Are you looking for a way to hone your leadership skills and give back to the science education community? Consider sharing your time and talents with the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) by applying for a nomination to the NSTA Board of Directors and Council. To learn more about what these prestigious Board and Council positions involve, please join our web seminar on September 17th; it will provide details about the open positions, offer strategies for submitting an effective application, and answer all your questions about the process. The free, interactive program begins at 6:30 p.m. eastern time. Get details on this web seminar and register.
Applications for the NSTA Board and Council are open through October 9th.
Board of Director offices to be filled in the 2014 election are:

• President – Term of office: 3-year commitment beginning June 2014 through May 2017(Year 1 as President-elect; Year 2 as President; Year 3 as Retiring President)
• Division Directors – Term of office: 3-year commitment beginning June 2014 through May 2017
  • Multicultural/Equity in Science Education
  • Preservice Teacher Preparation
  • Research in Science Education

Council offices to be filled in the 2014 election are:

• District Directors – Term of office: 3-year commitment beginning June 2014 through May 2017
  • District I – CT, MA, RI
  • District VI – NC, SC, TN
  • District VII – AR, LA, MS
  • District XII – IL, IA, WI
  • District XIII – NM, OK, TX
  • District XVIII – Canada

Applications can be downloaded at http://www.nsta.org/nominations.

What would implementing the NGSS “look like” in a classroom? Each of the featured articles in this issue highlights several classroom strategies that you can use to start making connections to the disciplinary core ideas, practices, and crosscutting concepts of the NGSS.
If you teach K-5, be sure to read this month’s guest editorial The Next Generation Science Standards and the Common Core State Standards: Proposing a Happy Marriage. The author suggests ways in which these two documents complement each other and the provides several examples of the connections between science and literacy.
The moon is certainly the source of much folklore, legends…and misconceptions. The Moon Challenge* shows how the authors challenged misconceptions with patterns (moon phases), a research project, and trade books. When is the Next Full Moon? (Formative Assessment Probes)* uses the idea of a “concept cartoon” to probe student’s understanding. [SciLinks: Moon Phases]
Small Wonders-Close Encounters* shows strategies to introduce students to the world of digital microscopy. The authors share what to look for in a digital microscope and offer suggestions for differentiating the lesson for younger students, English language learners, and special education students. [See how to use a tablet as a digital microscope]  The Science 101 column asks (and answers) How Does an Electron Microscope Work?* [SciLinks: Microscopes, Electron Microscope]

I heard a teacher lament that with the new standards, all of the fun activities will have to go. I hope she reads Desert Survivors* in which  a puppet play based on the “Survivor” TV program teaches students about argumentation and desert habitats. Students had to research the desert environment to equip their contestants. [SciLinks: Desert] Young students are interested in animals and their homes. Habitable Homes (Teaching Through Trade Books)* has two 5e lesson plans (K-2 and 3-5) on habitats and biomes. [SciLinks: What is a Habitat? Adaptations of Animals, Habitats, Biomes, Habitats and Niches]
I was never very good at teacher-created bulletin boards. But word walls were different!  Interactive Word Walls shows how to kick up the traditional word wall a few notches (in five steps) to make it truly a student project. The examples are wonderful! This might be more of a challenge for middle or high school levels, where the teacher meets 5-6 classes each day, but I’d be interested in how this could be implemented in these upper grades. Science vocabulary is also the theme of Science as a Second Language. The authors share several strategies for helping English language learners with science vocabulary, including foldables, DOTS charts, and U-C-ME graphic organizers, examples of which can be found in this issues Connections*.
The authors of What Does Culture Have to Do With Teaching Science?* share strategies for capitalizing on the cultural backgrounds students bring to the classroom. Using Hindu beliefs as an example, they show how students can make connections between cultural beliefs and scientific concepts. [SciLinks: How Do Plants Grow?] Food for Thought (The Early Years)* has lesson ideas for helping our youngest scientists find evidence of how animals use plants for food and shelter. [SciLinks: How Do Animals Help Plants, Plants as Food, What Are the Parts of a Plant?]
* Many of these articles have extensive resources to share, so check out the Connections for this issue. 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.

