JoinAll The Science Teacher resources
Journal Article
Reading Aloud: A Springboard to Inquiry
We may assume that high school students are too “old” to enjoy simple, juvenile reading. But reading these simple books with students not only captures their attention, but also allows them to focus on larger science concepts and can introduce th...
Journal Article
The Prepared Practitioner: Ask Questions—and Listen!
As you enjoy your summer break, are you thinking about professional development—or spending time with friends and loved ones? How about combining the activities! Conversing with friends and family offers a chance to practice questioning techniques ...
Journal Article
What are the health risks of sun exposure—are there any benefits? Also, are some sunscreens better than others? ...
Journal Article
Editor’s Corner: Closing the Gap With Summer Reading
Among the fascinating anecdotes Gladwell offers up in his recent book, Outliers (2008), is his description of research into the socioeconomic achievement gap—why children from underprivileged families traditionally lag behind in academics. His con...
Journal Article
Safer Science: Overloading Science Labs
The current recession has brought about a wave of changes for all of us. In some school districts, boards of education are “renegotiating” areas of teachers’ contracts, including class size maximums. Science laboratories that have typically acc...
Journal Article
PhUn Week: Understanding Physiology
Topics such as sports, exercise, health, and nutrition can make the science of physiology relevant and engaging for students. In addition, many lessons on these topics, such as those on the cardiovascular, respiratory, and digestive systems, align wi...
Journal Article
A Virtual, Shoestring Vacation
If there is a discrepancy between the scope of your imagination and the depth of your bank account, this may be the ideal summer to stretch your horizons by diving into a good book. You can take a virtual vacation to almost any place or time by readi...
Journal Article
Idea Bank: Start a Classroom Library!
In today’s classrooms—science and otherwise—all teachers are charged with helping students develop literacy skills. One effective method for supporting literacy is to create your own science classroom library. These collections can encourage st...
Journal Article
When describing activities in today’s K–12 science classrooms, the word inquiry often causes some confusion. As a result, many of us find ourselves asking the same questions: How do we know when inquiry is authentic? What should happen in an inqu...
Journal Article
Career of the Month: An Interview With Biomedical Engineer William Ditto
Biomedical engineers combine biology, physics, medicine, math, communication, and engineering to solve medical and health-related problems. Through their development of everything from pacemakers to artificial organs to computer software, these scien...
Journal Article
The start of a new school year is a challenging and exciting time for any teacher—and a time when beginning teachers particularly need our support. Working with new science teachers in the New Science Teachers’ Support Network (NSTSN) has shown t...
Journal Article
The number of MRSA cases per year is rising—especially during football season. Could you tell me more about MRSA and what is causing this rise? ...
Journal Article
Storytelling is not just something experienced at bedtime, in the movies, or with friends. Rather, it is a way that knowledge has been transferred for generations. Stories allow the listener to gain understanding in a natural way. A good story can ca...
Journal Article
The University of Montana (UM)—Missoula has implemented a problem-based program in which students perform scientific research focused on indoor air pollution. The Air Toxics Under the Big Sky program (Jones et al. 2007; Adams et al. 2008; Ward et a...