I’m a first year physics teacher. I hear my colleagues talk about what they learn from their students. This puzzles me—what can I learn from students who don’t have the content knowledge that I do?
—Wendy, Elizabeth, New Jersey
This question caused me to reflect on the students I’ve met over the years. While it’s true they didn’t always have a depth of knowledge in science, when I paid attention to their questions, behaviors, and attitudes, my students made me think about my approach to teaching and learning. Here’s a sample what I learned from students:
After a unit test, “Sandra” looked very dejected. When I asked her what was wrong, she replied, “I know a lot about this, but you asked the wrong questions.” That stopped me in my tracks. I was the teacher—the one supposed to have all of the questions and answers. I asked her what should have been on the test, and she told me what she knew about the topic from working on scout badges, visiting museums, reading books, and watching TV programs. She was right—for her I didn’t ask enough of the right questions. She taught me the value of providing a variety of ways for students to share what they know and can do.  For example, at the end of unit tests I included an optional item: “Tell me about what you know about the topic that was not on the test.” It was thought provoking to discover what students found interesting enough to remember and explore how they could supplement the lesson objectives with their own knowledge.

When I first started teaching, my middle school had a hierarchy of homogeneously grouped sections, determined by test scores in math. The students were in the same grouping for all of their subjects, including science. Being the newbie, I was assigned the “lowest” of the nine sections of seventh and eighth graders. I didn’t accept the stereotype that these students also had little ability in science. I found them to be genuinely curious and they responded well to class discussions and hands-on activities. (I actually had more discipline problems with the one “higher” section I was assigned). Fast forward 10 years…I met up with one of these students at a football game. She mentioned she had recently graduated from the local community college’s nursing program. She then said, “I’ll bet there are teachers who never thought that someone from section 7-9 would ever graduate from college.” I was blown away by the fact that this poised 20-something woman still carried around the stigma of being labeled as the lowest of the low in seventh grade. From her, I learned to trust my own observations and judgment about students, rather than relying on stereotypes and labels. (I can’t speak for other subjects and grade levels, but I was glad when we changed our scheduling to a non-labeled, more heterogeneous one.)
During a unit on insects, I noticed “Molly” writing copious notes. I glanced over her shoulder and saw she had a page of arthropod names and their origins in mythology (e.g., the Luna moth, nymphs, arachnids, the Cyclops copepod). I asked her if this was an assignment for English class (which included a unit on mythology), and she looked at me as if I had a head like Medusa and replied, “No, I just think this is really interesting.” So thanks to Molly, I learned helping students make connections between science and literature, social studies, and the arts is good for all subjects.
I tried to incorporate skills like notetaking in my class, and I encouraged students to outline or create study cards. One day, “Bobby” and “Kris” asked if they could try something different. In a previous unit, we used a matrix graphic organizer to summarize information for a report. They wondered if they could try this instead of outlining the chapter. They showed me a mockup: the rows listed the three types of rocks and the columns had headings such as how formed, where found, examples, how to identify. I told them to give it a try. When they were finished, I asked them to share with the class, and other students found this method more useful than a long outline. From these two students, I learned to say, “Here’s how you could do this assignment, but if you have a different idea, let’s talk about it.” I should also thank them for the idea that eventually morphed into part of my dissertation
Of course, it is possible some of your students will surprise you with content knowledge beyond yours, based on their interests and experiences. Listen to what they say, even if you are a content expert, “That’s really interesting. Tell me more.” And they will.
 
Photo:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/rongyos/2686415336/

Science teachers are reading an eclectic selection of teaching resources this month, judging by the top content on NSTA’s website. You can look inside these books by downloading a free sample chapter at the NSTA Science Store.  Post a comment or tweet using the hashtag #nstareading to tell us what you’ve been reading and what books you’ve recently recommended to other science teachers!
Most Popular NSTA Press Books

1. Designing Effective Science Instruction: What Works in Science Classrooms, by Anne Tweed (sample chapter: “Building the Framework”)
2. The Everyday Science Sourcebook, Revised 2^nd Edition: Ideas for Teaching in Elementary and Middle School, by Larry Lowery (sample chapter: “Weather”)
3. STEM Student Research Handbook, by Darci J. Harland (sample chapter: “Research Design”)
4. Rise and Shine: A Practical Guide for the Beginning Science Teacher, by Linda Froschauer and Mary Bigelow (sample chapter: “The First Week of School”)
5. Teaching Science Through Trade Books, by Christine Anne Royce, Karen Ansberry, and Emily Morgan (sample chapter: “Cloud Watchers”)

