JoinSafety Blog
Lab Incident at a Manhattan High School: Another Hard Safety Lesson to Learn
By Kenneth Roy
Posted on 2014-01-06
On January 2, 2014, a chemistry lab safety incident involving a fire injured students at Beacon High School in Manhattan (NYC). An article in The New York Times reported that two students were burned as a result of a fireball of methanol vapor created by a flame test demonstration, typically called the Rainbow. The students were sent to the hospital for medical care. This terrible accident adds to the list of safety incidents resulting from the same demonstration over the past few years.
It is absolutely tragic when students and/or school staff are injured as the result of a serious safety incident. Survivors live their lives with vivid memories and emotional and/or physical scars. In response to these accidents, there have been calls to cease hands-on science activities. This is a knee-jerk response and myopic vision. Think about it! Do we stop using cars on the highways because of automobile accidents? Do we stop flying in the sky because there have been airplane accidents? Obviously the answer to these questions is “no!” What we do is to try and make science labs SAFER; we need to help reduce or prevent future accidents by improving technology, altering human behavior, increasing safety training, and more.
Looking back at the recent lab incident and other laboratory accidents that have occurred in our schools, what is the lesson to be learned? How can we make it SAFER and how can we help reduce or prevent future accidents? Here are a few thoughts to consider and help us move in a SAFER direction while continuing the doing of science—the best way students learn it:
- Legal Safety Standards: There are legal safety standards which employers (boards of education) are required to follow. For example, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires schools under its jurisdiction with laboratories to provide ongoing employee training, appropriate engineering controls, updated administrative procedures, effective personal protective equipment, progressive discipline policies, and more under programs such as the Hazard Communications Program (29CFR 1910.1200) and the Laboratory Standard (29CFR 1910.1450). The purpose of these programs/standards is to create and maintain a safer working environment for employees, including science teachers. There are National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) fire safety standards which are adopted by state legislatures and applied to school employers relative to laboratory occupancy loads, fire suppression equipment, hazardous chemical storage, inspections, and so forth. Employers have a legal and moral obligation to address these safety standards, especially in areas like science laboratories that deal with chemical, biological, and physical hazards.
- Professional Best Safety Practices: Professions like education have safety standards that help guide science teachers to contribute to a safer working environment for themselves and their students. For example, the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) provides a safety portal with resources, journals with monthly safety columns that deal with current safety issues (The Science Teacher’s “Safer Science” and Science Scope’s “Scope on Safety”), safety seminars at regional and national conferences, safety webinars, books on laboratory safety, and much more.
- Training: Safety is a constantly changing landscape of which professionals like science teachers need to be aware. Unfortunately, much more needs to be done at the tertiary teacher preparatory level in this area. Few colleges and universities address pre-service safety training to the level needed. Employers also need to do more to provide ongoing safety training—especially for science laboratory employees. Training should extend beyond school employees. Students must have safety training before they pick up a test tube or light a burner in the lab. They also need to sign a safety acknowledgement form recognizing that the lab can be a dangerous place. In order to make it safer, safety protocols must be practiced and followed.
- Resources: The Internet can be a life changer, if not a life saver! There are a large number of safety resources online for science teachers. As part of their professional responsibilities, science teachers need to prepare properly prior to doing laboratory experiments and demonstrations. There are government safety websites, NSTA blogs, listservs, and much more available. But, teachers should be given time to review them. Schools must provide professional development time and training to make use of these resources.
- Supervision: According to OSHA and school district evaluation programs, employees require supervision. Safety needs to be a critical piece which is addressed on a regular basis. There must also be enforcement of all safety standards to reduce the frequency of incidents and make it a safer place to work and learn.
- Equipment: Along with training there are legal safety standards and professional best practices that require access, appropriate use, and inspection and repair/replacement of safety equipment specific to laboratories (e.g. chemical splash goggles, gloves, aprons, etc.) Also required are appropriate ventilation systems, fume hoods, fire extinguishers, etc.
