water could fit, interweaving science and math into the imaginative play about making meals. I wonder what the next step might be? Add measuring cups with numbers on them? Make the water deeper? Add real drumsticks instead of chopsticks to promote more tapping?

Like the teacher in the conversation quoted above, I feel I may be going too fast, trying to impart information before the children have had time to understand the properties of the objects and water through open exploration. I’m going to re-read the “Resources” section in Exploring Water with Young Children (Young Scientist series) by Ingrid Chalufour and Karen Worth to refresh my understanding of science inquiry in early childhood. “Inquiry is about questions, but it is hard for children to ask questions about something if they haven’t had a change to get to know the thing or the materials or the event, whether it is balls rolling, snails, or water flow. So the first stage in the framework is to engage, notice, wonder and question—it is a time for children to play, to see what they already know, to mess about in a rich environment with little direct guidance or structure.”

What next steps would you suggest?

——————————————————————————————————-

Chalufour, Ingrid and Karen Worth. 2005. Exploring Water with Young Children (Young Scientist series) St Paul, MN: Redleaf Press.

Do you have a great science teaching idea you want to share with peers? If so, consider writing for NSTA’s journals. Calls for papers for NSTA’s science education journals are online. The NSTA journals cover all grade levels, so no matter which grade level you teach or would like to write for, NSTA has you covered. Each journal does have its own set of guidelines, so please look them over in the author guidelines section before you submit your proposal. Getting your article published in a peer-reviewed NSTA journal looks great on your c.v. so don’t wait, enhance your career today. Below are calls with approaching deadlines, and more are available online.

Call for Papers: Science and Children

April/May 2017: Matter and its Interactions (NGSS: PS1)
Deadline October 1, 2016
Although the NGSS identifies an end point in grade 8 as understanding that all substances are made of about 100 different types of atoms that combine in different ways, the concept of atoms is not introduced in grades preK–5. However, there is a great deal of knowledge concerning matter that can be introduced and developed during these years. This base of learning provides the scaffolding needed to continue to develop an understanding of atoms as this core idea is introduced in middle school. Understanding matter and its interactions can begin in early years with investigating observable properties of materials through analysis and classification.The fifth grade development of this core ideas focus on structure and properties of matter and chemical reactions and ends just short of investigating nuclear processes and the structure of particles that are unseen.

• Describe investigations concerning the concept that materials are similar and different from one another. Explain how students measure or quantify the similarities and differences.
• Identify strategies to support the concept that properties of the materials relate to their use.
• Explain types of experiences students have in the use of a variety of materials to create working models.
• Provide investigations involving changes matter undergo through heating or cooling.
• Illustrate how students experience creating and analyzing new substances by mixing two or more different substances.

Call for Papers: Science Scope

March 2017: Our Sun and Beyond the Solar System

Submission deadline: October 1, 2016

Most students are fascinated with astronomy; the intersection between astronomy, mathematics, and mythology mark it as unique among the sciences. A total solar eclipse will occur from America’s coast to coast on August 21, 2017. Millions of people will be witness to this event, which lends itself to numerous explorations that are sure to get your students excited. Why not take advantage of this rare phenomenon to inspire your students while addressing the following performance expectation: Develop and use a model of the Earth-Sun-Moon system to describe the cyclic patterns of lunar phases, eclipses of the Sun and Moon, and seasons (MS-ESS1-1). Tell us how your students:

• Use models to investigate phenomenon and movement related to planetary objects
• Use investigations to convey safety procedures regarding observing the eclipse
• Use models and data to investigate topics beyond our solar system
• Understand how scientists use technology to observe and study the Sun

Call for Papers: The Science Teacher

Eclipse!

SUBMISSION DEADLINE: October 1, 2016

On August 21, 2017, a rare total eclipse of the Sun will cross the United States from Oregon to South Carolina, passing through Idaho, Wyoming, Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, Kentucky, Georgia, and Tennessee along the way. Do you teach about eclipses and other astronomical events? Have you found ways to get your students excited about this upcoming eclipse? Have you discovered useful teaching resources? If so, why not share them with TST readers?