 Most Popular NSTA Press e-Books

1. Forensics in Chemistry:  The Case of Kirsten K., by Sara McCubbins and Angela Codron (sample chapter: “The Cooler and Delivery Truck Evidence”)
2. Everyday Engineering: Putting the E in STEM Teaching and Learning, by Richard H. Moyer and Susan A. Everett (sample chapter: “Toothbrush Design: Is There a Better Bristle?”)
3. Front-Page Science: Engaging Teens in Science Literacy, by Wendy Saul, Angela Kohnen, Alan Newman, and Laura Pearce (sample chapter: “Can I Do This? Frequently Asked Questions”)
4. Gourmet Lab: The Scientific Principles Behind Your Favorite Foods, by Sarah Reeves Young (sample chapter: “Ballpark Pretzels”)
5. Uncovering Student Ideas in Life Science, Volume 1: 25 New Formative Assessment Probes, by Page Keeley (sample chapter: “The Virus Debate”)

We’ve heard that after the school year ends, many teachers spend time catching up on NSTA Reports articles they didn’t have a chance to read thoroughly earlier. To help you make the most of this precious downtime and prepare for the year ahead, here’s a selection of 2011–2012 stories we think you’ll enjoy reading—or re-reading.

Teach Earth science? “Making Science Excellent From the Start,” our October 2011 cover story, looks at the Michigan Teacher Excellence Program (MITEP), a National Science Foundation (NSF)–funded teacher preparation program targeted to the state’s middle level Earth science teachers, who often lack a college major or full certification in Earth science. MITEP connects them with scientists who can deepen their content knowledge, provides opportunities to collaborate with colleagues, and produces teacher leaders who are ready to instruct their colleagues and present sessions at national and regional geology meetings.

“Making the Most of the NGSS,” from our November 2011 issue, discusses A Framework for K–12 Science Education, the foundation for the Next Generation Science Standards, and details nine recommendations NSTA’s leadership and a team of experts made after they analyzed the final Framework and identified areas needing improvement.

Our January 2012 issue contained these three gems:

Twelfth graders in the sciences strand of the Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness program at Joppatowne High School in Joppa, Maryland, recently presented their yearlong capstone projects to industry professionals, school system leadership and staff, and family and friends. The students plan to pursue careers in science-related fields following graduation.

• Two initiatives that involve teachers and students in preserving steelhead trout and Chinook salmon on the West Coast and diamondback terrapins on the East Coast are the subject of the cover story, “Hatching Conservation Science.” Project-based learning, hands-on biology activities, and student research are key components of both efforts.
• In addition to free and low-cost teacher resources, the nation’s 17 Department of Energy National Laboratories offer teachers and students opportunities to experience real-world science during field trips to the labs, workshops, and presentations by scientists. Learn more by reading “Getting to Know the National Laboratories.”
• Integrating science with emergency preparedness helps students think scientifically and potentially save lives. Find out how microbiology, chemistry, Earth science, data analysis, technology, history, and language arts play roles in “Preparing Students for Science and Emergencies.”

From 2006 to 2010, NSF provided seed funding for Academies for Young Scientists programs, which expose K–12 students to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) out-of-school time experiences. How did some of these programs keep going after the funding period ended? Click here: “Academies for Young Scientists Outlast Initial Funding.”  (from our February 2012 issue)

Major Patrick Sullivan of the U.S. Army Combined Arms Center in Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas, works with fifth graders at Eisenhower Elementary School in Ft. Leavenworth. (photo by Matthew Dixon)

In our March 2012 cover story, “Exploring STEM Professional Development,” representatives from teacher PD programs share their thoughts on what STEM PD really means—and how it can support teachers in their efforts to improve STEM teaching and learning.

Teachers around the country are reaping the benefits of partnering with the military,  including classroom visits by science and engineering experts who can inspire students to consider STEM careers, access to cutting-edge technological tools and scientific equipment, and meaningful professional development. “Joining Forces With the Military for STEM,” our April 2012 cover story, describes some of these successful partnerships.

Do-it-yourselfers will enjoy our May 2012 cover story “Building Equipment—and Interest—in Science.” Discover how teachers who built or refurbished scientific equipment with their students made these projects a special learning experience, as well as a money-saving venture.

