All Resources

Journal Article

When Is Melting Not Really Melting?

Building explanations through exploration using an engaging toy...

Journal Article

Editor's Note: Developing Coherent Lessons With the NGSS and 5E

Science and Children’s editor shares thoughts regarding the current issue....

Elementary 5E Inquiry Lesson Plans NGSS

Journal Article

The Early Years: Using the 5Es to Teach Seasonal Changes

Learn how to use a thermometer to investigate and document seasonal changes in the local environment....

Early Childhood Elementary Pre-service Teachers Preschool Earth & Space Science 5E Inquiry NGSS Science and Engineering Practices Teaching Strategies

Journal Article

The Poetry of Science: Learning About Trees With the 5Es

Building literacy in playful, meaningful ways. Students learn about crossdating tree-ring samples....

Elementary General Science Lesson Plans Teaching Strategies Literacy

Journal Article

Teaching Through Trade Books: Codes and Communication

This column includes activities inspired by children’s literature. In this month’s column, younger students consider ways that they can communicate using simple code systems and then apply their new knowledge to ways we communicate today. Meanwhi...

Early Childhood Elementary 5E Instructional Materials

Journal Article

Formative Assessment Probes: Embedding Formative Assessment Into the 5E Instructional Model

This column focuses on promoting learning through assessment. This month’s issue includes an illustrative example of how formative assessment probes and formative assessment classroom techniques can be embedded into a sequence of 5E lessons target...

Elementary 5E Assessment Pedagogy

Journal Article

Science 101: Why Do You Add Salt When Making Homemade Ice Cream?

This column provides background science information for elementary teachers. This month’s issue discusses the role of salt when making ice cream....

Elementary Middle School General Science Physical Science Professional Learning old

Journal Article

Science 102: Ghostly Visions

This column shares exercises to challenge content knowledge. This month's issue presents a new challenge and answers the The Face That Follows You challenge from last month....

Elementary High School Middle School Physical Science Inquiry Phenomena

Journal Article

Teaching Teachers: Assessing Students as Scientists

This column enhances the repertoire of preservice and inservice teachers. Supporting teachers in assessing students’ scientific thinking....

Elementary General Science Assessment NGSS Science and Engineering Practices Teaching Strategies Preservice Science Education Professional Learning old

Journal Article

Methods and Strategies: What’s the Story?

This column provides ideas and techniques to enhance your science teaching. This month’s issue discusses using the 5E learning cycle to create coherent storylines....

Elementary 5E NGSS Pedagogy Teaching Strategies New Science Teachers Preservice Science Education Professional Learning old

Journal Article

Engineering Encounters: What’s The Buzz on Bees?

This column presents ideas and techniques to enhance your science teaching. This month's issue shares information about a flower anatomy and honeybee pollination unit that incorporates inquiry and engineering....

Elementary Engineering Life Science STEM 5E

Journal Article

Deep Thinking Over Geologic Time: Understanding Fossils and Relative Dating

Explore geologic time with this series of hands-on activities....

Journal Article

Using Imagery Support Strategies to Develop Powerful Imagistic Models

Create scientific models using imagery....

Journal Article

Modeling Mendel: Using a Puzzle-Solving Activity to Develop Ideas About Genetics

Develop Punnett squares that explain observed patterns....

Journal Article

Engaging All Students in Science Practices Through a Cell Modeling Lesson

Construct models of photosynthesis and cellular respiration while providing science language learning opportunities....

Journal Article

Constructing Scientific Models Through Kinulations

Learn to kinesthetically model scientific phenomena....

Journal Article

Classic Lessons 2.0: Explaining Patterns in Our Solar System and the Role of Gravity in Space

This column shares updated perennial classroom favorites. This is the last of three articles written to highlight pedagogical approaches consistent with the Next Generation Science Standards for supporting students’ learning progression of Earth’...

Journal Article

Teacher’s Toolkit: Science Can Be a Piece of Cake!

This column provides how-to strategies and practical advice for the science teacher. Improving science comprehension through analogies....