Over the summer I had the privilege of watching a 5th grader take Google Glass for a spin. The student was far faster at mastering the interface than I was, and also much more creative in his application of Google Glass.

Google Glass is, well, I better let Wikipedia explain it:
Google Glass (styled “GLΛSS”) is a wearable computer with an optical head-mounted display (OHMD) that is being developed by Google in the Project Glass research and development project, with a mission of producing a mass-market ubiquitous computer. Google Glass displays information in a smartphone-like hands-free format that can communicate with the Internet via natural language voice commands
Or perhaps a video would help.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1uyQZNg2vE[/youtube]
 
After a few minutes with Google Glass it became apparent that when Glass enters the education arena, especially the sciences, everything will be different. To have instant access to information via voice command, visual content and capture, mapping, and pretty much all the power of Google behind it, Glass will not only give us that third hand we could sure use in the lab and when doing field work, but also provide a level of communication and data capture in a natural way that easily exceeds our current standard practices.
As I watched the young student navigate the common uses for Glass, it was truly one of those rare magical moments when we don’t just glimpse the future, we are immersed in it! Glass is not just another accessory or device or even interface, although it certainly is all those, but it is also a true extension capabilities limited only by its wearer’s imagination.
Obvious uses for Glass will mimic those traditional tasks we currently use laptops, tablets, phones, cameras, and other stand-alone devices for. Using Glass for those tasks is just comfort food while our minds wrap around an entirely new dimension. Glass in education will not be more of the same. Glass will be more of everything at first, then quickly following will be a literal explosion in possibilities where we can recapture time by speeding tasks, amplifying capabilities by layering content in real time, and massively changing the precision of our information flow both in download and upload.
At first I wanted to see the young Glass user run it through its paces, but soon it was the long pauses where the student was deeply immersed in a virtual world glowing just a few centimeters in front of his eye that told the tale. Google Glass can take traditional instruction and personalize it, differentiate it, constructivise it, magnify it, amplify it, and leverage its virtual aspect to make the learning activities more real.
As much I wanted Glass right now, I had to temper my enthusiasm knowing that like most emergent technologies, the things we do today will seem mundane compared to what we will do a year from now. As an educator, I know tablets are a revolution. But Google Glass will be a paradigm shift. In other words, Glass changes everything.

“Uncovering Student Ideas is highly recommended for teachers at every level; it contains a set of essential tools that cross discipline, grade, and ability levels. There’s no better way to guide your planning and decision-making process.”
—from Juliana Texley’s review of Uncovering Student Ideas in Science, Vol. 4
Are you looking for ways to transform your instruction this school year? Learn how to do so while also supporting learning with preconference workshops at the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) fall conferences in Charlotte and Denver. Page Keeley, the author of the bestselling Uncovering Student Ideas in Science series, and coauthor Joyce Tugel will

• introduce participants to the use of formative assessment in science,
• help them understand the types of preconceptions students have and ways to surface and address them,
• practice strategies for questioning and monitoring student learning during different stages in a cycle of instruction,
• show participants how to develop assessments that probe students’ thinking, and
• demonstrate how to combine formative assessment classroom techniques (FACTs) with the eight scientific practices in the Next Generation Science Standards.

