If you’re not a high school physics teacher, don’t put this issue aside! There are many ideas for interdisciplinary activities and strategies that apply to other subjects and grade levels. And many of them can be done even on a shoestring budget.
What Happens When You Flip a Switch? describes several activities for students to explore the nature of energy and how energy is produced. The author notes that these activities can be used by biology, earth science, and chemistry teachers as a introduction to topics in those subject areas. [SciLinks: Conservation of Energy, Kinetic Energy, Heat Engines]
We teachers want our students to experience success. In Rethinking Failure, the author makes a case for how “getting it wrong can increase students’ chances for getting it right” and “constructing meaning trumps being presented with meaning.” During a lesson on projectile motion, students made predictions, collected data, and discussed their misconceptions. The article provides some common misconceptions in other science subjects. [SciLinks: Projectile Motion]
Occasionally on the NSTA listserves and discussion forums, teacher pose questions about doing science activities with a limited budget. Inexpensive Equipment for the Physics Classroom* show how to make a ramp and use it for many activities related to physics concepts. In an era of sophisticated simulations and video games, this seeming simple project lets students experience these concepts first-hand. [SciLinks: Forces, Motion, Vectors, Acceleration]

Living in central Pennsylvania, I was interested in the simple Amish pull toy that forms the basis of the exploratory activity described in Toying Around*. Figuring out how the toy works is a version of the “mystery box” that is often used with younger students. Both of these strategies show students how scientists often must use indirect evidence to explain phenomena and draw conclusions. The authors note that they did this the day before a holiday break—a good use of this time—and suggest that it could also be a introductory activity on the nature of science. (And, yes, they do provide instructions for making the toy!)
Portfolios have been around for a while, but the authors of Physics Portfolios* show us what portfolio projects “look like” in a real classroom. They describe the components of the students’ portfolios and summarize this in a easy-to-understand table: unit pictures and essays, study guides, self-evaluations and evidence of learning, projects, and reflective essays (a rubric is available). The ideas could be adapted to other subjects.
Other articles of interest:

• Gamify AP Biology (Science 2.0) features an interview with Paul Anderson, the creator of the Bozeman Science series of science videos  He describes his efforts to add elements of gaming to his biology classes.
• Why Care About Wetlands? (The Green Room) has resources for helping students learn the value of these “ecological treasures.”  [SciLinks: Wetlands]
• Pushing Caffeine to Teens [SciLinks: Caffeine]
• This issue’s Career of the Month features an interview with a microscopist. The article notes two sites that have been featured in SciLinks: MicroscopyU and Molecular Expressions.

*Don’t forget to look at the Connections for this issue (November 2013). Even if the article does not quite fit with your lesson agenda, this resource has ideas for handouts, background information sheets, data sheets, rubrics, etc.

The House Subcommittee on Research and Technology began work on reauthorization of the America COMPETES Act with a hearing on Wednesday, November 13. Lawmakers are reviewing draft legislation introduced by committee Republicans to reauthorize this key legislation, which will coordinate federal STEM education programs and reauthorize research and science programs at the National Science Foundation (NSF), National Institutes for Standards and Technology (NIST), and the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP).
The STEM Education Coalition was invited to testify before the House Science Committee and share their views on the coordination of federal STEM education programs included in the Republican draft bill, which is titled the “Frontiers in Innovation Research, Science and Technology (FIRST) Act.”
In regards to STEM education, language in the FIRST Act:

• Prohibits NSF and NIST from implementing OMB-directed reorganization of STEM education-related  programs set forth in the FY 2014 budget request—in order to ensure better stakeholder input;
• Authorizes CoSTEM to consider priority areas for federal STEM funding and creates STEM Education Coordinating Office in the NSF Directorate for Education and Human Resources to support efforts for outcome-oriented STEM programs
• Creates a new STEM Education Advisory Panel to be comprised of stakeholders from education and industry sectors; and
• Recognizes importance of industry investment in STEM education.

The testimony presented by the James Brown, Executive Director of the STEM Education Coalition (NSTA chairs the Coalition) focused on issues related to the coordination and management of federal STEM education programs and the importance of stakeholder input into those plans. In his testimony Brown told lawmakers that “STEM education must be elevated as a national policy priority as reflected through education reforms, policies to drive innovation, and budgetary priorities,” and that “action on STEM education policy should match the rhetoric on its importance.”
In testimony, Brown also told the committee that “the federal STEM education portfolio is in need of a serious overhaul. There are currently more than 200 STEM education programs scattered across 13 different agencies, a huge portion of which fall under the jurisdiction of the Committee. A large fraction of these programs are quite small in scope. On the other end of the spectrum, the Department of Education’s Math and Science Partnership program—the largest federal program that is focused solely on STEM outcomes—has not been reauthorized in more than a decade. Many federal programs have limited data on outcomes and effectiveness and all of the programs in the current federal portfolio would benefit from greater cross-agency coordination and a better system of evaluation.”
Read the testimony submitted by the STEM Education Coalition.
Webcast of the hearing: See it here.
Read Press Releases about the hearing:
Republican release
Democratic release
Read coverage of the hearing:
FIRST Up: Lawmakers to Examine Bill Renewing U.S. Research (ScienceInsider)
House Hearing Skates over Big Disagreements on NSF Reauthorization (ScienceInsider)

