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Science and the Common Core language arts standards

By Mary Bigelow

Posted on 2012-01-18

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Along with this month’s Science Teacher, the articles in this issue focus on reading and writing in science. Science teachers are the best ones to guide students in these literacy processes, given the content and structure of science text and science writing. The theme that seems to run through this issue is the importance of guidance and modeling.
Reading science text (whether a book or online) can be difficult for students, with advanced vocabulary and a style different from stories and novels. If your students have difficulty comprehending science text, Shake It Up With Reading has suggestions for reading strategies such as questioning the text. The Science Text for All: Using Textmasters to Help All Students Access Written Science Content shows how cooperative “literature circles” (often used in language arts or reading classes) can be adapted for science reading. Both articles have examples of rubrics and guides for students. [SciLinks: Earthquakes]
Science text also includes graphics and visuals. Teaching with Visuals in the Science Classroom differentiates between decorative visuals and those that convey information. The author lists seven suggestions for helping students process this information. Vocabulary is another challenge in reading science text. Jump-Start Your Middle School Students’ Background Knowledge and Vocabulary Skills introduces us to “jump pages,” online collections of resources on a topic created by teachers (or students). Each “card” focuses on a topic with links to videos, PowerPoint presentations, web pages, or word documents and assessments related to the topic. The authors provide directions and rubrics. [SciLinks: Current Electricity, Magnetism] The online tools Museum Box or Glogster could be used in this way, although Internet access and logins are necessary for these.

Sometimes we expect middle schoolers to know more than they actually do. They need guidance and modeling in writing, too, as described in Getting Past “Just Because.” The article describes how the authors implemented a CER (claim-evidence-reasoning) process to help students write informative text. NOT Another Lab Report has suggestions for guiding students in documenting their investigations. And as the author of Using “Brags and Whines” as a Creative Writing Technique notes, science writing can tap into student creativity. These articles have rubrics to show how writing can be assessed (with a focus on understanding, reasoning, and evidence rather than spelling and mechanics).
Do you keep a journal–a diary, lifelist, field notes, or scrapbook? Nature Journaling shows how students can get hooked on writing while fine-tuning skills such as observing and noting details. Even the schoolyard can be a place for nature journaling, and the authors provide examples of student work. And students might enjoy seeing your journal, too.
Are you planning a field trip for this year? Transforming a Field Trip into an Expedition can help you and your students go beyond the traditional scavenger hunt. The author describes activities before, during, and after the trip that turns a “day off” into an investigation, including a student question guide and rubric.
Nuclear Energy has a description of this source of energy, including a timeline and a discussion of pros and cons of these power plants. The article is just in time for National Nuclear Science Week, January 24–28. NSTA is hosting a special live web seminar from the Illinois Institute of Technology on January 25 with scientists and national experts from the medical, energy, and research fields who will lead the discussion. For more information and to register, click here. [SciLinks: Nuclear Energy, Nuclear Reactors]
Check out the Connections for this issue (January 2012). Even if the article does not quite fit with your lesson agenda, this resource has ideas for handouts, background information sheets, data sheets, rubrics, etc.

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Chapters and Associated Groups: It's tax time!

By Teshia Birts, CAE

Posted on 2012-01-16

Having worked with small organizations for a number of years now, inevitably I will hear one state chapter or component leader say, “We don’t have to worry about filing taxes…we didn’t have enough income.”
Well, this is partly true.  Your organization may not need to file a formal 990, but you will have to file something, regardless of how small the revenue.  Organizations with revenues beyond $50,000 must complete an IRS Form 990 or 990 EZ, but if the organization’s revenue is $50,000 or less ($25,000 or less for tax years after December 31, 2007 and before December 31, 2010) a Form 990-N (postcard) must be filed.
The 990-N is an electronic postcard and is simple to complete. You only need to complete eight basic items of information: (1) EIN or TIN; (2) Tax Year; (3) Legal name of organization and mailing address; (4) Any other aliases or names of the organization; (5) Name and address of principal officer; (6) Organization website address; (7) Confirmation that the organization’s annual gross revenue are $25,000 or less ($50,000 or less for tax years after December 31, 2010), and (8) If applicable, a statement that the organization has gone out of business.
The trickiest issue is trying to figure out WHEN to file your organization’s 990, 990EZ or 990-N – always remember five and 15th. Your organization’s tax filings are due the fifteenth day (just like our individual tax returns) of the fifth month after the end of your fiscal year.  For example, if the last day of your fiscal year is June 30th, your organization’s tax filings are due November 15th.  I always suggest that organization leaders/staff add this date to their operational timeline and policy and procedure manual.
For more information about the 990-N, visit Annual Electronic Filing For Small Exempt Organizations.

