I love to ask teachers, “Who are our best scientists?” You can see them shuffling through the list of outstanding scientists in their minds. But, quickly their faces light up and they enthusiastically respond with “Kids are!” And, they are right! Children are great at asking questions, designing investigations with “What if…?” questions, collecting data usually in their pockets, and the other Science and Engineering Practices. Where are they the best scientists? Out in nature.

Whether in the schoolyard, backyard, or through a field study trip, place-based education is the key. To enhance these experiences to a deeper level, project-based units allow students to establish a personal connection and ownership in their learning which is so empowering.

Fall is a wonderful time to observe migration, deciduous trees losing their leaves, and to begin long-term observations such as decrease of daylight hours and the position of the sun in relation to the horizon. Winter is perfect for snowflake study, animal tracking, and animal behavior during winter months. Spring allows students to see insect lifecycles, spring migration, and plant growth.

Some examples of such projects include school yard gardens, clean-up the playground projects, plant identification books, insect study, and watershed study. My favorite is watershed study. We have been performing water quality testing on our local river for eight years. The students feel ownership of their data, and their river. Watershed study also allows students to see how all of the science work together to for this system.

Outdoors can also mean bringing your class to your local children’s museum, visit to a national park, state park, and other agencies. These professionals love to visit classrooms, as well. This is a great way to bring the outdoors indoors! These people have a wealth of information and some agencies also have educational trunks.

You can bring the outdoors indoors with many classroom activities. An indoor project we are involved is with the Ennis Fish Hatchery and the Trout in the Classroom program. The students observe them throughout the school year, and at the end of the school year, we release them in the Bozeman Fishing Pond. Another project is our indoor garden where the students design their investigations. Students have investigated whether or not a yucca seed with germinate in a hydroponics table, can I pollinate a hibiscus bloom, and  does seed tape work.

Bringing the outdoors indoors allows your students to explore their own yard or park. Motivate your students to bring specimens into the classroom. For safety, require adult supervision, protective eyewear and gloves, and no live animals. You will want to review NSTA’s safety position statement for recommendations and restrictions. You will want to make sure your classroom is equipped with a document camera for whole-group observations.

Whether you take your students outdoors or bring the outdoors in, equip your students with a notebook to record observations, draw diagrams or specimens they observe.

Here is a list of supplies to have in your classroom:

I adore watching and listening to students as they use their five senses to discover the outdoors and the science of nature where all the sciences work to form our world. What are some of the ways you bring nature to your students and your students to nature?

NGSS Standards:

K-ESS2-2: Construct an argument supported by evidence for how plants and animals (including humans) can change the environment to meet their needs.

K-LS1-1: Use observations to describe patterns of what plants and animals (including humans) need to survive.

K- ESSE2-1: Use and share observations of local weather conditions to describe patterns over time.

1-ESS1-1: Use observations of the sun, moon, and stars to describe patterns that can be predicted.

2-LS2-2.Develop a simple model that mimics the function of an animal in dispersing seeds or pollinating plants.

3-LS2-1: Construct an argument that some animals form groups that help members survive.

3-LS4-3: Construct an argument with evidence that in a particular habitat some organisms can survive well, some survive less well, and some cannot survive at all.

NSTA Resources:

Books and E-books:

Outdoor Science: A Practical Guide By Steve Rich (also in Ebook)

The Great Outdoors by Terry Kwan and Juliana Texley

Birds, Bugs, and Butterflies: Science Lessons for Your Outdoor Classroom, by Steve Rich

Mixing It Up: Integrated, Interdisciplinary, Intriguing Science in The Elementary Classroom, Edited by Susan Koba

Schoolyard Science: 101 Easy and Inexpensive Activities, by Thomas R. Lord and Holly J. Travis

Science and Children Articles:

The Early Years: Planting Before Winter, by Peggy Ashbrook

The mission of NSTA is to promote excellence and innovation in science teaching and learning for all. Follow @NSTA on Twitter to see more stories like these and get the science education resources you need.