Both classroom and teacher learning applications will be addressed, so classroom teachers, science specialists, preservice instructors, and more will benefit from this daylong workshop. All participants will receive a copy of Uncovering Student Ideas in Science, Vol. 4: 25 New Formative Assessment Probes.
More information and registration details can be found here:

•  Charlotte: www.nsta.org/charlotteassessment

• Denver (with coauthor Joyce Tugel): www.nsta.org/denverassessment

 

Slightly cooler air and the smell of freshly cut grass and sharpened pencils can only mean one thing – school is back in session! NSTA and its sponsors are kicking off another exciting school year of rewarding and recognizing high-performing science educators and students through our large-scale, nationally known competitions and grant programs. As you begin another year with fresh ideas, focused plans, and great expectations, consider participating in one of the following programs for you and your students:
Toshiba/NSTA ExploraVision
ExploraVision is a competition that encourages K-12 students of all interest, skill and ability levels to create and explore a vision of a future technology by combining their imaginations with the tools of science. Teams of two to four students research scientific principles and current technologies as the basis for deigning innovative technologies that could exist in 20 years. Students compete for up to $240,000 in savings bonds (maturity value) for college and cool gifts from Toshiba. First- and second-place teams also receive an expenses-paid trip with their families, mentor and coach to Washington, D.C. for a gala awards weekend in June 2014. Applications are now being accepted; the deadline for applications is January 30, 2014. For more information about the program or to learn how to apply, visit the competition website.
eCYBERMISSION
eCYBERMISSION is a free, online collaborative learning competition for students in grades six through nine. Sponsored by the U.S. Army and administered by NSTA, eCYBERMISSION is one of several science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) initiatives offered by the Army Educational Outreach Program (AEOP). The competition challenges student to think about real-world applications of STEM by working in teams to identify a problem in their community and use the scientific method, scientific inquiry or the engineering design process to find a solution. Students compete for state, regional and national awards, with potential winning of up to $8,000 (maturity value) in U.S. savings bonds. Registration for the competition is now open. To learn more about the eCYBERMISSION program and to register, click here or contact eCYBERMISSION Mission Control at 1-866-GO-CYBER (462-9237) or via email at missioncontrol@ecybermission.com.
America’s Home Energy Education Challenge
America’s Home Energy Education Challenge (AHEEC) is a national student competition, created to help families save money by saving energy at home. AHEEC engages students in elementary and middle schools to make smarter energy choices that reduce U.S. reliance on fossil fuels and put money back in their parents’ pockets. This initiative aims to educate America’s youth about the benefits of energy efficiency, motivate students to play a more active role in how their families use energy, and help families across the country reduce their energy bills. Participating schools compete for more than $50,000 in prizes that will be distributed at the regional and national levels of the competition. Official registration for the Challenge ends November 15, 2013. To register to join America’s Home Energy Education Challenge or to find more information about the competition click here.
Shell Science Lab Challenge
The Shell Science Lab Challenge, sponsored by Shell Oil Company (Shell) and administered by NSTA, encourages teachers (grades 6-12) in the U.S. and Canada, who have found innovative ways to deliver quality lab experiences with limited school and laboratory resources, to share their approaches for a chance to win up to $93,000 in prizes, including a grand prize school science lab makeover support package valued at $20,000. The deadline for submissions is December 20, 2013. For more information about the Challenge or to download an application, click here.
The DuPont Challenge^© Science Essay Competition
The DuPont Challenge Science Essay Competition is a student competition that invites seventh through 12^th grade students to write a 700 to 1,000-word essay about a scientific discovery, theory, event or technological application that has captured their interest. Developed in collaboration with The Walt Disney World Resort, NASA and NSTA, the competition offers young students the opportunity to explore science, develop new skills and gain confidence in communicating scientific ideas. Created to honor the Challenger astronauts, students can win savings bonds up to $5,000, and a trip to Walt Disney World and to the Kennedy Space Center. Teachers win too! Along with the trips with their students, teachers can also win $500 grants. To learn more about the competition, check out the website.

Learn how to make elementary science instruction come alive in your classroom! Emily Morgan and Karen Ansberry, the authors of the bestselling Picture-Perfect Science series, will be presenting preconference workshops at the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) fall conferences to help you do just that. During the full-day workshop, you will participate in model lessons, learn about the BSCS 5E Instructional Model, and gain an understanding of how to integrate science and reading in your instruction. Teachers, science specialists, administrators, and more will benefit from this great course and receive a copy of Even More Picture-Perfect Science Lessons so they can bring these lessons home. Don’t miss out on this great opportunity at whichever fall conference you’re attending! Get more information and register today!