In the July 2012 Science & Children I wrote about establishing a “Teach and Tell” circle time at the beginning of the school year. This sharing circle has several purposes—to provide a focused time to learn about natural materials, to allow children to each have a turn as the circle leader by talking and taking questions, to learn how to make a question, and to practice group discussion skills. An early childhood questions-and-discussion session supports the goal from A Framework for K-12 Science Education: Practices, Crosscutting Concepts, and Core Ideas of developing student’s ability to ask questions:
The experience of learning science and engineering should therefore develop students’ ability to ask—and indeed, encourage them to ask—well-formulated questions that can be investigated empirically.
A Framework for K-12 Science Education: Practices, Crosscutting Concepts, and Core Ideas. 2012. By the Committee on a Conceptual Framework for New K-12 Science Education Standards, National Academies Press. pg 55.
Observing and exploring the properties of natural materials, and asking questions about them, are also described in the Science and Engineering Practices supporting the May 2012 draft of the Next Generations Science Standards for K-grade 2.
I limit the object-to-share to only natural objects because when the sharing child brings a toy, the focus turns to each child wanting to tell about their own toys rather than ask questions. Drawings or a photograph of a natural object are also allowed. If a child brought in a wooden toy to share we could have a discussion about whether or not it should be permitted–a good way to help teach the difference between “natural” and “manufactured”.
I model how to ask a question at the beginning of the year and revisit the criteria for a question for several months—what we say should be a request for information of some kind about the natural object from the sharing child. Children can be asked to rephrase their statements into questions. “I think it’s a bird’s egg” can be turned into a question such as, “Do you know what bird it came from?” And, “It looks like the rock my grandmother gave me” can be rephrased as, “Did you get it from your grandmother?”
I prompt the sharing child to tell something about the object with as much support for comfort and vocabulary as needed, then pass it around (if it is durable), and say, “I’m ready for questions.” The other children raise their hands and are called on by the sharing child, who I may have to prompt again to ask, “Are there any more questions?”
By reading a simple nonfiction book as the first sharing of the year (of photos of natural materials), I set up the structure of one person sharing and others asking questions. I like to use nonfiction books with photographs, and may only read (or paraphrase) a few pages. Here is a short, incomplete, list which I hope you will add to by commenting at the end of this post!

• The Rookie Read-About Science books
• Large page identification books for plants, shells, birds, and minerals, such as the DK Children Eyewitness books, or the Smithsonian Handbooks, also published by Dorling Kindersley, Inc.
• Ask your local librarian to recommend a book, or search NSTA Recommends to find books such as How to Raise Monarch Butterflies: A Step-by-Step Guide for Kids by Carol Pasternak (2012, Firefly Books Ltd.)

After reading a book, I model how to ask a question by wondering aloud or drawing the part I am wondering about on a large pad or board. Then I ask the children to ask or draw their questions. The first week or two, Teach and Tell circle time will go slowly as children learn what a “natural” object is, and how to ask a question. Building children’s understanding of how questions can be asked to get an answer will help them later be able to ask questions that can be investigated through science and engineering practices, including science inquiry.
Please share any suggestions or ideas you have for successful sharing circles, and for helping children learn to ask questions that can be investigated.
Peggy

At an NSTA conference this year, I got really charged up about using more inquiry with my students. But when I look at our curriculum, it’s full of traditional “cookbook” labs that we are required to do. How can I make time for inquiry-based activities?
—Michael, New Mexico
When I was in my undergraduate science methods class, inquiry in science was a key topic. That was many years ago, yet we’re still talking about this. I wonder if it’s because many still may perceive it as an analog situation: do either cookbook labs (in which students simply follow the directions) or full inquiry investigations (which students design and conduct). At first, I struggled with this dichotomy with my middle school students. Were they really “ready” for inquiry?
My “aha” moment came through reading, experience, and reflection: inquiry is not either-or but rather a continuum, depending on the amount of input or scaffolding from the teacher and the level of ownership the students have in the process. In The Many Levels of Inquiry (see the Resource Collection at the end), Bianchi and Bell (2008) describe this continuum:

• Confirmation inquiry: Students are provided with the question and the procedure. The results are known, and there is often a “correct” answer or outcome. Teachers use activities at this level to introduce a tool or practice a procedure such as observation, measurement, or data collection.
• Structured inquiry: Students are given the question and procedure, and they develop their own explanations based on the evidence they collect.
• Guided inquiry: Students are provided with the question to investigate, but they design the procedure and develop explanations of the results (with teacher guidance and feedback).
• Open inquiry: Students formulate the research question, design the methods used to conduct the investigation, and communicate the results.