What are the most successful experiments and activities to do with students when covering the human body?
— K., West Virginia

Here are a few of my favorite demonstrations and activities. Look online or in the NSTA Learning Center for most of these.

Digestive System:

• Peristalsis demonstration: Stand on your head and drink juice/water through a straw.
• Stomach gurgling: Simulate how peristalsis pushes air through your digestive system when you haven’t eaten. Hold 1.5-2 meters of garden hose by both ends to form a “U.” Pour in 100 ml of water and blow into one end.
• Digestion: Soda cracker pie tastes exactly like apple pie but is made with starchy crackers. Cooking breaks starches down into sugars just like amylase enzymes. This could be a great treat on a Friday, but be aware of any food allergies or sensitivities your students may have.
• The Great Digestive System Time Trials: Students voluntarily eat small bowls of cooked corn. They anonymously report—in a note, on a wiki, or in shared spreadsheet—how long it took for the corn to…uh…reappear in a bowel movement.

Nervous System:

• Onion/apple tasting: Students can design an experiment to check out how smell and taste affect each other.
• Color blindness tests: Students are riveted and cannot believe the range of color vision evident in just one classroom. Three of my students discovered that they were color blind!
• Two-point discrimination of touch: Two toothpicks glued at different distances apart on cards are gently touched to the skin to map the sensitivity of hands, feet, arms, and so on.

Circulatory System:

• Blood pressure and heart rate experiments: Pairs of students design experiments on factors affecting blood pressure or pulse. Stay away from the typical “fit vs. unfit subjects” or “the effect of running on pulse.”

Hope this helps!

Photo credit:  Creative Commons via Pixabay

This week in education news, there is a math and science teacher shortage in Rhode Island; new report finds that most states’ requirements for license renewal, prioritize accumulating credit hours, rather than sustained, targeted professional learning; advancements in assistive tech and interactions with industry professionals help students with blindness pursue interests in STEM fields; recent study finds nearly 20 percent of teachers don’t have any input in their professional development decisions; NSF selects Dr. Karen Marrongelle as head of the Directorate for Education and Human Resources; Michigan to withhold science test scores for two years; and U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos is considering whether to let school districts use federal money to buy guns.

Math, Science Teachers In Short Supply In R.I. Schools

East Providence High School hasn’t had a physics teacher in 2½ years. The district has had to offer the course online. Supt. Kathryn Crowley said it’s so hard for her district to find qualified high school math and science teachers that she “poaches” them from other districts, a practice that other school leaders privately acknowledge. Read the article featured in The Providence Journal.

Renewing A Teaching License Doesn’t Help With Professional Growth, Report Finds

Every teacher has to renew their teaching license periodically—and too often, the renewal process is a missed opportunity for professional growth, concludes a new report. Read the article featured in Education Week.

Embracing Inquiry-Based Instruction

Recent education reforms call for a shift in pedagogy to provide students with the skills necessary to be competitive in a global society. One such shift, inquiry-based instruction, is supported by evidence as a successful approach to fulfill the goals and processes of the NGSS. Read the article featured in edutopia.

Summer Programs Increase STEM Learning Opportunities For Visually Impaired Students

Mariah Maryman, a 10th-grader at Kennedale High School, southeast of Fort Worth, Texas, has never let her visual impairment get in the way of speaking up for herself and her needs in the classroom.But with coding and other STEM skills now playing a more predominant role in the curriculum, blind and visually impaired students, such as Maryman, require a range of accommodations to be able to keep up with their peers and imagine themselves pursuing careers as computer scientists or engineers — support that might not be available during the summer months when school is out. Read the article featured in Education DIVE.

Putting The Professional Back In K12 Professional Development

Personalized learning for students has long been a priority in K12 education, but for some reason, some districts haven’t applied this same approach to teachers. For years, PD has been completely one-dimensional. Teachers sit in district- and state-mandated PowerPoint-driven seminars that fail to encourage collaboration or authentic engagement in the material. Often, teachers leave feeling like what they have learned isn’t applicable to their teaching styles and classrooms—therefore no progress is made. Read the article featured in District Administration.