- Inspections: Science labs should be inspected on a regular basis to help the science teacher make sure all things are operating and functioning safety-wise. Chemical hygiene officers, school district safety compliance officers, insurance carrier inspectors, the local fire marshal, commercial safety compliance inspectors, and OSHA compliance officers—these are just a few examples of people who are committed to safety and who can help science teachers make sure their labs are up to or surpass safety standards.
- Professional Preparation/Certification: Few states now require specific professional/academic preparation standards for each area of science. The bar has been lowered and we all are paying for it. Often “science” certified teachers are assigned classes in areas they have had little to no academic preparation in or experience in teaching. Legislators need to re-examine this whole issue and get back on track. Unlike other areas such as English and mathematics, we need to require specialized certificates in each of the many science education areas—physics, chemistry, biology, etc.
Re-occurring safety incidents and serious injuries are a symptom that the system is not functioning properly. Will all of these suggestions prevent safety accidents or incidents from occurring? Maybe not, but they would dramatically reduce their frequency and make for a much safer science lab experience for our children and our science teachers.
Dr. Ken Roy
Chief Science Safety Compliance Consultant/Author/Columnist, National Science Teachers Association
On January 2, 2014, a chemistry lab safety incident involving a fire injured students at Beacon High School in Manhattan (NYC). An article in The New York Times reported that two students were burned as a result of a fireball of methanol vapor created by a flame test demonstration, typically called the Rainbow. The students were sent to the hospital for medical care.
From new teacher to colleague
By Mary Bigelow
Posted on 2014-01-02
I’m a new teacher fresh out of college, and I took a job as a chemistry teacher in a different state. I had a good student teaching experience, so I’m okay with the students and the curriculum and I love the area, but as a newbie I feel isolated from the other teachers who already know each other. I want to establish positive relationships with the other teachers and staff, but I’m not sure how to start. (My school does not have a formal mentoring or orientation program.)
—Jason, Boston, Massachusetts
No matter where you teach, teaching can be a solo job. Unfortunately, once the classroom or lab door closes, you’re often on your own. But most teachers are helpful people. Your new colleagues and administrators want you to succeed, but they might be hesitant to offer advice, wanting not to offend you. They may not realize you’re new to the area. And they’re not deliberately ignoring you—they’re busy with their own challenges. Here are some things you can do to connect with your colleagues.
Greet other teachers (by name once you learn them) in the hallway or the faculty room. Re-introduce yourself and ask questions. Everyone likes to feel needed, and you can gather advice from veteran teachers: “How do you handle test make-ups?” “What do you do to engage students?” Even experienced teachers like to be recognized for their work: “Your bulletin board gave me some good ideas.” “My students were really excited about what you did in class yesterday.” This could open the door to more conversations. If teachers or administrators offer suggestions, don’t come across as a know-it-all (even if you do know it all!). If a teacher offers advice, thank them without saying “I already know that.”
During department or faculty meetings, as the “newbie” on the staff, you can observe the personal dynamics and listen to the conversations. But you don’t have to be a silent observer. Speak up and ask questions: “Why do we…?” “What would happen if…?” “What is the purpose of…?” These questions can lead to interesting discussions about school practices.
If you haven’t done so already, get on good terms with those many cite as the most important adults in the school—the office and custodial staffs. Office staff members are the “go-to” people if you have questions about school procedures, supplies, and deadlines. As a science teacher, the custodians are invaluable allies in maintaining a clean, safe, and secure lab. A friendly good morning and thank you are greatly appreciated. The school or district safety officer can also be an ally in maintaining your inventories and fostering safe practices in your lab.
Attend school functions such as plays, concerts, or sporting events. Many other teachers will also be there, and the students and parents will also appreciate your interest and support. You can also get to know other teachers by co-sponsoring an extracurricular activity or being part of a coaching staff.
If the opportunity arises, volunteer for a committee or task force. Join professional development study teams or book discussion groups. You can offer a fresh view of situations from the perspective of a newer teacher. You may have useful skills in technology, writing, or presenting. If you’re a recent graduate, your science content knowledge may include experience with cutting-edge topics.