• Portland: www.nsta.org/portlandpp
• Charlotte: www.nsta.org/charlottepp
• Denver: www.nsta.org/denverpp

The number one compliment we hear from teachers is that the lessons are complete and ready to take back to their classrooms and use.
—Emily Morgan and Karen Ansberry, coauthors of the Picture-Perfect Science Lessons series

Word of mouth (or in this case text of blog) is one of the greatest ways to share ideas and new information.  While some apps have a fee associated with them and others do not, the ability to utilize apps in the classroom is priceless – IF they are well selected and implemented in a meaningful manner.
As was included in the current edition of the Leaders Letter there is a new app out that helps the science teacher utilize the Next Generation Science Standards.  Just imagine, you can have all aspects of the NGSS at your fingertips and in your pocket! While relatively new, I have had the opportunity to interact with this app in the past few weeks and while not yet my favorite (there are so many out there) it is definitely on my top ten list of “necessary and needed tools for planning.”
The  Next Generation Science Standards App was announced about a month ago by NSTA, in partnership with MasteryConnect, and is a free app for the Next Generation Science Standards. The Next Generation Science Standards app gives you multiple ways to view the standards, including DCI and Topic arrangements, and also includes convenient search functionality.
Another highlight of this particular app is that it makes referencing standards in the Common Core simple by providing a linkage between the NGSS App and MasteryConnect’s Common Core App.
As part of the partnership with MasteryConnect, NSTA is providing additional free resources within the app, including several articles from NSTA’s peer-reviewed journals, and free chapters from its line of NGSS-related titles, including The NSTA Reader’s Guide to the Next Generation Science Standards and Science for the Next Generation: Preparing for the New Standards. You can download the Next Generation Science Standards app (as well as MasteryConnect’s other free apps) by searching “MasteryConnect” or “Next Generation Science Standards” in your app store or visiting the iOS Store or Android Marketplace. (Look for the app to be available in the Windows Store soon.)
So the question then becomes – what is your favorite app used for science – it could be an app that you have students engage with; a planning tool that you utilize such as the NGSS one discussed above; or one that allows you to integrate technology into your class such as Socrative. Take a moment and share a review, post a link, or tell fellow educators how to find it!

As we set up our classrooms and examine the school grounds we can make space for science exploration by putting out some simple tools and seeking advice from experienced teachers. If you have advice on setting up a classroom to support science exploration and engineering investigations, please give us advice by commenting below. Here are a few ideas I’ve learned from other teachers, and researchers, and used over the years.
Magnifiers are a tool that can enhance children’s explorations. I have seen two-year-olds learn how to hold magnifying glasses to get a close-up look at leaves, feathers, and other interesting objects. A variety of these tools can be available to be used throughout a school:

• in the dress-up area for imaginative play or looking closely at fabrics,
• in the book corner for examining illustrations,
• at snack time to see the wrinkles in a raisin or the fibers of a celery stick,
• outside on the playground or in a teacher’s pocket to be available to look at small creatures or grass leaves, and
• at the fish tank to see the details of a fish’s body.

Measuring tools such as chain links, stacking cubes, measuring “hands” (see Oct 2006 The Early Years column) and rulers encourage children to make comparisons and document their observations. Bathroom scales, spring scales and balances are useful for measuring how much something weighs and answering the question, “Which one weighs more?” Measuring cups of various sizes with numbers on them support children’s exploration of volume of water or sand in the sensory table or on the playground.