NSF Selects Karen Marrongelle To Head Its Education And Human Resources Directorate

The National Science Foundation (NSF) has selected Dr. Karen Marrongelle to serve as head of the Directorate for Education and Human Resources (EHR). EHR supports fundamental research that enhances learning and teaching, and broad efforts to achieve excellence in STEM education, at all levels and in all settings. Read the press release.

Michigan To Withhold Science Test Scores For Two Years

State education officials plan to withhold the public release of science scores from the Michigan Student Test of Educational Progress for two years because they say the exam is a sample test that does not yet measure student proficiency. Read the article featured in The Detroit News.

Firestorm Erupts As Betsy DeVos Weighs If Districts Can Buy Guns With Federal Money

News that U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos is considering whether to let school districts use federal money to buy guns set off a cascade of anger from lawmakers and others, and put the polarizing issue of arming teachers back at the center of the debate over school safety. Read the article featured in Education Week.

Science For All: How To Reach English Learners

Nationally, English learners (ELs) make up nearly 10 percent of PK-12 classrooms and almost 15 percent of urban classrooms, and these numbers are on the rise. Many supports are available for ELs (bilingual programs, SIOP, SEI), but the elementary science materials available are disproportionately directed toward grade-level readers. In our work in local districts with high EL populations, we regularly see upper elementary students using K-1 science texts. While this might be acceptable for building language proficiency, content becomes a major issue. Read the article featured in eSchool News.

Stay tuned for next week’s top education news stories.

The Communication, Legislative & Public Affairs (CLPA) team strives to keep NSTA members, teachers, science education leaders, and the general public informed about NSTA programs, products, and services and key science education issues and legislation. In the association’s role as the national voice for science education, its CLPA team actively promotes NSTA’s positions on science education issues and communicates key NSTA messages to essential audiences.

The mission of NSTA is to promote excellence and innovation in science teaching and learning for all.

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A simple, practical, and methodological process for elementary and middle school teachers to implement meaningful STEM activities in the classroom that are not labor intensive, can be used with existing lessons, correlate with “A Framework for K-12 Science Education,” and are much more than just a “cool” project.

This is what veteran science educators Drs. Milton Huling and Jackie Speake Dwyer set out to accomplish when they coauthored their book, Designing Meaningful STEM Lessons.

The book is based on a conceptual framework called StEMT, which was created by Huling. Dwyer was first introduced to it when attending a professional training being facilitated by Huling. When she saw the term being projected onto the screen in front of her, she assumed, rightfully so, that the word STEM had been misspelled.

If technology is the solution to a human problem, Huling posited, and most papers about STEM mention problem solving as a component, it only “made sense” that the solution to the problem must be the technology that is produced. (This conflicts with the view that the “T” in STEM is all about integration of technology and not a solution to a problem.) Once teachers can conceptualize the difference between science and technology, it’s much easier to understand how much and engineering are used to bridge the divide, Huling added.

StEMT is …

St         Science infusing (raised through the power of: Technology (a.k.a. Good Science)

E          Engineering design process

M         Mathematical practices and habits of mind

T          Technology as a product or solution to a problem

Huling and Dwyer used the StEMT framework to create “effective, relevant science instruction that provides real-world experiences for every child … by providing a mechanism to link science and mathematics to activities that promote constructionist learning to allow students to be cognitively challenged through questioning and problem-solving opportunities.”

The authors shared their StEMT vision at many district trainings as well with the Florida Association of Science Supervisors, and it’s clear that they put feedback they received to good use in designing the nine chapters of this book. Huling and Dwyer start out by providing an overview of the full STEM landscape as well as a rationale for their StEMT conceptual framework; they then provide step-by-step instructions on how a typical science lesson can be “StEMTified.”

The 14 lessons that are included are divided into Earth and Space Sciences; Life Sciences; and Physical Sciences, and each is quite intensive in its level of well-thought out detail. Each begins with a Teacher Brief and the prior knowledge students should have, by end of grade 5 as well as grade 8, then transitions into what students should be doing, the crosscutting concepts at work and the disciplinary core idea. Teachers know the instructional duration required for each lesson as well as the materials, safety notes, and guiding questions to ask.  Information on how to formatively assess the lesson’s effectiveness is also included.