There are those who suggest new teachers should stay out of the faculty room. I’ve been in dozens of them, and most are welcoming places where teachers socialize, relax, and talk to each other. Eat lunch with other teachers there instead of by yourself in your room (it’s not a good idea to eat in a lab, anyway). If you do find that the faculty room is a toxic pit, then by all means find someplace different to hang out. You’ll want to be around colleagues who have a positive attitude and a sense of humor.
If you’re invited to join a group for a cup of coffee or dinner, accept the invitation. These social activities help you to learn the culture of the school. Positive colleagues can provide emotional support and share their (mis)adventures as a beginning teacher.
And when you’re a veteran teacher, remember your experiences and extend a welcome to your new colleagues. They’ll appreciate it.
Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jeremywilburn/5229139935/
I’m a new teacher fresh out of college, and I took a job as a chemistry teacher in a different state. I had a good student teaching experience, so I’m okay with the students and the curriculum and I love the area, but as a newbie I feel isolated from the other teachers who already know each other. I want to establish positive relationships with the other teachers and staff, but I’m not sure how to start.
Cooking as science
By Peggy Ashbrook
Posted on 2013-12-31
On the winter solstice I took a walk through the yard and thought about the amount of sunlight that it receives throughout the year. Much less these days as the silver maple has grown many feet since the year my son made and tested a solar cooker as his science class project. After he was finished with the cooker I used it for a few years to make one-pot chicken and rice dishes. Read about other young children’s solar cooking exploration in the Council for Elementary Science International’s July 2012 newsletter (page 6).
Read about making ice cream and get book suggestions at the DC Public Library’s blog.
In the Early Years column in the December 2013 issue of Science and Children, I wrote about science concepts involved in cooking with young children. The children made ice cream following a recipe; touching, describing and classifying the ingredients; making measurements; and using their sense of touch to observe changes in temperature and consistency. The colder temperatures of winter make us think of warm drinks inside and frozen water outside. Explorations into changes in temperature can include “cooking” ice cream using common kitchen supplies–plastic bags, tape, salt, ice, cream and flavoring. Pair this activity using our sense of touch to observe changes in temperature with an outdoor activity such as putting cups of water in a place where they won’t be disturbed as freezing temperatures solidify the water into ice. Children also enjoy sliding ice cubes down ramps. They experience melting if they hold the ice cubes in warm hands or in warm weather.
Photo by Jamain
Maureen’s blog, “Pondering Preschool” tells how her class of three-year-olds used early literacy skills and design skills as they developed imaginative play extensions of a nutrition and cooking project. They also used engineering practices as they designed and built devices to get a great big turnip out of the ground, inspired by a version of the traditional tale first recorded by Alexei Tolstoy. (Listen to a second grade class tell the story here. They were inspired by Heather Forest’s telling of the tale.)
Safety precautions are also part of cooking—the safe smelling “wafting” technique of waving the smell of a substance towards you rather than sticking your nose into it, washing hands and tasting only in cooking, not science. Creativity and science come together in growing food, harvesting and preparing it. Do you have a cooking story to tell?
On the winter solstice I took a walk through the yard and thought about the amount of sunlight that it receives throughout the year.
Navigating the authority-figure/friend territory
By Mary Bigelow
Posted on 2013-12-27
At least these no longer apply!
What can I do to look and act more like a teacher and less like a student as I do my student teaching and begin my career? I’m wondering how to navigate the authority-figure/friend territory, especially in the case of high school students who are only a few years younger than I am.
—Lee, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Your appearance and demeanor won’t automatically make you a better teacher, but they can be factors in how students perceive you.
Be sure to dress professionally, even if the teachers in the school tend to have a more casual style. You can of course be stylish and comfortable, but save the tattered jeans, t-shirts with messages, very short skirts, flip–flops, and gym wear for other occasions. Be conservative in terms of hair and makeup, if you wear it.