Jodi Peterson is the Assistant Executive Director, Communications, Legislative, and Public Affairs for the National Science Teachers Association; and the Chair, STEM Education Coalition

After a lab activity I try to engage students in a discussion of their findings. I use a variety of strategies to involve the students, but I find they don’t really know how to have a meaningful discussion without interruptions, off-topic statements, or inappropriate language. Do you have any suggestions?
—Rosalie, Portland, Oregon
You didn’t mention your grade level, but I suspect this is an issue for both elementary and secondary teachers. Students are exposed to television talk shows in which people yell at and interrupt each other, make unsubstantiated claims, or call each other derogatory names. Texting and tweeting have replaced in-depth, face-to-face conversations. In some classrooms, a “discussion” may be limited to students giving short responses to teacher-directed questions. Students may try to dominate discussions by intimidating or making fun of other students. For many students, it’s much easier to laugh at another’s comment or say “You’re stupid!” than to present a meaningful alternative.
With a heavy focus on reading and writing, the other components of communication—speaking and listening—may be overlooked or taken for granted. And yet, being able to hold a conversation with others is an important skill in the real world. A recent Edutopia blog addresses this topic (Teaching Your Students How to Have a Conversation). These positive conversations contribute to an atmosphere of respect in the classroom, and students should come to understand their role in promoting this respect.
It’s important for teachers to model the expected type of conversation. Demonstrate the language students should use during a discussion: That’s an interesting observation because… Could you please explain that again? I don’t understand. Do you mean that… But what about… What would happen if… It’s been my experience that… I agree/disagree because… I would add that… What evidence do you have for… Could you add more about… (The Edutopia blog mentions that some teachers post these and other discussion stems in the classroom as a reminder for students.) Many of my middle and high school students were self-conscious about using this kind of language. There was a lot of eye-rolling and nervous laughter at first, and I had to be persistent (my students might say relentless) before everyone caught on.
I observed an elementary classroom in which the teacher used several discussion strategies to cut down on interruptions. A quick glance at the interrupter, a shake of the head, or a quiet signal discouraged some. In a particularly effective strategy, the student who was describing the findings of an investigation was given a microphone (a non-functioning one from the technology department). No one was allowed to say anything while that student had the mike. The student could then pass the mike to another who had a question or comment.

In a discussion, listening is as important as talking, and wait time is an effective strategy to promote listening. After you pose a question or discussion topic, wait a 4-5 seconds before calling on a student. Some students (including those for whom English is their second language) may need time to compose their thoughts. This seemingly “dead air” is actually thinking time, and research has shown students’ responses are often at a higher level of complexity. After a student’s response, use more wait time. During these few seconds the student may elaborate on the response, or another student may volunteer to contribute. Before your response, call on other students for follow-up: “Do you have anything to add?” or “Do you agree/disagree?” To acknowledge other students, before your feedback or comment you can say “I noticed your hand was up, too. What were you going to say?”
By creating an environment conducive for discussion in your classroom, you’re setting the stage for Engaging in argument from evidence, one of the Science and Engineering Practices in the Next Generation Science Standards. As students engage in investigations, they develop claims and support them with evidence. They use both verbal and writing skills to critique ideas, propose alternate explanations, and communicate their understandings.
See these NSTA blogs for more information, suggestions, and examples:
Argumentation

• Discourse and argumentation (Science Scope)
• Discourse and argumentation (The Science Teacher)
• Engaging in argument from evidence (Science & Children)
• Who doesn’t like a good argument?

Class discussions

• Everyone gets a chance
• Encouraging class participation

Photo: http://www.nsta.org/publications/news/story.aspx?id=52391

Does the way a child approaches finger-painting or eating a somewhat messy snack tell us anything about how she or he will approach building with blocks or participating in a science activity?

There are problem-solving tasks in all of these activities. If we tell children how to do a task, they may not discover other ways, or the best way for their style. Talking about their approach in a discussion may encourage them to try alternative methods and help them build experiences to apply to future problem-solving.
In the October  and November Early Years columns in Science and Children, I write about exploring the properties of materials and designing a tool to carry heavy objects and a tool (container) to carry a favorite food item. Why not try designing a new way to hold water or carry a slice of pizza? The activity can be part of an on-going investigation into the properties of materials (not only fabric but all kinds of “stuff”). The Next Generation Science Standards for K-12 states that by the end of second grade,   students should know that matter can be described by its observable properties and that different properties are suited to different purposes. Early childhood teachers of toddlers and preschoolers can support their developing understanding with open-ended experiences with a wide variety of materials for pouring, transferring, weighing, bouncing, stacking, balancing, cutting, taping, gluing, stapling, and tying teach children about the properties of “wetness,” texture, weight, stretch, strength, absorption, flexibility, and adherence.
We can support this investigation with discussion and in conversations by asking children what they found out about the material they used, did it work the way they wanted it to, and what materials might they try next time?
There is much to learn about materials through using them for many purposes.