Designing Meaningful STEM Lessons “bring clarity to the sometimes murky STEM conversations in the ways that will be helpful to teachers and administrators alike,” says Sherry Sutherland, editor of Science Education, and director of the School of Teacher Education and FSU-Teach at Florida State University, who wrote the book’s foreword. “Informed by research findings and the practicalities of the work in schools and situated in national conversations around the Next Generation Science Standards, the StEMT instructional model and the activities Huling and Dwyer offer will be useful to a wide swarth of K-12 science teachers.”

More information on this book, including a free sample chapter, can be found here. This book is also available as an e-book.

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Academic science laboratories can be unsafe places for teaching and learning due to risks associated with biological, chemical, and physical hazards The OSHA laboratory standard (29 CFR 1910.1450) requires all employees working in laboratory settings (including special education teachers and paraprofessionals) to undergo safety training before they enter the lab. This is to ensure employees are cognizant of and know how to work with chemical hazards in the work area.

According to the standard, safety training must take place at the time of the initial work assignment and prior to assignments involving new chemical exposure situations. Laboratory workers must be provided with information and training relevant to the physical and health hazards of chemicals present in their laboratory.  The frequency of refresher information and training shall be determined by the employer.

First, inform workers of the following safety items:

• the content of the OSHA Laboratory standard and its appendices (the full text must be made
• available);
• the location and availability of the Chemical Hygiene Plan (CHP);
• permissible exposure limits (PELs) for OSHA-regulated substances or recommended exposure
• levels for other hazardous chemicals where there is no applicable standard;
• signs and symptoms associated with exposure to hazardous chemicals in the laboratory; and
• the location and availability of reference materials on the hazards, safe handling, storage and
disposal of hazardous chemicals in the laboratory, including safety data sheets.

Second, OSHA requires the employer provide the following safety training topics:

• methods and observations used to detect the presence or release of a hazardous chemical
(e.g., employer monitoring, continuous monitoring devices, and familiarity with
the appearance and odor of the chemicals);
• the physical and health hazards of chemicals in the laboratory work area;
• the measures that workers can take to protect themselves from these hazards, including protective equipment, appropriate work practices, and emergency procedures;
• applicable details of the employer’s written CHP; and
• retraining, if necessary.

The employer is required to evaluate the effectiveness of the CHP annually and update it as necessary. It would be prudent to also do refresher training on the CHP for employees using the same schedule. An alternative is to provide additional training each month at department meetings.

Be aware that in some states, public employers are not covered under OSHA and may not have to comply with this standard.  However, better professional practice advocates the standard’s components in all public and private school science labs; e.g. chemical hygiene officer, chemical training, etc.

Additional safety information

Better professional practices provided by professional associations such as the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) have equal standing in courts with legal safety standards. The following list highlights some of the many safety papers representing better professional practices featured on the NSTA safety portal.

• The NSTA Position Statement: Safety and School Science Instruction addresses safety programs, training, and school environments.
• The NSTA Position Statement: Liability of Science Educators for Laboratory Safety focuses on the shared responsibility of maintaining a safe learning environment.

• The NSTA Minimum Safety Practices and Regulations for Demonstrations, Experiments, and Workshops establishes safety practices and regulations for all hands-on demonstrations, experiments, and workshops given at NSTA-sponsored events in rooms, other on-site locations, and on the floor of the NSTA exhibit hall.

Additional issued safety papers by the NSTA Safety Advisory Board can be found on the portal. These papers provide guidance for better professional practices in the science laboratory.

Submit questions regarding safety to Ken Roy at safersci@gmail.com or leave him a comment below. Follow Ken Roy on Twitter: @drroysafersci.

NSTA resources and safety issue papers
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“As a teacher it frustrates me when drilling is proposed as the remedy to society’s mathematical struggles.” —Patrick Honner, Math Teacher and 2018 NSTA/NCTM STEM Teacher Ambassador

I like practicing. I’m weird that way.