In addition to attire, your confidence level adds to your professionalism. Stand up straight and look the students in the eye. Use correct grammar when speaking to them and avoid using a lot of slang (although once in while the students will get a kick out of it). Practice projecting your voice so you don’t have to scream to be heard in the back of the room. Proofread any written material you give to students and parents.
As a science teacher, you’ll want to model appropriate attire for the lab, too (no open-toed shoes or dangling jewelry). I know several science teachers who wear a white lab coat on lab days. Talk about an authority figure!
Here are some suggestions from the participants in a related NSTA discussion forum:
- From Patria: I like to dress appropriately in school, but it seems that the younger teachers are into the casual wear. It depends on the school culture where you are. After several years working at the high school, I am learning to dress casually (but appropriately) on casual days or spirit days. I think the best way is to act like most of the teachers and administrators at school.
- From Tina: Although professional dress is probably called for rather than casual, if you want to project that you are an adult you must do so through your actions. There will be adults in the building who’ll mistake you for a student (and as you get older you may wish that was still true!) but what is important is how your students perceive you in class. Even in high school, if you act kind and respectful and stick to your rules students will get the idea that you are a teacher and not a classmate.
- From Monica: My experience has taught me students will be very likely to follow instructions and work hard when they know how much you care about them.Once I started to relax and enjoy them everything fell into place.
- From Molly: One thing I tell my students is that while they are in our school, they are like my own kids. I’m like a mama bear at school, and they do call me Mama. We laugh about the fact that I’m not really old enough to be their mom, but that I care about them and want them to be successful. I’ve found my kiddos like having a parental figure at school. We can laugh, joke, share some issues, but they also know the look. Many say, “My mom gives me that look!” They know when I’m serious and we need to focus, and they know when it is OK to joke.
- From Sandy: How you present yourself physically is only a small part of having students respect you. You have to have confidence in what you do and say. Talk to students with professional yet friendly language. When you write notes on the board or in a lab notebook, don’t take shortcuts and use text language. Plan your lessons ahead of time and know where the obstacles are. Be prepared to lose electricity, have a fire drill, or only a portion of the equipment you thought you would have. In this day of technology at your fingertips, don’t “friend” students on Facebook or other social media. I know there are some teachers that do so with no ramifications, but I know a whole lot more that have gotten themselves in trouble.
Most teachers would admit that the first few years are the hardest. It takes a while for you to build a reputation with students. When you are starting out you have to decide what that reputation is going to be. I had a college professor in my methods course whose mantra was “Be a fair, firm, and friendly adult.”
Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/spicytimothy/2118949297/sizes/l/
At least these no longer apply!
Natural hazards
By Mary Bigelow
Posted on 2013-12-26
We’ve certainly had a variety of weather-related events in recent history: killer tornadoes, devastating hurricanes and floods, and fluctuating temperatures. But the “hazards” that are the focus of this issue are those related to forces that have the potential to shape and reshape the surface of the earth. The content, practices, and crosscutting concepts described in the articles relate to the NGSS performance expectation MS-ESS3-2 Earth and Human Activity.
