Scientific literacy is the overriding goal of both AAAS Project 2061 and the National Science Education Standards (NSES). Both project 2061 and the Standards advocate that students, as early as middle level, be provided opportunities to grapple with contemporary science-technology-society issues. To help teachers address these issues in the classroom, Science Scope is launching a new column, Issues In-Depth, that should be very useful to time-strapped middle level teachers as they work to meet the challenge posed by the Standards of producing students who "are able to engage intelligently in public discourse and debate about important issues that involve science and technology." Issues In-Depth will alternate with another new column, Teacher's Toolkit, which will debut in the September issue. It will feature how-to strategies and practical advise, as well as updates on research and best practices.