What differentiates these is the role of the students and teacher in asking questions, designing procedures, collecting and organizing data, and generating explanations and conclusions. The more input the students have, the higher the level of inquiry. The graphic in Inquiry Is Essential (see the Resource Collection) shows the relationship between levels of student self-direction and directions provided by the teacher.
So the good news is you don’t necessarily have to add more activities to the existing curriculum. Even confirmation or “cookbook” labs can be kicked up a notch (as Chef Emeril would say).

One way is to change the title of an activity from a topic to a question. For example, instead of saying, “Today we’re going to learn about the microscope,” you could introduce the activity with a question: “What kinds of microorganisms live in pond water?” Students could practice using the microscope with a few prepared slides of algae or protists. They would practice making wet-mount slides to examine samples of pond water, doing an inventory of species and sketching what they see. My students thought this more interesting and purposeful than the traditional look-at-the-upside-down-e and the worksheet on naming the parts. I found that it helps to put learning about tools and techniques into the context in which they are used, rather than as isolated activities. Students can then see a reason for using them.
There are other ways to increase the amount of student input into an existing investigation. You could give students a procedure and ask them to fill out a requisition form listing the materials and equipment they would need. Rather than using a prepared handout, they could brainstorm ways to display data or communicate their results. Students could add other questions to extend the activity. I observed a teacher who shared the first few steps of a procedure and then asked the class (using a think-pair-share), “What should we do next?” You could also ask students about what they are doing and what they observe as they conduct an activity.
In my own middle school classes, most of the activities were at the first three levels. But we did several projects at the open inquiry level, often as a culminating investigation. For example, in a unit on plants, I asked groups of students to design controlled experiments to determine factors that affect plant growth.
I’ve created a Resource Collection of journal articles related to inquiry and with examples at various grade levels and topics. The 2010-2011 archived issues of Science & Children each focus on one aspect of inquiry (and are appropriate for older students, too). NSTA members receive access to the journal archives as a benefit of membership, non-members can purchase individual articles through the NSTA Science Store.  
 
Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/fontplaydotcom/504443770/sizes/o/in/photostream/

 
–Occasional commentary by Robert E. Yager (NSTA President, 1982-1983)
Why is there not more attention for getting all students (and teachers) actually “doing” science in every K-16 science classroom? The faulty assumption is that there is information thought to be accurate that all must “Know” before really “doing” science. Most science teachers continue to use typical science textbooks and lab directions in excess of 90% of the time! Doing science means urging all to personally explore nature with attempts to explain the objects and events encountered. It also means exploring what others have done (and reported) as ways of evaluating their initial ideas as well. Science cannot be done in a vacuum! It takes “doing”, “trying”, “creative thinking”, and “evidence gathering”! Textbooks, lab manuals, and other quick fixes are all opposite examples of actually “doing science”.
Most Professional Development efforts invite persons with current understandings of science to tell, share, and encourage others to remember and repeat relevant research results. This view of doing science is what characterizes presentations for conferences and for most Professional Development efforts which are typically designed to influence the science that is taught. There should be major efforts to produce students who recognize and produce questions and then proceed to investigate them personally. It is finally important to establish their validity with actual evidence collected. Such actions would illustrate “doing science”.
Could not Professional Development efforts (including reports at conferences) start with problems/questions by the attendees followed by varied attempts to answer them? This could lead to collection of multiple responses and encourage the sharing of such evidence in science classrooms? Could there be some focus on results from students as well as changes in teaching noted. These could occur after actual Professional Development sessions or experience with conference “presentations”?
We need more than happy attendees; we need reporting of new approaches to teaching which can be tried and evaluated after each Professional Development experience!
Science is typically taught by sharing explanations and interpretations of others. These are then used to determine what is put in textbooks. Repeating this information is then used for evaluating student learning. Student ideas and involvement are not expected nor are they welcomed. Science is too often like art or drama where teachers admire and/or criticize the performances of their best students. Standardized tests too often require only students to repeat what has been presented or assigned by teachers. The information included in textbooks or directions for laboratories too often only focus on students remembering and/or duplicating performances with no use of questions, possible answers, real investigations, or interpretations.
Such typical teaching does not consider how science can be done better and made a part of efforts illustrating real learning as an experience itself! Treating Professional Development efforts as science (i.e., questions about the objects and events in nature) should not only be a goal for reform teaching but an outcome of a real and personal experience with science.
–Robert E. Yager
Professor of Science education
University of Iowa
 