Many teachers have students create erosion models. Authentic Landscapes Indoors: Using Erosion Models to Connect Science and Engineering Practices goes a little further with a 5e lesson in which students observe erosion in their simulations and then design ways to prevent it. The authors provide an activity sheet and suggestions for implementation in the classroom. [SciLinks: Weathering and Erosion]
Sandwich cookies as teaching tools? I have seen lessons with the Moon’s phases depicted in Oreos (Search “oreo” and moon phases for more), but Cookie Tectonics: An Introduction to Earth Hazards and Tectonic Fundamentals introduces a “lithospheric cookie model” to review principles of plate tectonics. The authors provide a summary of important concepts in plate tectonics and a graphic organizer. And then Using Web GIS to Enhance Tectonics Learning and Geospacial Thinking, students can explore the boundaries where events such as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions occur with classroom investigations and GIS tools. Using real data and the data visualizations that are possible help students see the connections between the concepts and real events. [SciLinks: Plate Tectonics, Plate Boundaries]
With the events that happened in Japan still making news, the article Exploring Earthquakes and Tsunamis: Integrating Science, Social Studies, and Technology provides strategies for incorporating technology and reinforcing geographic concepts. The technology includes Google Earth, the Earth 101 app, an online tsunami simulator, and others suggested in the resources section of the article. [SciLinks: Ring of Fire, Tsunamis, Earthquakes]
My hometown is on the east coast of the U.S., and I never thought much about earthquakes happening in my neck of the woods until 2011 when I felt an earthquake centered in Virginia. Your students might be surprised with the real-time data on earthquake events. The author of Bringing Earthquake Engineering to Your Hometown provides a 5e lesson on engineering principles for safe structures in any location, including your own. If students wonder how or even if earthquakes can be predicted, Simulating Earthquake Early Warning Systems in the Classroom has classroom and web-based activities, including a simulation in which students decide on appropriate locations to place sensors. [SciLinks: Seismic Waves, Seismographs]
We’ve certainly had a variety of weather-related events in recent history: killer tornadoes, devastating hurricanes and floods, and fluctuating temperatures. But the “hazards” that are the focus of this issue are those related to forces that have the potential to shape and reshape the surface of the earth.
Connecting science and students' interests
By Mary Bigelow
Posted on 2013-12-23
It’s hard to think of a science topic that children are not interested in! Just about anything will stimulate their thinking and inquisitiveness. The cover of this issue brought back memories of these interests—I had a set of specimens embedded in plastic blocks. Just putting some out at the exploration table in my classroom let to many discussions. (The favorites were skeletons of small bats and garter snakes.) The articles in this issue offer resources and suggested strategies for tapping into students’ interests to stimulate engaging science instruction.
You know it’s the gift-giving season when commercials for Chia Pets appear on television! Who would think that these could be learning tools? Students explore the chia seed’s nutritional value and the growth requirements for its sprouts, as described in Ch-Ch-Ch-Chia Seed Science*. Using a 5e lesson, teachers and students explored concepts in germination and designed fair tests to study the factors that influence it. [SciLinks: Factors Affecting Plant Growth, How Do Plants Grow?]
The authors of The eBook Hook* describe a classroom research project in which they investigated how nonfiction eBooks could engage students in studying topics such as landforms. Students shared their perceptions of using an electronic format, in terms of finding information, the value of features such as pronunciation guides and dictionaries, and their attitudes toward reading. [SciLinks: What Are Landforms?]
Making Connections Between the Digital and Physical World* shows how a game such as “Angry Birds” can spark student interest in physical science concepts and shows that there’s more to the game than bird and pigs. While learning about the concepts, students design, test, and modify a real, 3-D version of the game. [SciLinks: Kinetic and Potential Energy, Gravity, Friction]
Even if you’ve never used the outdoors as a classroom, the article Exploring the Wild World of Wiggly Worms has suggestions for taking young students outdoors and exploring worms with a 5e lesson. They (and the teacher) can get their hands dirty while investigating earthworm habitats and behaviors. The authors also provide a list of related fiction and nonfiction trade books on the topic. [SciLinks: Earthworms]
The school cafeteria as a source of data? Can We Be Garbage Free?* describes an investigation in which students observed (without touching) waste from the cafeteria and tallied different categories. They then formulated their own questions about the type and frequency of materials thrown away. Students presented their findings and suggestions to the maintenance staff [SciLinks: Waste Management]
Additional ideas for student investigations based on students’ interests are included in the articles Our Environment* (students pose a scientific question and plan an investigation to answer that question), Catch Me If You Can (kindergarten students design a “trap” for an intruding character), Happy Birthday (students learn about seasons and the length of daylight at different times of the year when their birthdays fall), and Is It Made of Parts?* (a formative assessment probe).