Engaging in Argument from Evidence

SUBMISSION DEADLINE: October 1, 2016

The Next Generation Science Standards point out that scientific knowledge is based on empirical evidence. Students “should have instruction that emphasizes why explanations are based on evidence,” and be expected “to use argumentation to listen to, compare, and evaluate competing ideas and methods based on their merits … using evidence to evaluate claims.”

• What strategies have you used to support argumentation in your science classes? Are your students provided with opportunities to recognize “bad science” and false claims in the media?
• What techniques do you implement to engage students in constructively critiquing their own argument and those of their classmates?

Learn more about NSTA journals.

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

Future NSTA Conferences

2016 Area Conferences

• Minneapolis, October 27–29
• Portland, November 10–12
• Columbus, December 1–3

2016 National Conference

• Nashville, March 31–April 3

Follow NSTA

My colleagues and I recently attended an NSTA conference. On the way home as we discussed what we learned, they suggested I share some of the successful activities I do in the classroom, but I’m not sure that others would be interested. Plus, I’d be really nervous doing a presentation, and I’m not sure how to go about submitting a proposal. Can you talk me into this? —J., California

 I think your colleagues have done a good job to get you to consider presenting, since you’re asking me about it! So I’ll add to the pep talk based on my experience.

Even though teachers spend all day every day in front of students, we get nervous in front of other adults. This is normal. But I’ve found most conference participants are attentive and courteous to the presenters.

Teachers like to hear about practical, classroom-tested activities and strategies. They like to see examples of student projects and ideas they can use without special funding or complicated materials. And they really like hearing from colleagues who “walk the walk.” It sounds like you have ideas that would be worth sharing.

If the topic you choose is specific to your school, try to show how it could be adapted to other schools, grade levels, or geographic regions. Think about what format would work best for you: lecture, discussion, hands-on activities, demonstrations, or a combination of these.

Interacting with others is an important part of conferences, so I often include activities that foster discussion among participants, such as a bell-ringer question, a think-pair-share, or a gallery walk following a small group discussion. Doing an activity and then debriefing on the science or pedagogy behind it can help people develop the confidence to implement it themselves. Allow enough time for questions or comments during the presentation or at the end.

Conference proposals are typically due well before the conference to provide the organizers with time to select and schedule the sessions. See the guidelines and deadlines at Presenting at NSTA Conferences. Conferences usually receive more proposals than there are time slots, so follow the guidelines to improve your chances of being selected. Choose a topic that relates to the conference theme and the Next Generation Science Standards, if applicable.

Rather than using reams of paper handouts, many presenters share a brief outline and direct participants to a website with other resources. If you do need large handouts or materials for a hands-on activity, consider shipping them to your hotel ahead of time if you’re getting to the conference by plane or train. Use a wheeled suitcase to transport materials to and from the conference venue.

If you co-present with colleagues (and it sounds like you have colleagues who could be recruited), determine who will do each part and how to transition between presenters. Before the conference, do a dress rehearsal to finalize the time and flow of the presentation. Perhaps you could do this at a faculty or department meeting to get feedback from other teachers. Think of it as a formative assessment!

Most organizations do not compensate presenters and require conference registration. Be sure you and your co-presenters can get release time for the conference and ask if the school can assist with expenses.

Presenting at a conference is a professional accomplishment and a form of professional development. In addition to adding the conference to your vita, prepare a brief summary to share with your school administrators or for the school newsletter and ask about getting professional education credit for your experience.

Don’t give up if your proposal is not accepted. (I have a folder full of “we’re sorry” notes). It’s a challenge for the program committee to review and prioritize thousands of proposals. You can revise the proposal and resubmit at a later time or to a different conference.

My worst nightmare came true one year when I was assigned a Sunday morning slot at an NSTA conference (at least I was not in the same time slot as Bill Nye!). I worried if anyone would come. My nerves calmed when I realized there was a nice-sized group. In fact, I have yet to attend a Sunday session at an NSTA conference that was not well-attended. The preparation and anxiety were all worth it when several participants came up afterwards to say, “This is exactly what I need!