Journal Article

From the Editor’s Desk: No Glue Required

Science Scope’s editor shares thoughts regarding the current issue....

Journal Article

Citizen Science: Did You Feel It?

This column highlights formal and informal science research projects that students can join and contribute to by gathering and sharing data. Shake up your Earth science classroom with earthquake citizen science....

Journal Article

Disequilibrium: Wildfires, the Fire Triangle, and CO2 Extinguishers

This column shows how to use discrepant events to confront misconceptions. This month’s discrepant event models a CO2 fire extinguisher, helps students understand the fire triangle, and allows students to ponder ways to mitigate the effects of wil...

Journal Article

Listserv Roundup: Technology Tools for Paperless Homework

This column shares recent conversations taken from the NSTA listserv community about current science education topics. This month’s column is all about the technology tools NSTA e-mail listserv members use to assign and manage homework....

Journal Article

Science for All: Using Formative Assessments to Differentiate Instruction

This column shares strategies for increasing student engagement. This month's issue discusses how to keep formative assessment methods informative and engaging to maximize student participation and performance....

Journal Article

Teacher To Teacher: Creating Conceptual Storylines

This column provides practical advice from your peers. A conceptual storyline employs a narrative approach to learning in which students are able to build and retain science concepts. To properly construct a conceptual storyline, educators should de...

Journal Article

Scope on the Skies: Star Chart

This column focuses on astronomy throughout the year. This month’s issue describes the H-R (Hertzsprung-Russell) diagram, which is a representation of the relationship between a star’s luminosity and its temperature....

Journal Article

Creating Science Websites

A website design project challenges students’ creativity and motivates them to learn....

Journal Article

Making Waves

Exploring the Earth with seismology....

Journal Article

Connecting Science and Technology

Exploring the Nature of Science using historical short stories....

Journal Article

Learning Lichens

Students investigate this fascinating composite organism growing in the school yard....

Journal Article

Editor's Corner: Smartphones: Challenge or Opportunity?

The Science Teacher’s editor shares thoughts on the current issue....

Journal Article

Science 2.0: Choosing a 3-D Printer

This column shares web tools that support learning. Last month the authors discussed using a 3-D printer to help teach design thinking. This month they look more closely at the printers themselves. Although 3-D printers are fairly simple tools, teach...

Journal Article

Focus on Physics: Radiant Energy and Global Warming

This column helps teachers build an understanding of physical principles. This month's article discusses electromagnetic radiation....

Journal Article

Idea Bank: Using Apps That Support Scientific Practices

The Idea Bank provides tips and techniques for creative teaching, in about 1,000 words. For this article, the authors analyzed 93 educational applications (apps) that have the potential to help students meaningfully engage in the science practices ou...

Journal Article

Idea Bank: The Art of Chemistry

The Idea Bank provides tips and techniques for creative teaching, in about 1,000 words. This article describes a research-based investigation in which students explore chemical reactivity in the context of artistic expression. It results in the creat...

Journal Article

Career of the Month: Social Media Manager

This column shares interviews with professionals using science in the workplace. This month’s issue describes Kelly Owen's career path to becoming a Social Media Manager....

Journal Article

Right to the Source: How the Telegraph Changed the World

Exploring science and history with the Library of Congress. This month's issue discusses the 1853 map of telegraph stations in the United States, Canada, and Nova Scotia....

eBook

Adventures With Arthropods: Eco-Friendly Lessons for Middle School (e-book)

If you’ve ever wished you could teach with tarantulas—or roly polys, or Madagascar hissing cockroaches—this is the resource for you. It tells how to help middle schoolers get up close and personal with amazing arthropods, the bugs that make up ...

Book Chapter

The Race for Tall Towers

In this lesson, students learn the basics about construction materials, the construction processes used in building tall towers, and the forces and geometry associated with static structures. To be able to understand the science and mathematics invol...

Book Chapter

Success Through Failure

In this lesson, students learn about the engineering concept of learning from failure by examining the collapse of the World Trade Center Twin Towers. They also learn about the science and mathematics behind the collapse of these structures, as well ...