From reading various tweets and blogs, I often find interesting projects and applications. Some are definitely related to science and math, while others have more of a tangential application. I recently found one of the latter (and it’s pretty cool).
On the Open Culture site, there was a posting about music visualization, specifically one of Bach’s Brandenberg Concertos. This features the work of Steven Malinowski in translating musical sounds into graphics. As you play the music, shapes and colors move across the screen to illustrate the notes.
Although one could follow the notes in a score or a piece of sheet music (assuming one can read music), this is a different experience. I can read music and I’ve played a lot of Bach’s organ music, but seeing colors for each instrument or voice is fascinating. The patterns, intricacies, tempo, and overlaps are more evident. There is a link to a YouTube page with even more of these visualizations from other composers.
My colleague and I often played classical music in the background as students worked on projects. The first day we tried this, a student closed his eyes and said “Ahhhh…Mozart.” This was a student we would never have suspected as knowing much about classical music! My colleague loved opera, but we found (with student feedback) that students preferred instrumental music (“The words confuse our thinking.”) I’m wondering how these visualizations might be used to calm down or transition at the beginning of class or as a demonstration of patterns? Or just for fun?
 

What can tell us if an animal is using a plant for food or for a place to rest or live? What will we see if a caterpillar has been eating a leaf  a bird has been roosting on a tree branch? These questions were posed to kindergarten and first grade classes who were about to walk around the school grounds.
The young children went on a “nature walk” looking for evidence and they found it: holes in leaves, insect eggs on a leaf, bird “doo-doo” and ants going into holes in trees. By drawing their observations, the children were able to refer back to them when they returned to the classroom. Discussion with the teacher in the field prepared the children to discuss with other students back in the classroom.
Sitting in a whole class circle, the kindergartners were reminded that they were going to talk together by taking turns. They were asked to share their evidence of animals using plants for food or shelter. Ms Tingler sat back, occasionally acknowledging the next speaker and giving reminders to speak to all (not just the teacher), and the children shared what they saw and thought. They thought that some animal (maybe a caterpillar) had been eating those leaves, and the bird that made the droppings might have been sitting on the branch above, and the ants were using the tree as shelter. There was a lot of repetition, reinforcing the group nature walk experience.
The student science talk shows their beginning understanding that patterns in the natural world (holes in leaves) can be observed and used as evidence, and that animals need food in order to live and grow—part of the practices, core ideas and crosscutting concepts defined in the Next Generation Science Standards.
When asked if we humans are animals, some children said yes, some said no, and some said “Kind of like animals.” To try to clarify their thinking, I asked, “Are people in the same group as animals or as plants?” Evidence given for being plants was that babies come out from mothers, just as seeds come from fruits. Evidence given for being animals was that we have “fur” and eyes, ears, mouth and nose, “like animals.” The children made a great start discussing the question. Further investigation and collecting evidence will be the basis of more discussion. I think they will conclude that people are animals, and like plants, are living organisms that reproduce.

I am the only science teacher at my school and I do not have anyone to ask for help. How can I post a question to all the members of NSTA? (I became a NSTA member in September.) I see there are forums and [e-mail] lists, but I do not know how to participate. For example, right now I’m looking for resources on dissections.
—Chris, Kutztown, Pennsylvania
You may be the only science teacher in your school, but you have thousands of colleagues through NSTA. You’ll find NSTA members are eager to help you and share their experiences and resources—we want all of our students to be successful! In addition to the NSTA blogs, Facebook, and Twitter (#nsta), there are several ways of tapping into this collective expertise:

• NSTA’s Community Forums are threaded discussions on topics submitted by the participants. The forums are divided into Science Disciplines (chemistry, earth and space science, elementary science, general science and teaching, life science, physical science, and STEM) and Pedagogy and Research (evaluation and assessment, new teachers, NGSS, professional development, and research in science education). Choose a forum to examine an existing topic, search for a topic or concept, or post a new topic/question. If you’re looking at an existing topic, you have the option to post your own reply to the group or send a private message to a responder for more information. There is an option to be reminded via e-mail if someone responds to your topic. I searched the community for “dissect” and found several threads that you might start with for your question about dissection:
  • Virtual Dissecting (New Teacher forum)
  • Teacher-Guided Dissections vs Instruction-Sheet Guided Dissections (Life Science forum)
  • Which Dissections Are Best? (Life Science forum)
  • Dissections (Life Science)