Several resources appeared on my iPad this morning that made me put my coffee mug down and read (rather than tag for later on). A few were mentioned on MSP2 (Middle School Portal 2–Math and Science Pathways). Even if you teach upper elementary or high school, their resources are excellent and appropriate and Twitter will notify you of new postings and events.
Kim Lightie’s post on MSP2 NAEP Reveals Shallow Grasp of Science has links to the study  we’ve been hearing and reading about, including the findings that students were able to perform simple investigations, but challenged to explain conclusions. Sometimes we fret over test scores without knowing what the items were. But the website has links to actual released items at all three grade levels for the hands-on and interactive computer tasks, complete with scoring rubrics and a summary of student performances. It might be interesting to try one with your own students. Or ask teachers to complete one themselves, compare their performance to the rubric, and discuss the report as a professional development activity.
The New York Times published its Year-End Roundup | Science, Health, Technology and Math, an index of lessons published in The Learning Network blog. They are organized by topic, and the page also has links to 2010 and 2011 lists. You can follow the blog via Facebook, Twitter, or an RSS feed. Two that caught my attention right away were Backyard Science: Tallying Local Species to Learn About Diversity and Peer Review Meets D.I.Y.: Publishing a Student Science Journal. There are links you can share with your colleagues in Language Arts, Journalism, the Arts, and Academic Skills  and Social Studies, History, Geography, and Civics.
The Learning Network also has writing prompts geared for secondary students. 163 Questions to Write or Talk About are not necessarily related to science (and some require very personal reflection), but some could be used as bell-ringers or to show how students can relate science to other topics in the news. Each question has some background information, and you can see how other students responded. I could see some of these being used in PD sessions with teachers, too. It appears that you can access the Learning Network without purchasing a subscription to the Times.
Planning a holiday at one of the National Parks? The NPS’s Archeology Program has an interactive US map highlighting research projects in the Parks.
 
Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/kevincollins123/6091668091/sizes/l/in/photostream/

I wouldn’t call it a misconception, but my middle school science students had an incomplete understanding of migration. They all knew that “birds fly south in the winter,” but they didn’t realize that for many birds, our location was “south” and that we were seeing migrants from the Arctic. They didn’t think about the reverse—birds flying north for the spring. They assumed that the bird migrations occurred because of the colder temperatures, not because food became scarce in the colder months. We investigated other reasons for migrations (such as mating or searching for water) and other types of animals that migrate (sea turtles, whales, butterflies). [SciLinks: Migration, Migration of Birds]
Recently, studies of sea turtle migrations have been in the news, including how they navigate around the North Atlantic basin :

• Questions About Incredible Sea Turtle Migration Answered by Scientists
• Unlocking the Secrets of Sea Turtle Migration
• Sea Turtle Migrations May Be More Amazing Than Previously Imagined

The migration of Red Knots (small shore birds) has also been in the news. These birds have an amazing journey each year, back and forth from the Arctic to South America. They time their flight north to coincide with the horseshoe crab mating season, when their eggs are deposited in the beaches of the middle Atlantic states, including Delaware and New Jersey. The Red Knots depend on these crab eggs for nourishment as they continue their journey.

• Red Knots in Danger (New York Times)
• What The Vampire Said To The Horseshoe Crab: ‘Your Blood Is Blue?’ (NPR)
• A Bird, a Crab and a Shared Fight to Survive (New York Times)
• Spring fling: Prehistoric horseshoe crabs spawn on moonlit beach (Washington Post)
• Beach party: Horseshoe-crab mating draws crowds in Delaware (Seattle Times)
•  Crash: A Tale of Two Species (a 2008 program from PBS Nature)

This weekend, I’ll be participating in a citizen-science horseshoe crab count in Delaware. These counts occur in the late evenings, and the results are used to document their spawning habits from year to year.  Who says science teachers don’t know how to have fun?
Photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jrdamare/2810550531/sizes/s/in/photostream/
Photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/shellgame/5751930667/sizes/l/in/photostream/