 

When understanding science concepts becomes especially important

By Peggy Ashbrook

Posted on 2012-01-14

There is nothing like a family illness for making the point that it is important for the average person to have a basic understanding of science concepts. Several recent hospitalizations among family and friends have made me aware of how much there is for me to learn about medical science and engineering, even though I feel I have a good (but not advanced) understanding of physics, chemistry, biology and earth science, and some engineering. There are always choices for the patient and family to make, alternatives to weigh, and procedures to follow for better health. Some of those require us to understand what the blood tests are measuring, how blood pressure affects the body, which Continuous Positive Airway Pressure breathing mask to choose, and how medications work.
Child drawing an "x-ray" while pretending to be a doctor.Like imaginative play about Space, children enjoy pretending to be medical personnel, taking temperatures, looking at or drawing x-rays, and applying band-aides. This imaginative play supports childrens’ developing science understanding and an interest in learning more. Children’s play allows them to make beginning theories about how the world works. Undirected play also allows teachers to assess academic and social skills to see what we need to focus on in coming weeks.
After observing the children’s undirected play I ask myself, What materials can I add to the room to spur the students to extend their play using practices which will support their later learning in science and engineering? What group discussions will support students in the science and engineering practices of asking questions and defining problems, developing and using models, planning and carrying out investigations, analyzing and interpreting data, using mathematics and computational thinking, constructing explanations and designing solutions, engaging in argument from evidence, and obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information in unstructured and structured activities? What structured activities will focus on the concepts they appear to be exploring? And, how will all of this fit into the standards and curriculum of my program?
Children sorting manipulatives by color.One example is the frequent math play I see the three and four-year-olds doing with manipulatives and their snack items. They are trying out, on their own, the concepts they’ve been working on with teachers and through their observations of the world. For the math-exploring young five, I might introduce the idea of using a Venn Diagram when grouping, by offering two hoops to define the groups. For the snack-sorter who is demonstrating a strong interest in one-to-one correspondence, I might ask “How are these objects the same and how are they different?” and “How many do you have all together?”
Children comparing bare hands to mittened hands--which is more slippery?A playground sliding pole.Another example of how science concepts can be explored during undirected play is learning about the friction (or lack of) between winter mittens and the playground sliding pole as compared to the friction between bare hands and the metal of the pole. When a child went down too fast for his comfort, I was able to have him compare a bare hand to a mitten-covered hand on the pole—a short experience and discussion about the nature of materials.
These small moments are positive steps towards building scientific literacy.
Peggy

There is nothing like a family illness for making the point that it is important for the average person to have a basic understanding of science concepts. Several recent hospitalizations among family and friends have made me aware of how much there is for me to learn about medical science and engineering, even though I feel I have a good (but not advanced) understanding of physics, chemistry, biology and earth science, and some engineering. There are always choices for the patient and family to make, alternatives to weigh, and procedures to follow for better health.

“The U.S. Preventative Services Task Force issued new guidelines for mammograms in 2009. What does this mean for someone with a family history of breast cancer? Congress periodically votes on a piece of legislation called the Farm Bill. What does its current iteration mean for the safety of supermarket eggs? Understanding how the latest science affects real people—patients, consumers, voters, and taxpayers—is at the heart of science literacy.”
—From Chapter 1 of Front-Page Science
“The U.S. Preventative Services Task Force issued new guidelines for mammograms in 2009. What does this mean for someone with a family history of breast cancer? Congress periodically votes on a piece of legislation called the Farm Bill. What does its current iteration mean for the safety of supermarket eggs? Understanding how the latest science affects real people—patients, consumers, voters, and taxpayers—is at the heart of science literacy.”
—From Chapter 1 of Front-Page Science