• Use NSTA’s E-mail List Server (under the Member Services tab) to access group e-mail discussions that allow members to exchange information in a peer-to-peer environment. NSTA members can subscribe to any (or all) of the 14 topic areas: biology, chemistry, computer science, Earth science, elementary, environmental science, general science, pedagogy, physical science, physics, technology education, new teacher, retired teacher, and Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS–the newest list). Colleagues on the list can share ideas, get information, and ask questions. The lists are active 24/7, so information from your colleagues is readily available when you need it. In your case, go to the biology list and ask about activities or lesson plans related to dissections. Include specifics such as the grade level, learning goal, and time frame so your colleagues get a better idea of what you need. I’d suggest setting up a separate e-mail account (e.g., gmail) for the list so your school or personal e-mail accounts don’t get overwhelmed, especially if you subscribe to more than one list.

• NSTA’s SciLinks does not have a keyword for dissection. So another option would be to search NSTA publications. There have been several articles in NSTA journals on the topic of dissection. I’ve put together a collection in the NSTA Learning Center to get you started.

I was intrigued with the concept of Diagnosis for Classroom Success as soon as I heard about it. Author Nicole Maller wanted to make the most of her face-to-face time with her students, so she combined elements of storytelling and role-playing to teach her high school students Anatomy and Physiology.
Students in her classroom have to attend medical school, completing vital research to graduate. Then they sign the Hippocratic oath, learning the role that ethics play in medicine. On their first day on the job, they have to collaborate with colleagues to treat four celebrity patients. Using their medical school knowledge, they have to consider the patients’ risk factors and symptoms and develop an initial hypothesis. The student-doctors will face conditions, such as sickle cell anemia, pregnancy, HIV, and diabetes.
To diagnose their patients, the doctors will conduct six labs:

• Urinalysis
• Digestive By-Product and BMI Analysis
• Blood Smears (Read a sample chapter.)
• HIV Test
• Lung Capacity
• Hormone Test

Once the team of student-doctors reaches a consensus, the medical chart must be completed for each patient. Then all student-doctors will develop a written, visual, and/or oral report; they will be evaluated on their ability to collect and analyze evidence; making connections between the biology content and the various labs used to diagnose the patients; and on their understanding of the topics discussed.
Finally, the student-doctors receive feedback from their evaluators who will determine whether or not doctors may continue practicing medicine or are at risk of losing their licenses.
It’s been many years since I studied anatomy in  high school, but reading this book made me want to take this class! The student edition outlines the tasks and provides students with the charts, medical records, and data tables needed to complete them. The teacher edition (which includes the Student Edition) provides research on the value of using narrative and role-playing in instruction; how the unit will align with the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and the Common Core State Standards (CCSS); how to properly prep for the unit; and the role of the teacher in each lab. Read a sample chapter from the Teacher Edition.
As you spend time this summer planning next year’s lessons, consider this innovative approach to make your students sit up and take notice.
NSTA offers this book as a print and e-book bundle or as an e-book alone.

On behalf of the staff of the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) and our leadership team, I would like to thank the following members of our Board, Council, Standing Committees, Advisory Boards, and Panels whose terms of appointment end on May 31, 2013. NSTA is shaping the next generation of science education, and the experience, wisdom, and willingness of the following individuals to volunteer their time has been pivotal in guiding us in the past year. The theme of my presidency is “Build the Scaffolding for 21st Century Science Literacy,” and it’s been an amazing journey and a privilege to have them at my side throughout my tenure. So, to all of you on the list below, I say “Thank You” and I look forward to working with you in new capacities in the years to come.
NSTA members who are interested in volunteering for a position on one our committees, advisory boards, or review panels can find more information at http://www.nsta.org/involved/default.aspx#committees.