Now We’re Cooking* shows how cooking and science topics are related: states of matter, measuring, properties of materials, changes in matter, fractions. The article includes a “recipe” or procedure for making ice cream. [SciLinks: States of Matter]
* Many of these articles have extensive resources to share, so check out the Connections for this issue (December 2013). Even if the article does not quite fit with your lesson agenda, there are ideas for handouts, background information sheets, data sheets, rubrics, and other resources.
It’s hard to think of a science topic that children are not interested in! Just about anything will stimulate their thinking and inquisitiveness. The cover of this issue brought back memories of these interests—I had a set of specimens embedded in plastic blocks. Just putting some out at the exploration table in my classroom let to many discussions.
Preparing for your first teaching job
By Mary Bigelow
Posted on 2013-12-21
I’m finishing my student teaching and looking forward to getting a job as a high school physics teacher after I graduate. How can I prepare for my first job, even before I get one?
—Carl, Denver, Colorado
You certainly are looking ahead! You’ll have many challenges as a first-year teacher, so being as prepared as possible will help you transition from college student to teacher. Use your college or university career placement office to help you develop and proofread a professional-looking resume and cover letter templates for when you apply for jobs.
Until you have a job, you won’t know exactly what the science curriculum includes and emphasizes. But you can familiarize yourself with the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), especially those focusing on physical science. As you review the documents, notice how the science and engineering practices, crosscutting concepts, and disciplinary core ideas are connected. NSTA has many resources to help you with this.
Reflect on your student teaching experience. What worked really well for you? What did you struggle with? Use your struggles as a basis for reading and reflection before your first job. What can you do differently?
Begin to assemble your professional resources:
- Join NSTA (there is a discounted rate for new teachers) for a subscription to The Science Teacher and access to the other journals and archives and to get NSTA Reports with news updates and resources.
- Browse the online archives of The Science Teacher for ideas and suggestions related to physics. Members can download articles or save them in a portfolio in the NSTA Learning Center. You can also access them through your iPad or smart phone.
- Use NSTA’s social media resources. Members can sign up for the email lists, and all teachers have access to the Discussion Forums. “Like” NSTA on Facebook and use #NSTA for tweets related to science teaching.
- Create your professional library with titles from NSTA publications and add these to your reading list. There are so many to choose from—I’d recommend Rise and Shine: A Practical Guide for the Beginning Science Teacher and Science Formative Assessment. (Follow these links for descriptions of these books and online sample chapters from NSTA Press.)
- Start a folder with information on safety issues in the science classroom. There are many resources on the Internet on the topic, and I’d also suggest Investigating Safely: A Guide for High School Teachers and the NSTA Guide to Planning Science Facilities, which has suggestions for organizing materials as well as safety guidelines. (Follow these links for descriptions of these books and online sample chapters from NSTA Press.)
- Familiarize yourself with computer simulations, apps, and other technologies that could be useful to your future students. Articles in The Science Teacher have many suggestions. Teachers also post ideas on social media sites.
Speaking of social media, this would also be a good time to purge your personal social media sites of inappropriate information or photos. Don’t share things you would not want your future students and their parents (and school administrators) to see. Whether we like it or not, teachers are considered role models and held to a higher expectation of decorum and behavior.
Assemble your professional wardrobe. Even if the experienced teachers dress very casually, it’s important for new teachers to project as professional an image as possible. Some science teachers like to wear a lab coat or apron, and you may want to have your own goggles rather than use the student ones.
If you know the communities where you want to teach, try to learn as much as you can about the culture and geography there. Check out the science programs and resources at nearby colleges and universities. Find out about and visit any nearby science centers and museums.
Collect some basic supplies for your classroom. In the best situation, your classroom will be well–supplied and organized, but don’t count on it!
Your preparation will also be an asset when you apply and interview for a job. Being able to discuss current topics in science education, having a professional demeanor, and knowing about the local culture and resources will help you make a positive first impression.
I’m finishing my student teaching and looking forward to getting a job as a high school physics teacher after I graduate. How can I prepare for my first job, even before I get one?