When I was really into guitar, I looked forward to my daily regimen of chromatic scales. I liked playing pentatonic triplets and G major chords up and down the neck, over and over again. Sometimes I’d block off an entire day just to practice. Part of me found satisfaction in the repetition, but I also knew that every note I played was another small step toward mastery. Sore fingertips and cramped hands were what learning felt like.

But there’s a lot more to learning than drilling. I knew it back then, on my way to channeling Mississippi John Hurt, and I know it now as a teacher. This repetitive practice worked as a part of a broader approach. Yes, I needed to drill. But I also needed to experiment, explore, collaborate, theorize, and reflect. Real learning requires all of this, and more.

So as a teacher it frustrates me when drilling is proposed as the remedy to society’s mathematical struggles, a topic discussed in this recent New York Times op-ed. Yes, students should know that 7 x 8 = 56. But they should also know how to think flexibly about numbers, so when they have to multiply 71 and 83, or 7x + 1 and 8x – 4, they won’t panic when they can’t find the answer in their times table.

Students should understand multiplication, not just perform it. They should know how multiplication can sometimes be thought of as repeated addition, and why sometimes it can’t. They should be able to interpret multiplication geometrically, as area or proportion. They should recognize the algebraic structures of multiplication in other mathematical contexts, like functions and transformations.

Facility with numbers and command of basic facts are a good start, but drilling can only take you so far. The note you want isn’t always in the scale you’re working on. To play along, you’ve got to learn how to improvise. To write your own songs, you’ve got to transform those scales into something fresh and exciting. This is what doing math can feel like. And this is what we should want more of for our students. Not more drills.

We know the dangers of pushing excessive practice. Ask anyone who gave up studying an instrument why they quit and the drudgery of drilling is likely to come up. Those who end up not liking math often tell a similar story.

And this emphasis on drilling can be especially harmful when partnered with out-of-touch portrayals of math instruction. Learning for understanding is not at odds with practice and fluency. Fun does not need to come at the expense of the struggle that learning demands. Getting the balance right for every student and every class isn’t easy, but that’s why teaching math is such a complex and exciting challenge.

Perpetuating these false dichotomies can actually reinforce the obstacles we face in learning math and improving education. They convey an inaccurate picture of what math is about. And they undermine the trust between teachers, parents, and students that success requires. Like excessive drilling, this can end up doing more harm than good.

Patrick Honner is a 2018 NSTA/NCTM STEM Teacher Ambassador. He has been teaching mathematics for nearly 20 years and also serves as instructional coach in a department of over 40 teachers. Honner is a frequent writer and speaker on mathematics, teaching, and technology. He writes a column for Quanta Magazine, regularly contributes to the New York Times Learning Network, and maintains a popular blog, MrHonner.com. He is a Presidential Award winner, a four-time Math for America Master Teacher, a New York State Master teacher, a recipient of the Empire State Excellence in Teaching award, a Sloan Award winner, and a Rosenthal Prize honoree.

The mission of NSTA is to promote excellence and innovation in science teaching and learning for all.

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I can see and appreciate how science is really an awesome subject. How can I make science more fun and exciting yet effective for my students?
—D., Philippines

“It is the supreme art of the teacher to awaken joy in creative expression and knowledge.” – Albert Einstein

I was fortunate to have had several outstanding teachers, in addition to my father, who exuded a sincere passion for science. Watching their demonstrations, listening to them joyously talk about current events (the Moon landings being front and center), I was swept along by their excitement. So, I believe we can’t underestimate the power of being a role model. Be an example of how someone loves science: Be passionate about it and show awe and wonder in the universe around us!

One thing we tend to do as science teachers is to come across as experts. When students ask questions and figure out things for themselves, their learning experiences are richer. It is fine to admit that you don’t know everything but that you are always willing to find the answers. Show them how they, too, can and should be curious and driven to find answers. Providing students with the tools to investigate and make scientific conclusions is much more valuable than filling them with knowledge. Allow students to dive into topics that they are interested in so that they have a vested interest in finding the answers.