—Karen L. Ostlund, NSTA President, 2012–2013

Board of Directors
Michael Lowry, Chattanooga, TN
Thomas Lord, Indiana, PA
Linda Lacy, Excelsior Springs, MO
Council
Gloria Allen, Washington, DC
Cynthia Willingham, Vestavia Hills, AL
Ramona Lundberg, Clear Lake, SD
Sally Harms, Wisner, NE
John Graves, Bozeman, MT
Jennifer Thompson, Juneau, AK
Standing Committees
College
Thomas Lord, Indiana, PA
David Crowther, Reno, NV
Suzanne Gould, Anderson, IN
Oliver Grundmann, Chandler, AZ
Coordination and Supervision
Jo-Ne Bourassa, Macon, GA
Joseph Kelly, Meridian, ID
Michael Szydlowski, Columbia, MO
Linda Lacy, Excelsior Springs, MO
High School
Michael  Lowry, Chattanooga, TN
Gail Hall, Montpelier, VT
Kerryane Monahan, Ft. Pierce, FL
Eric Walters, New York, NY
Informal        
Laurie Stuart, Seward, AK
Brad Tanner, Sarasota, FL
Middle Level
Scott Diamond, Lexington, KY
Amy Hunt, Chula Vista, CA
Alison Seymour, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA
Multicultural/Equity
Toni Carmichael, Lake Forest, IL
Maya Garcia, Washington, DC
Sheila Smith, Ridgeland, MS
Preschool-Elementary
Cathy Jamison, Wake Forest, NC
Michael Szydlowski, Columbia, MO
Jennifer Williams, Belle Chasse, LA
Preservice Teacher Preparation
Chelsea Ann Duhon, Baton Rouge, LA
Timothy A. Laubach, Norman, OK
Eric J. Pyle, Harrisonburg, VA
Cathy Wissehr, Fayetteville, AR
Professional Development   
Jeanne Fox, Chickasaw, AL
Eric Hadley, Florissant, MO
Barbara Tharp, Houston, TX
Research
Mary Atwater, Athens, GA
Jacqueline McDonnough, Richmond, VA
Barry Thompson, Evans, GA
Awards and Recognition
Peggy Carlisle, Flowood, MS
Craig Gabler, Tumwater, WA
Karen Maher, Juneau, AK
Jean Tushie, Eden Prairie, MN
Candace Lutzow-Felling, Boyce, VA
Budget and Finance
Peter McLaren, Providence, RI
Barbara Pietrucha, Point Pleasant, NJ
Nominations
Mary Louise Bellamy, Cary, NC
Annette Barzal, Medina, OH
Rita Hagevik, Wendell, NC
Cecilia Owens, Westborough, MA
Maryann Stimmer, New York, NY
Advisory Boards
Aerospace
Eric Brunsell, Oshkosh, WI
Steve Heck, Loveland, OH
James Kuhl, Central Square, NY
Conference
Carolyn Hayes, Greenwood, IN
Development
Michelle Ellis, Gastonia, NC
Linda Froschauer, Westport, CT
International
Julie Heintz, Calumet City, IL
Mary McDougall, Calgary, AB, Canada
Alison Seymour, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA
Investment
Ruth Ruud, Fairview, PA
Journal of College Science Teaching
Marshall Sundberg, Emporia, KS
Eliza Richardson, University Park, PA
Mark Turski, Plymouth, NH
NSTA Reports
Stephen Crandall, Inverness, FL
Jeanelle Day, Willimantic, CT
Deborah Tucker, Napa, CA
Michael Lowry, Chattanooga, TN
Retired Members     
Robin Curtis, Williamsburg, VA
John Jackson, Altadena, CA
Mary Strother, Glen Allen, VA
Science&Children
Jessica Fries-Gaither, Hilliard, OH
Elizabeth Barrett-Alexander, New Rochelle, NY
Todd Hoover, Halifax, PA
Science Matters
David Bydlowski, Livonia, MI
Eric Packenham, Logan, UT
Science Safety
Jeri Leonard, Wylie, TX
Science Scope
Sandy Buczynski, San Diego, CA
Kimberly Lightle, Columbus, OH
C. Anne Wallen, Winston-Salem, NC
Special Needs
Kahille Dorsinvil, Medford, NY
Maya Israel, Cincinnati, OH
Mary Beth Katz, Birmingham, AL
Sally Harms, Wisner, NE
Technology
Andrea Ellinger, Seattle, WA
Caryn Meirs, Smithtown, NY
Manorama Talaiver, Chesterfield, VA
The Science Teacher
Pradeep Dass, Boone, NC
Joel Gluck, Cranston, RI
George Griffith, Almena, KS
Michael Lowry, Chattanooga, TN
Urban Science
Martha Day, Bowling Green, KY
David Miller, Las Vegas, NV
Theresa Robinson Thomas, Chicago, IL
Gloria Allen, Washington, DC
Panels
NSTA/CBC Review
Betty Crocker, Denton, TX
Sharla Dowding, Newcastle, WY
Steve Rich, Douglasville, GA
New Science Teachers Academy
Joyce Gleason, Punta Gorda, FL
Timothy Laubach, Norman, OK
Janet Magargal, Drexel Hill, PA
Shell Science Teaching Award Judging
Deborah Cornelison, Ada, OK
Hubert Dyasi, Yonkers, NY
John Jackson, Altadena, CA