—Carl, Denver, Colorado
Sensory table explorations of matter
By Peggy Ashbrook
Posted on 2013-12-19
Experiences are the beginning of understanding science and engineering concepts. When two-year-olds explore materials and make a mixture, they are learning about the properties of “matter.” Water is a favorite kind of matter for many children and adults. In warm weather, programs often make large amounts of water available for children to work with and most children don’t mind being wet. In colder weather when getting wet means having to change clothes, adults prefer that children work with smaller amounts of liquid water or frozen water. Changing clothes or getting dressed to go outside in cold or wet weather is a significant learning experience and a challenge for those children still mastering sleeves and zippers. Instead of thinking of this process as something to get through and done with, we can embrace the time as a time for learning.
Teachers can expand the learning at clothes-changing time in many ways, including:
- Teaching vocabulary words in more than one language for items of clothing, (some websites allow a small free trial of common words)
- Learning (or adapting) a few songs or poems about getting dressed and singing them while dressing or undressing. Learn some by watching the marvelous collection of video clips by librarians from the King County Library System in Washington state which includes, “I’m Going to Wear a Sweater,” “Put Your Pants On,” and “Dressed in the Morning.”
- Have children who are dressed help others pull on socks or zip up zippers.
- Providing an activity, such as drawing, for children who are waiting for everyone else to get dressed. Tape large pieces of cardboard from boxes to the wall and provide washable markers.
- Having “getting to know you” conversations about what children did at home the evening before.
Water may be a favorite, but other kinds of matter can also be explored in a sensory table. See the articles from Young Children, the journal of the National Association for the Education of Young Children:
“Teachers on Teaching: What Happens When a Child Plays at the Sensory Table?” By Debra Hunter (November 2008, pgs 77-79).
“Let’s Get Messy! Exploring Sensory and Art Activities with Infants and Toddlers” By Trudi Schwarz and Julia Luckenbill (September 2012, pgs 26-34).
Pinterest accounts and blogs are another source for ideas that might work with the age children that you teach. See Debra Honegger’s Pinterest “board” of ideas for sensory experiences.
The “irresistible ideas for play based learning” blog documents how children engaged with coffee grounds, corn starch and water over a two-day period.
Evaluate the activities for safety and age appropriateness in your program with your children. Have children wash hands before playing with a tub full of ice cubes or snow, and provide another tub of warm water to prompt comparisons between the cold, solid ice and the warm, liquid water. If the weather gets cold enough, children can observe frozen water outside. In warm weather, bring ice cubes outside and have children choose places for their cube to melt.
Surprisingly, many preschool children aren’t sure what water ice is made of. With additional melting and freezing experiences they will build the knowledge that water can be in liquid form and it can be in solid form. Discussion with adults who prompt thinking with open-ended questions such as, “Where else have you seen frozen water?” and “What can we do to change this solid ice into liquid water?” is an important part of science learning.
Experiences are the beginning of understanding science and engineering concepts. When two-year-olds explore materials and make a mixture, they are learning about the properties of “matter.” Water is a favorite kind of matter for many children and adults.
Opportunities for learning and networking at NSTA conferences
By Mary Bigelow
Posted on 2013-12-18
I just returned from the NSTA area conference in Denver. As always and whenever they are, these conferences are wonderful learning opportunities for science teachers. Now that I’ve filled out the session evaluations and updated my transcript on the NSTA Learning Center, I have time to reflect on the opportunities I had to attend session on science concepts and teaching strategies, meet new people, and enjoy the sights and hospitality of Denver. (I could see the Rockies from my hotel window!)
From a project I was working on, I developed an interest in ideas for enhancing learning with technology. There were sessions on time-lapse photography and digital storytelling, iPad apps that help students visualize science concepts, probes for lab investigations, and suggestions for using Google apps for creating and organizing student work digitally.
Assembling mineral kits
Several agencies (such as NOAA, NASA, LearnGenetics from the University of Utah) are familiar faces and presented their newest resources for the classroom. And most sessions showed a connection between the content and strategies with the NGSS.