I close with another quote from Einstein:

“Learn from yesterday, live for today, hope for tomorrow. The important thing is not to stop questioning.”

Hope this helps!

Photo credit: Ferdinand Schmutzer [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

The National Science Teachers Association website has a section for families titled, “Help Your Child Explore Science.” Here’s my adaptation  of the “Myths about Science” page in that section, giving it an early childhood focus. 

Myths about Science, with an early childhood focus

Myth #1: Science teaching is better left to the teacher.

Your child has been learning from you since the moment he or she was born and began connecting with the world. Parents are children’s first science teachers, providing experiences with textures, smells, tastes, sounds, and sights. Children notice patterns and form beginning understandings of relationships much earlier than they can express them. Recognize that experiences such as bath time or a walk around the building are where science learning can happen in your child’s everyday life and use these opportunities for you and your child to explore and learn together.

Myth #2: Science is difficult.

Because science is a way of seeing the world around us and solving problems, in addition to a body of facts, doing science is for everyone! “Being scientific” is a great family activity. Take a look at previous Early Years blog posts and search for “activity ideas” to find activities that meet the needs of your family.

Myth #3: I’m not a scientist and don’t know enough about science to help my kids.

You do not have to be a scientist to help your children learn science. The majority of parents in this country are not scientists and still help their children learn science. Questions like “What do you notice?” “What’s going to happen?” and “Does it always do that?” are just a few examples of science questions you can explore with your children. A great starting point is to say, “I wonder why…?” followed up with listening to your child and then asking, “Why do you think that?”

Myth #4: I have to know the answers to all of my child’s questions.

It’s okay to say, “I don’t know.” As a parent, you’re probably familiar with the questions “Why?” and “How come?” Children by nature are very inquisitive and interested in the world around them. We wouldn’t be telling the truth if we said we could answer all of their questions. But herein lies the opportunity for them to explore, alone or with you, and have fun simply wondering while you try to discover the answers. Because science is an on-going process, we can expect to learn new information all our lives, some of which will replace older information. I’ve learned to listen when a child tells me, “Actually….” and corrects a statement I held as truth.

Myth #5: Science is all about facts and not very interesting.

Learning words is empowering so young children delight in being able to tell you when they see a butterfly—a step up from “bug” which was a step up from “Dat!”. Older children feel good when they can tell you they see two kinds of bees on the flowers. Share your own experiences and knowledge after listening to your child, and offer (don’t insist) to help them learn more. (Just like my father used to continue reading the chapter book to himself after us kids fell asleep, I look in identification books and in online resources long after my children lose interest.)

Today’s science education emphasis is on inquiry, which means children are encouraged to explore their own natural curiosities about the world around them. Science museums and centers are great places to visit because they allow children to conduct independent investigations on their own … and children have a lot of fun!

Myth #6: Science requires equipment.

Science is everywhere so keep an inexpensive magnifier handy for looking at boo-boos, ants, and cracker crumbs! The skills of science can be practiced in any environment, including the kitchen and outdoors in the yard or the park. The best way to begin is through conversation. Parents who ask open-ended questions (ones that don’t have just one “right” answer) and who listen patiently to their children’s responses are modeling the most essential skills for young scientists.

Myth #7: Science skills should wait for reading skills.

To support children’s learning, parents and teachers should join together to foster early science experiences along with opportunities for developing literacy skills. Most preschoolers’ developmental skills are more suited to participating in science explorations than reading and writing. Learning about science also can motivate kids to read and write as they want to know what a photo caption says, or label their drawings.

To recap:

Parents are children’s first science teachers. 

Doing science is for everyone!

You do not have to be a scientist (or science educator) to help your children learn science.

It’s okay to say, “I don’t know.”

Share your own experiences and knowledge after listening to your child.

Conversation with an attentive adult is more important than equipment but an inexpensive magnifier is a wonderful tool for young children.