Knockoffs. You can buy them anywhere—from a street vendor, a flea market, or the local discount shop. But what if you’ve decided to pay more for the “real thing”? How can you be sure you’re getting the handbag, shoes, device, or even medication you’re paying for?

That’s going to be less of a concern thanks to the innovation resulting from the collaborative effort of Drs. Jeremy Wilson and Evangelyn Alocilja at Michigan State University. Take a look at Science of Innovation: Anti-Counterfeiting Devices to find out how knockoffs might be knocked out of the marketplace.

The series is available cost-free on www.NBCLearn.com, www.science360.gov, and www.uspto.gov/education. Use the link below to download the lesson plans in a format you can edit to customize for your situation. And if you had to make significant changes to a lesson, we’d love to see what you did differently, as well as why you made the changes. Leave a comment, and we’ll get in touch with you with submission information. We look forward to hearing from you!

–Judy Elgin Jensen

Image of fake Chuck Taylors courtesy of Bill Walsh.

Video

SOI: Anti-Counterfeiting Devices highlights how Dr. Evangelyn Alocilja contributed her expertise in nanotechnology, which she had used in her own research to detect bacteria and other contaminants in food, to the problem of counterfeit goods.

Lesson plans

Two versions of the lesson plans help students build background and develop questions they can explore the clues that might identify a product as an authentic name brand or a knockoff and what strategies might they employ to ensure their products are authentic. Both include strategies to support students in their own quest for answers and strategies for a more focused approach that helps all students participate in hands-on inquiry.

SOI: Anti-Counterfeiting Devices, A Science Perspective models how students might investigate how the size of a soluble particle affects its rate of dissolving.
SOI: Anti-Counterfeiting Devices, An Engineering Perspective models how students might design anti-counterfeiting devices.

You can use the following form to e-mail us edited versions of the lesson plans: [contact-form 2 “ChemNow]