Egg cartons or other small boxes suggest making a collection and sorting—leaves, seeds, pebbles, beads, jar lids or alphabet tiles.
Tools for exploring the properties of water can be as small as a pipette or dropper, and as large as a turkey baster, or even a hose! A variety of sponges supports comparing the ability to absorb water. A length of clear plastic tube can be part of an investigation into the movement of water or marbles.
 
Small clipboards are fun for children to use to record their observations through drawing or writing. “Writing” can happen anywhere inside or outside a school, not just at a Writing Center. If you have a Science Center, be sure to include paper and drawing tools so children know that scientists draw and write about what they observe and think.
Adding “water plants” or “feed fish” to a Job Chart is one way to involve all children in daily science tasks. If they have a recording page to draw on they may spend a bit more time in the process and notice a new leaf budding or the movement of the fish’s tail.
Check to see how sunny the windowsill is–you may be able to grow non-toxic houseplants such as spider plants or start seedlings for the fall school garden.
A space for conversation and group discussion while viewing documentation or introducing new materials is as important as the materials themselves. Reading about productive questions and “science talk” prepares us to develop these practices in ourselves and students. Science investigations take root where teachers lay the groundwork!

Why am I at the table with a laptop, a tablet and a smartphone? Is this the ultimate example of multitasking? Have I finally leaped into geekdom?
Actually, I’m looking at three versions of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). The standards have been on the NGSS website since last spring.  And now there is a free NGSS app that I downloaded for my iPad and iPhone (it’s also available for Android devices). Of course the information is the same, but I was curious how the app compares in format and user-friendliness to the full web version.
I admit I’m a big-picture type of person, so the web version, with each color-coded standard on a separate page appeals to me conceptually. But I can see how this text-dense format could be overwhelming. I also found it easy to overlook the clarification statements and assessment boundaries, which have critical information to use in developing curriculum and planning instruction.

The app version is similar in that it uses the same color-coding and options. But I’m pleased that the app uses a slightly different format, making it easier to read. (OK, the smaller screen of the iPhone is a challenge for my eyes.) The iPad version is very user-friendly with an index in the left margin for the Disciplinary Core Ideas (DCIs) and Topic Arrangements, like the website. Each performance expectation is displayed separately, and the clarification statements and assessment boundaries are clearly marked. Users can click on the links for expanded information on the practices, core ideas, and crosscutting concepts, which follow the same color-coding scheme as the website documents. The connections to Common Core standards are more prominently displayed, too.

The app has a Resources tab with the appendices and a link to the NRC Framework and additional materials from NSTA. And the app is available even if you’re not connected to the Internet.
The search feature in the app is not as robust as in the web version. For example, I searched for the term “gravity” on both. The app version showed the performance expectations where the term occurred (at the middle school level). The web version showed these, as well as the occurrences of the term in the clarification statements, assessment boundaries, and DCIs at the elementary level.
Here is more information from NSTA about the app:
Download the Next Generation Science Standards app, developed in partnership with MasteryConnect, by searching “MasteryConnect” or “Next Generation Science Standards” in your app store or visiting the iOS Store or Android Marketplace. As part of the partnership with MasteryConnect, NSTA is providing additional free resources within the app, including several articles from NSTA’s peer reviewed journals, and free chapters from its line of NGSS-related titles, including The NSTA Reader’s Guide to the Next Generation Science Standards and Science for the Next Generation: Preparing for the New Standards. Look for the app to be available in the Windows Store soon.

Just when we finally got our heads around the idea that Pluto is no longer considered a true planet, now we have evidence of another element to add to the Periodic Table.
Here is a roundup of recent news articles on the topic to share with students:

• New Element 115, Ununpentium, May Join Periodic Table
• New Super-Heavy Element 115 Confirmed
• Meet 15, the Newest Element on the Periodic Table
• New Element 115 Takes a Seat at the Periodic Table
• Evidence for new periodic table element boosted
• New Element 115 May Finally Be Added to the Periodic Table

[For more information on the elements, check out SciLinks: Periodic Table of Elements, Elements Above 109]