Reading together about science topics that interest children shows the power of the written word. Telling others about a science investigation is a reason to draw and write.

This week in education news, LeBron James opens public school in Ohio; Craigslist founder donates $1 million to fund STEM projects on Donors Choose; California close to adoption on new curriculum for NGSS; STEM education has a math anxiety problem; the 2016 National Teacher of the Year won the Democratic primary for an open U.S. House of Representative seat in Connecticut; video-based training program may provide more meaningful virtual professional development for science teachers; and successful professional development program enables educators to create an inclusive environment for all learners.

We Can’t Retool U.S. Schools Based On Finland Or China

Finland has been set as the model for U.S. schools, again because of their comparative scores on international tests, and their unusually happy teachers. And now, China. It’s always tempting to see greener grass on the other side of the ocean, without getting close enough to notice how much manure lies at ground level or how different the weather might be to green up what’s visible. I think that looking longingly at other nations can be deceiving, and for a variety of reasons. Read the article featured in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

LeBron James Is Schooling Us On What Education Reform Got Wrong

National headlines offering hope about the state of American education this year have been few and far between. Until last week when LeBron James announced he was opening a school. Ohio has been trying to stomach the four-time NBA MVP’s decision to leave his home state to join the Los Angeles Lakers. But even with his much-mourned departure, James will keep one foot back in Ohio in a big way: supporting a new school model, called the I Promise School, as a joint effort between his family foundation and Akron Public Schools. Read the article featured in EdSurge.

Craigslist Founder Donates $1 Million To Fund STEM Projects On Donors Choose

As STEM teachers across the country prepare to head back to school, a few will get some help this year stocking their classrooms with equipment and materials. Craig Newmark, the founder of the classifieds website Craigslist, has donated $1 million through his philanthropic organization to support STEM projects seeking funding on DonorsChoose.org, a crowdfunding site for schools and educators. Read the article featured in Education Week.

Outgoing New Teacher Center CEO: ‘Teachers Are Not Born, They’re Developed’

After 20 years of leading the New Teacher Center, the nonprofit that’s nationally recognized for its work mentoring incoming educators, Ellen Moir has learned a lot about what it takes to make a teacher successful. Moir shared with Education Week some lessons learned about new teacher development and building effective school systems for all teachers. Read the article featured in Education Week.

California Close To Adoption Of New Curriculum For NGSS

For the first time in 12 years, the state of California is reviewing its K–8 science course materials for adoption of new resources in time for the spring 2019 semester. Many include a digital component, and not every publisher is going to make the cut. The state’s Department of Education adopted the Next Generation Science Standards for grades K–12 in 2013. Now they’re considering course materials that align with the standards. Read the article featured in T.H.E. Journal.

STEM Education Has A Math Anxiety Problem

How is STEM education still missing the mark, especially at the elementary level? Project-based learning and other practices that support educators in integrating across content areas have benefits, but those benefits will mean nothing if our young people do not enter in STEM fields or majors. These skills and experiences are rich and useful when done well, but secondary to the real roadblock that many American students face. We must look deeper than any new program or initiative aimed at simply increasing interest in STEM careers. We must look at a known problem that we often avoid talking about: the math problem. Read the article featured in Education Week.

Jahana Hayes, 2016 National Teacher of Year, Among Educators Who Won Primaries

Jahana Hayes, the 2016 National Teacher of the Year, has won the Democratic primary for an open U.S. House of Representative seat in Connecticut’s 5th District. Hayes, a first-time candidate, handily defeated Mary Glassman, a longtime politician who was backed by Connecticut’s Democratic party, on Tuesday night. Read the article featured in Education Week.

Video-Based Training May Help Teachers Make Science Lessons More Coherent

It’s hard to collaborate and get perspective on science lessons when you are the only teacher in your subject on campus. But a new project is working to use classroom videos to develop more in-depth virtual professional development groups, particularly for rural teachers. Read the article featured in Education Week.