In addition to NSTA publications, I read many others related to science and education, both in print and online. I usually scan the pages and images, focusing on articles of interest. However, the May 2013 issue of Smithsonian was so compelling, I had to read it cover to cover! The theme was “The Future Is Here.” Here is a sampling of the STEM-related articles featured in this issue:
The Body Eclectic – There’s more to microorganisms that co-exist in the human body than digestion. This article looks at how these organisms affect both physical and emotional health. It could lead to an interesting class discussion on correlation vs causation.
The Printed World – How will 3-D printers change our concept of a “factory” when creating or replicating objects can be done anywhere?
Clear as a Bell – Alexander Graham Bell is credited with inventing the telephone, but what did his voice actually sound like? The article describes the technology used to extract sounds from media that are more than 100 years old. What the article doesn’t have is a link to the actual voice, but here is a related YouTube video with his actual words.
Block Party – Legos are more than toys. Engineering and programmable robots are some of the ways these little blocks can be used as learning tools.
The Road Less Traveled – Here is an infographic on STEM careers. Why do people who have an early interest in STEM topics not follow through in their career choices?
X and the City – A mathematician takes the readers on a tour of a city in this article on quantitative urbanism. “Many aspects of modern cities can be reduced to mathematical formulas.” What are the implications for solving problems or predicting trends in housing, crime rates, or land use?

You’re celebrating a romantic little restaurant or some other special place. Your significant other presents you with a small velvet box containing a huge diamond ring or flawless diamond cuff links. Would you like the sparkling gems any less if you knew they came from a lab and not a diamond mine?

This installment of the “Science of Innovation” video series—Synthetic Diamonds—describes an innovative process that might just be the beginning of that dazzling rock on your finger—no mining, no waiting millions of years. Synthetic diamonds (no, not cubic zirconia, but real, 100 percent diamond) are in your immediate future.

Synthesize your STEM efforts with this and other videos in the “Science of Innovation” series from the collaborative team of NBC Learn, United States Patent & Trademark Office, the National Science Foundation, and NSTA. One of the reasons the USPTO got involved in this effort to begin with was to show how the principles of intellectual property and innovation can help further motivate and engage your students in authentic STEM experiences. By learning how people invent new things and applying the creative design and engineering process in your classroom, students begin to understand the essence of the fields of science and engineering. The series is available cost-free on www.NBCLearn.com, www.science360.gov, and www.uspto.gov/education. Take a look, and then let us know what you think!

–Judy Elgin Jensen

Image of the largest model of diamond in the world created as a Summer Exhibition for the Royal Society of Chemistry. It contains 31,395 crystal clear balls representing the carbon atoms. A real diamond containing 31,395 atoms would be less than one billionth of a carat, invisible to the eye, and worth less than a penny. Courtesy of Bruce Stokes.

Video

SOI: Synthetic Diamonds highlights the research and innovation related to the production of synthetic diamonds.

Lesson plans

Two versions of the lesson plans help students build background and develop questions they can explore how the physical properties of diamonds, both synthetic and natural, make them useful not only as jewelry, but also as industrial abrasives and engraving tools, in medicine to deliver cancer-fighting drugs to affected parts of the body and to cover openings in X-ray chambers and other types of imagining devices, in high-end audio equipment, and as semiconductor coatings for computer chips, among many other uses. Both include strategies to support students in their own quest for answers and strategies for a more focused approach that helps all students participate in hands-on inquiry.

SOI: Synthetic Diamonds, A Science Perspective models how students might investigate a question using media resources.

SOI: Synthetic Diamonds, An Engineering Perspective shows how students might investigate structure and its relationship to strength.

You can use the following form to e-mail us edited versions of the lesson plans: [contact-form 2 “ChemNow]

Guest Post by LaMoine L. Motz, PhD, Sandra West Moody, PhD, and James T. Biehle, AIA