The exhibit hall is a wonderland for science teachers—a chance to catch up on new technologies, resources, and programs. One of the most popular (at least in terms of teachers gathering there) was SME’s Minerals Education Coalition (Society for Mining, Metallurgy, and Exploration). Visitors to this booth were invited to assemble a collection of mineral samples related to minerals important to human health. As we moved from station to station, we were given a small sample to add to a box and a description of its importance. The finale was some tools for analyzing rock samples (streak plates, etc) and a jump drive with all of the information we heard and lesson plans. Every teacher I talked with was impressed: “If they just gave away the collections, I would have stashed it in my bag and looked at it later. But since we had to collect the samples, add them to the box, and talk with the associates, it became a real learning experience for me.”
Presenter Anicia Alvarez drew a Saturday AM slot.
I’m sure presenters are concerned when they get an early morning or late afternoon time slot. But science teachers aren’t deterred by time—we want all the information and ideas we can get! Even the Saturday morning sessions had dozens of engaged and interested participants. For example, in the last time slot, Anicia Alvarez from Adams State University showed how elementary students used a “Question-Claim-Evidence-Reason” framework to explain visual representations and make sense of their data during the stages of the 5e learning cycle.
The national conference (e.g., Boston Apr. 3–6, 2014) is larger with an extensive list of sessions and vendors, but these area conferences are very user-friendly and occur in the fall. The venues for 2014 are
- Richmond, Virginia: October 16–18
- Orlando, Florida: November 6–8
- Long Beach, California: December 4–6
The deadline for presentation proposals is January 15, 2014 .
Devner photo: http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2757/4242084758_230be5bb28_m.jpg
I just returned from the NSTA area conference in Denver. As always and whenever they are, these conferences are wonderful learning opportunities for science teachers.
International Comparisons – Should We Pay Attention or Not? What Are Your Thoughts?
By Christine Royce
Posted on 2013-12-17
According to the Key Results of the PISA study which was recently released, “PISA assesses the extent to which 15-year-old students have acquired key knowledge and skills that are essential for full participation in modern societies. The assessment, which focuses on reading, mathematics, science and problem-solving, does not just ascertain whether students can reproduce what they have learned; it also examines how well they can extrapolate from what they have learned and apply that knowledge in unfamiliar settings, both in and outside of school. This approach reflects the fact that modern societies reward individuals not for what they know, but for what they can do with what they know.”
We as educators are very familiar with these international benchmarking tests and resultant comparisons between countries. Even this particular study allows you to search their database to create your own comparison of countries thus making the desire to compare US schools to those in Finland or China or Germany or Japan or anywhere the test has been given.
According to these key results:
• Shanghai-China, Hong Kong-China, Singapore, Japan and Finland are the top five performers in science in PISA 2012.
• Between 2006 and 2012, Italy, Poland and Qatar, and between 2009 and 2012, Estonia, Israel and Singapore increased their shares of top performers and simultaneously reduced their shares of low performers in science.
• Across OECD countries, 8% of students are top performers in science (Level 5 or 6). These students can identify, explain and apply scientific knowledge and knowledge about science in a variety of complex life situations.
While we have often heard about the performance of some of the top five performers and found ourselves compared to them not only on PISA but also on TIMSS and other studies, some of the other countries that are increasing their top performers are new players on the international comparison field.
There is usually much discussion about the results of these tests, such as the NPR story about the results being sobering, but recently there has also been much controversy such as are students in Shanghai representative of the typical fifteen year old. An article appeared in The Washington Post addressing just this question. Other discussion points often include the business world that focuses on the need to produce STEM ready students to enter globally competitive fields. The Business Insider included this in their education area within weeks of the report’s release.
So the question becomes – should we worry or not, accept comparisons or not, and more importantly – are our students learning science that they can then utilize in real world situations. Wondering what your views are on this topic?
According to the Key Results of the PISA study which was recently released, “PISA assesses the extent to which 15-year-old students have acquired key knowledge and skills that are essential for full participation in modern societies.