Front-Page Science: Engaging Teens in Science Literacy

“The U.S. Preventative Services Task Force issued new guidelines for mammograms in 2009. What does this mean for someone with a family history of breast cancer? Congress periodically votes on a piece of legislation called the Farm Bill. What does its current iteration mean for the safety of supermarket eggs? Understanding how the latest science affects real people—patients, consumers, voters, and taxpayers—is at the heart of science literacy.”
—From Chapter 1 of Front-Page Science
“The U.S. Preventative Services Task Force issued new guidelines for mammograms in 2009. What does this mean for someone with a family history of breast cancer? Congress periodically votes on a piece of legislation called the Farm Bill. What does its current iteration mean for the safety of supermarket eggs? Understanding how the latest science affects real people—patients, consumers, voters, and taxpayers—is at the heart of science literacy.”
—From Chapter 1 of Front-Page Science
 

Asking for help

By Mary Bigelow

Posted on 2012-01-10

During class, students seem to understand the concepts. However, they don’t do well on the tests. I offer extra help before and after school and at lunch, but few students take advantage of it. I’m a first-year biology teacher, so I’d appreciate some suggestions on how to encourage students to ask questions or seek help when they need it.
— Alisa, Boston, MA
It sounds like your question has several components. First of all, how do you know your students understand the lesson concepts? Teachers often say “Any questions? Good.” When there are no questions, the teacher assumes that everyone understands. Try to provide a context or focus, such as “Any questions about the difference between eukaryotic and prokaryotic cells?” And then wait a few seconds for students to think about their learning and formulate their questions. Frequent formative assessments—bellringers, “ticket out the door,” brief quizzes, responses via clickers or white boards, thumbs up—may also help students to reflect on what they know or don’t know and give you some concrete feedback on their understanding during each lesson.
When can your students get extra help? It’s hard for students who ride busses to come in early or stay late. Many students are involved in extracurricular activities or have afterschool responsibilities. And it’s hard to blame students for not wanting to give up lunch, often the only chance they have to socialize or relax. Some teachers have virtual “office hours” in the evenings or on weekends to provide assistance via e-mail or a discussion forum. But as today’s students seem to prefer social media to e-mail, you could take advantage of this interest. For example, even though Edmodo looks like Facebook, it’s a microblogging site that a teacher can set up for students to collaborate, ask questions, and share resources. Teachers can also post their own resources such as quizzes or study guides. It’s accessible 24-7 via computers or smartphone apps. The teacher can moderate the site and delete inappropriate posts.

The class period may be the only time you can interact with students. Is your classroom a “safe” place for them to ask questions? Do students know how to ask for assistance? Is asking considered a sign of weakness? Are students embarrassed to ask questions? No matter how trivial the question or comment, never belittle it, reply with sarcasm, or allow other students to laugh at it.
After you’ve gone over directions for an activity, it’s frustrating when students raise their hands and ask, “What are we supposed to do?” If you say “I already told you. Figure it out,” students may assume that other kinds of questions will get the same response. Model how to refer to the printed directions or how to ask a partner.
It may also be helpful to model the type of questions students could ask related to understanding: “Could you please explain that again?” “I don’t understand… Does this mean that” “But what about…” “What would happen if… ”
If you notice more than one or two students have the same question during an activity, offer some “group therapy:” meet with a small group of students to go over the concept or procedures. If you find all of the groups are struggling with a concept or procedure, have a brief mini-meeting to review.
Teachers need to walk a fine line between being helpful and taking over a student’s thinking. Some students become dependent on teachers, constantly asking questions for verification (“Is this correct?” “Am I doing this right?”) Show them how to refer to the rubric or to the directions to help them develop initiative and independence.
As a student, I enjoyed figuring out something for myself. I became annoyed with teachers who hovered over my shoulder, asking if I needed help. You’ll have to determine when students really need help and when they need time to think through a problem themselves. I had a student who constantly asked questions in a soft voice. I thought at first he needed my help, but it turned out that he was thinking out loud. We made a deal—if he did indeed require some help, he would raise his hand. Otherwise, I left him alone with his thoughts.
In the classroom, teachers are usually the ones asking the questions. I’m glad you’re trying to foster students as questioners.
 
Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/rongyos/2686415336/

During class, students seem to understand the concepts. However, they don’t do well on the tests. I offer extra help before and after school and at lunch, but few students take advantage of it. I’m a first-year biology teacher, so I’d appreciate some suggestions on how to encourage students to ask questions or seek help when they need it.
— Alisa, Boston, MA

 

Science and literacy

By Mary Bigelow

Posted on 2012-01-07

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There is much in the literature about the importance of reading in science, not just pronouncing or decoding words but comprehending informational text. Unlike what students might see in a reading or English class, science resources are not usually written in a story-telling style. Science text often uses headings, subheadings, abstracts, summaries, sidebars, footnotes, specialized vocabulary, and graphics. Students may not realize reading science text can be a slower process than reading a novel or story, and rereading a section is appropriate and even encouraged. Likewise, writing in science is usually purposeful and informative.
This issue of The Science Teacher examines topics related to literacy: reading, writing, information literacy, visual literacy, and data literacy. [SciLinks: Reading and writing in science] You may want to supplement this issue by reading the January Science Scope: Science and the Common Core Language Arts Standards
If a secondary student cannot decode words, there is certainly a need for intervention by reading specialists. But helping students develop strategies to comprehend text material is an important job of all content teachers, science included. I wonder if many secondary students’ reading “problems” are, in reality, a lack of guidance and experience in interacting with informational text. Reading to Learn describes some strategies for helping students make sense of informational text, including annotation and double (or triple) entry journals. The authors suggest making copies of text so that students can mark them up, since in most schools writing in the textbook is not permitted. (I wonder about the expense of duplicating). I’ve seen online textbooks with the capability for highlighting and creating sidebar notes or questions. The students were truly interacting with the text. The teacher I observed did a great job of modeling how to render the text by doing a think-aloud as he read the text and annotated it.

Writing and Science Literacy has suggestions for writing in categories such as technical writing (notebooks and lab reports) and has a protocol for lab notebooks. But it’s interesting to see that the authors also include creative writing as an option in science classes (including cartoons and poems). I visited a biology class where the teacher asked the students to post a haiku about the lesson on the class blog site. Even though a haiku is a very structured form of poetry, the students’ creative responses were enjoyable to read and showed their ability to recast their learning in a different format. I’m also a fan of cinquain poems, acrostics, and three-words (similar to a morning TV show’s feature). Environmental Science Lab Reports outlines  the components of a report that could be generalized to other sciences. Rather than a traditional “book report,” the author of Reading, Writing, and Physics outlines a project in which students use journaling to respond to a book.
The authors of The Way They Want to Learn suggest that technology has a role in building student literacies and communication skills. They describe several Web 2.0 tools that students can use to create visual concept maps (CMAP), graphic organizers (Webspiration) presentations (Prezi), and graphic displays (Tagxedo, VoiceThread, Museum Box). But don’t worry if you’re not familiar with these—students can be very good at figuring things out if you give them the opportunity.
“But I read it on the Internet!” Students may naively think that all Internets sources are created equal. Climbing the Pyramid describes an activity in which students create a hierarchy as they evaluate science news sources to become informed critical readers (and viewers). This would be a good article/activity to share with your school librarian. (Isn’t it ironic that as information literacy becomes an even more important issue, schools are laying off the library staff—the people who are trained to assist students and teachers? Hmmm.) In addition to reading the news, students can apply their literacy skills by writing news articles, using the ideas in Science Journalism.
Using Online Data has many resources at the end for the analysis and interpretation of data, including NOAA and USGS. [And in SciLinks, you can search for sites on a given topic that include data sets to manipulate].

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To our Chapter and Associated Group Leaders: HAPPY NEW YEAR!