The cover article “Science on Wheels” in the April 2013 issue of NSTA Reports raises a number of issues which, in our opinion, fly in the face of good judgment. While we recognize there are many schools with inadequate science teaching facilities, using unsafe practices to provide science spaces can be a lawsuit waiting to happen. Recent research reveals how widespread the problem of “floating” science teachers is with more than 1,000 Texas science teachers reporting they have to teach off of a cart (Kennedy, L. and West, S., 2013).
In the NSTA Guide to Planning School Science Facilities, 2nd Edition (hereinafter NSTA Guide), we discuss a number of safety issues which, if not corrected, can lead to accidents and lawsuits. A particularly egregious example of such a safety issue is described in “Science on Wheels” where a teacher states that “mostly what we had to move on a cart were just solutions.” The NSTA Guide mentions just such an activity on page 42 in describing some of the impacts of Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) on science facilities and instruction. There are numerous reports of cart accidents including cart wheels sticking in a shallow doorway threshold resulting in the cart stopping and a glass jug of acid falling off which produced toxic fumes and students running around corners into and knocking the cart over, subsequently breaking jars of chemicals and equipment. (Laboratory Safety Institute, 2013)
On pages 41 and 42 of the NSTA Guide, under a discussion of tort law, the situation in the schools mentioned in “Science on Wheels” could readily be defined as “misfeasance” (a principal assigning a science class to a non-science classroom), “nonfeasance” (failure to provide an adequate number of science laboratory/classrooms, and “malfeasance” (forcing an employee to assume an unnecessary risk or use unsafe methods.

As often emphasized in our “Planning and Designing School Science Facilities“ workshops and seminars at NSTA regional and national conferences, and also numerous state conferences, the person who will know about this article (“Science on Wheels”) in the case of a lawsuit resulting from such patently unsafe practices is the plaintiff’s attorney.  NSTA President–Elect Juliana Texley, a former superintendent, describes working with an architect who had no idea of what it was like during class changes in a middle school. The architect was instructed to stand on one tile in the middle of the corridor as classes changed and nearly got swept away. We believe it is a mistake for the NSTA Reports to suggest that it would be safe to move “solutions” around the halls from room to room on a cart.
Science teachers and students are at risk whether the teacher moves from one science room to another science room or is required to teach in non-science rooms. The greater risk is, of course, for science students to have to do science activities in a non-science room lacking required safety equipment such as eyewashes. When a room is used for laboratory activities, it becomes a “science laboratory” and is subject to fire code occupancy load requirements.

Further, leaving science materials in a non-science classroom, supervised primarily by a teacher not trained in safe science instruction, is an invitation to further lawsuits due to students and, possibly, teachers being injured as they move, or otherwise deal with science equipment and materials left in, say, an English classroom. Leaving science materials in a room with a non-science trained teacher is extremely unsafe.
The prep room concept described at St. Stephen’s Episcopal School sounds like a further invitation to a lawsuit if there is not a door which can be locked. Prep rooms must be off limits to students, protected by lockable doors. It is possible to design lockable mobile tables that will fit through a standard 36” wide door but having a large opening into the classroom will invite curious students to explore an area they should not enter.
Some suggest we should recognize that many science teachers are in the same predicament discussed in the NSTA Reports article and we should propose ways to teach science more safely when adequate science teaching facilities are not available. However, we strongly believe that it is not possible to safely teach an effective science program in a general purpose classroom as virtually all such classrooms are unequipped with even the basic safety equipment such as a fire blanket and fire extinguisher. In visiting more than 450 schools, nationally, almost none have a sink, and we have yet to see a safety shower or even portable eyewash in a general purpose classroom. We believe it is our responsibility to emphasize that safe science can only be taught in a properly equipped science classroom and that the practice of using general purpose classrooms for science and transporting chemicals and equipment from room to room, as described in “Science on Wheels,” should be strongly discouraged to district patrons, school boards, administrators, architects and facilities directors.
Constructing an adequate number of safe, spacious and well-equipped science lab/classrooms and appropriately located and designed science storage facilities should be seen as an investment in the future. The alternative is to take the approach discussed in “Science on Wheels” which can result in spending a significant amount of money defending unnecessary lawsuits instead of providing a safe science learning environment.
 

References:

Motz, L., Biehle, J., and West, S. (2007). NSTA Guide to Planning School Science Facilities, 2^nd Edition. Arlington, VA: NSTA Press.
Kennedy, L & West, S. 2013.  Safety in Texas secondary science classrooms: 1990-2007.Proceedings of the 116^th. Annual Meeting of the Texas Academy of Science, Kerrville, TX p .42
Laboratory Safety Institute, 2003. Learning by Accident, www.labsafety.org/ Natick, MA