Implementing Equity In Education

North Clackamas School District Superintendent Matthew Utterback minds the gap. That is, the gap between white students and everyone else. That’s why the 2017 National School Superintendent of the Year takes special pride in the details of his Oregon district’s 18 percent graduation rate increase. Read the article featured in District Administration.

How Sales Became A STEM Job

By now we’ve all heard how important STEM education is for the jobs of the future. But there are certain jobs that are more people than technology focused, right? Well, maybe not. While traditional selling tactics relied heavily on personal relationships, sales people are now interacting with buyers who have more information at their disposal than ever before. As a result, today’s deals are more often closed over spreadsheets and analytical forecasts than longstanding relationships and rounds of golf. Read the article focused in Fast Company.

Stay tuned for next week’s top education news stories.

The Communication, Legislative & Public Affairs (CLPA) team strives to keep NSTA members, teachers, science education leaders, and the general public informed about NSTA programs, products, and services and key science education issues and legislation. In the association’s role as the national voice for science education, its CLPA team actively promotes NSTA’s positions on science education issues and communicates key NSTA messages to essential audiences.

The mission of NSTA is to promote excellence and innovation in science teaching and learning for all.

Follow NSTA

You can’t believe everything you see in social media, but when something’s popular on Twitter/Facebook/Snapchat, it’s sure to be something you can use to catch students’ attention. The stories that caught our eye this week run the gamut from wonderfully eye-catching to thought-provoking. Warning: SciFri dancing could lead to silly grins all day!

Every Day Should be Science Friday

TGI SCIENCE FRIDAY! We’ve got a packed show for you today!
🐻 in Yosemite
🐜 in traffic jams
🌊 building for future floods
🌳 tangled evolutionary tree

Tune in at 2pm ET! https://t.co/PnYtEwDsrm pic.twitter.com/ljrvGoB86G

— Science Friday (@scifri) August 17, 2018

RIP #QueenOfSoul: Even the moon is sad.

We’re very sad to hear about the #QueenofSoul passing. Rock Steady Aretha.
From your steady rock out in space. pic.twitter.com/1rbBRlRUW7

— NASA Moon (@NASAMoon) August 16, 2018

Share your science teaching successes with us

Celebrating the #firstdayofschool today?! 😊

Check out the #NSTALearningCenter forums for ideas to incorporate #scied into your day! Or share your plans with other @NSTA community members!https://t.co/ZULlTAOCfZ pic.twitter.com/4JsKbpfoMS

— Megan Doty (@Megan_NSTA) August 13, 2018

Have a birthday in August? So do these trailblazers!

Did you know that both Meriwether Lewis and William Clark have August birthdays? Check out this NAEP U.S. history item on the Lewis and Clark Expedition—the first American expedition to cross the western portion of the United States: https://t.co/qXOtEnG7uc pic.twitter.com/BaUN2DC05p

— NAEP (@NAEP_NCES) August 17, 2018

Time for a reality check?

A proposed bill in #Congress calls for studies on the impact of social media, #artificialintelligence, mobile devices, video games, #VirtualReality and #AugmentedReality on children’s development. #edtech #K12 https://t.co/EyYoIX6Yd3 pic.twitter.com/X6amlI6hjD

— Digital Directions (@EdWeekEdTech) August 17, 2018

New plan needed for the red planet?

The National Academies agree: we need a Mars plan https://t.co/bHtkCjZokZ pic.twitter.com/v3C7wmumRU

— Planetary Society (@exploreplanets) August 17, 2018

Datapalooza?

Happy #DataPalooza day! We’re celebrating all things data today with @NOAA and @NOAASatellites. Discover more about our environmental data: https://t.co/8fr4k9xm41 #DataDiscoveryMonth pic.twitter.com/BpG8gfXXuh

— NOAA NCEI Climate (@NOAANCEIclimate) August 17, 2018

The debate I want to solve with my kids this weekend…

A pressing issue settled at last: “Are Frosted Mini-Wheats less frosted than their generic competitors? An investigation” https://t.co/tdfGCYNzaH thanks @washingtonpost pic.twitter.com/A7wsINhegb

— Mike Spear (@mikesgene) August 17, 2018

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