By Teshia Birts, CAE

Posted on 2012-01-06

So, another year, another set of goals (or resolutions) made. That goes for us at NSTA as well. Over the past few months, we’ve discussed lots of new ideas and projects to support our members and other constituents. I’ve focused on what will benefit our state chapters, associated groups and student chapters.  Resources that will help these leaders set a direction that will move their organizations forward.
During the fall conferences, our team (Howard Wahlberg, Ken Rosenbaum and myself) listened to a lot of teachers; they discussed their challenges both in and outside the classroom.  I know from experience that when you add running a small association (local, state or national) to that mix, those challenges are multiplied.
So, we’re wondering, what can we do to help? Here are a few ideas…some are already in the works; others we’re still batting around.

  1. Re-establish quarterly newsletters to the chapter and associated group leaders. This project is actually in the works and we hope to have the first edition in your e-mailbox by March.
  2. Frequent conference calls and webinars. In talking to a few chapter leaders in Districts I and II, they asked if we’d create a forum for them to come together more frequently to share ideas and network. We’re certain doing this in targeted regions across the country will help a lot of leaders.
  3. Creating a Chapter & Associated Group Resource Center on the NSTA website. As staff, we’re connected in more ways than one.  We receive great ideas from many of you; we also network with other association execs that do what we do.  We’ve collected and have access to content, templates, samples and just general information on an array of topics like membership, programming, social media, board relations and so on.  This knowledge needs to be centrally located and shared among all of you!

We have other ideas percolating as well, but these are just a few.  The main point we want you to remember: NSTA is here to support you!  Having strong, grassroots partner organizations is essential to supporting (and growing) this profession and NSTA is committed to do what we can to help!
What do you think we can do to support your efforts and strengthen your chapter or associated group? Add a comment below or e-mail us at chapters@nsta.org.

So, another year, another set of goals (or resolutions) made. That goes for us at NSTA as well. Over the past few months, we’ve discussed lots of new ideas and projects to support our members and other constituents.

 

Moon and the Earth and the Sun, and more

By Peggy Ashbrook

Posted on 2012-01-06

Happy New Year! This year I look forward to more conversation in the early childhood community about science education.
Science & Children, January 2012The January 2012 Early Years column adapts an activity about making craters from Marie Faust Evitt’s book, Thinking BIG, Learning BIG. A book and a tub of sand are part of learning about crater formation.Craters on the Moon are visible without a telescope, even in daytime, a time when teachers can point out the Moon to their students. Children enjoy making craters in snow, damp sand, or other fine material, by dropping balls of varying sizes and weights into the material. There are many ways to use imaginative play to allow children to explore the topic of Space, and the ideas they have already learned through media and at home. Some of what we learn as children (Think of “The cow jumped over the Moon”) may lead to misconceptions that, if teachers learn of them through conversation, we can help students replace with accurate information. Simply talking about the accurate information will not correct misconceptions, but through activities and discussion students can discard them.
Learn more about the Moon and its relationship to the Earth and Sun by using some of the resources in the National Science Teachers Association’s Learning Center such as the a collection of resources I created titled “Moon and sky—observations.” Register at no cost, go to Advanced Search and enter Keyword: Moon, Author: Ashbrook, and Type of Learning Resource: User created collections (select in both menus) to see resources in the “Moon and sky—observations” collection. Photos of features of the Moon can be viewed on GeologyRocks site by Dr. Katie Davis and Dr. Jon Hill.
Young children may know the word “gravity” but we don’t expect them to understand yet that it is a force between any two objects and that it pulls the objects together. In the case of the Earth and the objects on it, the gravitational pull of the Earth on the objects is greatest, so objects are pulled down to the Earth (ground). The January 2012 Teaching Through Tradebooks column, “Gravity and Weight”, by Emily Morgan and Karen Ansberry uses the 5E Learning Cycle in activities for grades K-2 and 3-5. These authors are sometimes referred to affectionately as “The Picture-Perfect ladies” because their “Picture-Perfect Science” books are very helpful to elementary teachers (note that the picture trade books they suggest are available through NSTA).
Shadow play can happen anytime children are outside on a sunny day.The article “Shadow Play” by Kathy Cabe-Trundle and Margilee P. Hilson is free to all—read about how students can observe shadows to learn about seasonal change. I recommend reading it (even if some of the activities are too advanced for your class) to see the authors’ approach to teaching concepts about which students commonly have misconceptions. I find the articles for older students a useful review of concepts at an elementary level, for myself.
Let me know what your plans are for the New Year, and what you’d like to see discussed on this Early Years blog by commenting below. Best wishes for the new year,
Peggy
 

Happy New Year! This year I look forward to more conversation in the early childhood community about science education.

 

Extra credit?

By Mary Bigelow

Posted on 2012-01-03

My students are asking for “extra credit” work. I’m having second thoughts about doing this, especially since it seems that students wait until the end of the marking period to ask. Is there a good rationale for giving (or not giving) extra credit work?
—Wayne, Kansas City, Missouri
“Extra credit” seems to be part of school vocabulary. When students don’t complete assignments, don’t do well on tests, or are seeking a higher grade, they (or their parents) ask the teacher for additional assignments or activities.
I suspect this is more common in classes where the students’ grades are based on accumulating points. Students may view class assignments or tests in terms of earning these points. Teachers may reinforce this notion with statements such as  “You’re 10 points away from a passing grade” or “Three more points and you’ll have an A+!”
Let’s assume your class activities and assignments such as lab reports, notebooks, or projects align with the unit or lesson learning goals and students are evaluated on the extent to which they meet those goals. It doesn’t seem to be productive to have a student who has not achieved the learning goals or who has not met the course requirements do an unrelated task just to “pull up a grade.” These tasks require time on the part of the teacher to create and assess. Ask yourself if activities such as reading and summarizing an article, completing puzzle sheets, or doing an extra book report allow the students the opportunity to demonstrate their understanding of a concept.
In previous years, your students may also have been awarded extra points for tasks or behaviors that have little or no relation to learning goals: bringing in classroom supplies, assisting with chores such as cleaning glassware, putting up a teacher-created bulletin board, participating in nonacademic events at school, or their parents attending an open house. These are good activities, but it would be hard to align them with learning goals in science.
The bottom line: Can (or should) students earn a passing grade by doing activities not directly related to the learning goals? Should exemplary grades reflect an advanced level of academic performance or the completion of extra busywork?

If you have students who do not turn in assignments (such as lab reports) and then ask for extra credit, perhaps you should allow them to turn in the original assignments. If a student had a poor test performance, you could offer a retake or an alternative that shows the student has met the learning goals, at least at a minimum level. If projects do not meet the requirements, have the student review the rubric and make revisions.
I know teachers who provide students with a list of the unit’s learning goals and several options or alternatives for each to demonstrate their learning. Having choices can give students more ownership of the learning process and capitalize on their interests. The literature on differentiation has many suggestions, such as choice boards or alternate assessments (NSTA journals have had many articles on the idea of differentiation. Click here to see a few of them. Also check the work of Carol Ann Tomlinson).
Another response would be to put the responsibility back on the students: “These are the learning goals for the lesson/unit. How will you demonstrate you have accomplished them?” If the students give you a blank stare, you could offer suggestions. However, you might be surprised at what some students come up with. Their ideas can become alternative activities in the following year.
Some students who are interested in a topic may ask for opportunities to expand their knowledge, with no thought of earning extra points. (Pinch yourself to make sure you’re not dreaming!) Encourage them to pursue their interests, especially those that relate science to other subjects or personal interests. For example, a student in my life science class was interested in finding words relating to arthropods that had origins in mythologies (e.g., the Luna moth, nymphs, arachnids, the Cyclops copepod). I shared this with the language arts teacher (who did a unit on mythology) and we both encouraged her to pursue this interest. She shared a journal in which she kept her notes on the subject. She had an intrinsic “extra interest” rather than a need for extrinsic bonus points.
 
Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/daviddmuir/1410227652/sizes/m/in/photostream/
http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1328/1410227652_e0f5cf7f0e.jpg

My students are asking for “extra credit” work. I’m having second thoughts about doing this, especially since it seems that students wait until the end of the marking period to ask. Is there a good rationale for giving (or not giving) extra credit work?
—Wayne, Kansas City, Missouri

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