August 2021/September 2021 – Vol. 34 Issue 1
President's Message
Find Your Community
Do you have a community?
I mean a science education community. A group of people who are positive about teaching kids, who share ideas and inspiration, people who give energy to your teaching?
FYI
Bridging the gap between social-emotional learning and equity through culturally responsive science classrooms
Unprecedented, unique, challenging; these are just a few of the words that science educators across California used to describe the 2020/21 school year. Many science educators across the state had to contend with new distance learning practices and, for some, eventual hybrid schooling structures. Both distance learning and hybrid learning had one…
ChemVLab+: Helping students think like chemists
Did you attend high school when chemistry instruction focused on isolated facts and procedures without any real-world context? This traditional form of instruction left students without the tools to think conceptually like a chemist. However, in today’s science classrooms, with the integration of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS),…
Enhancing STEM Education & NGSS Implementation
Over the past 30 years, there has been a decline in the number of U.S. college graduates seeking careers in science and engineering. Teaching Opportunities for Partners in Science (TOPS) of Santa Clara Valley is a volunteer program affiliated with the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). TOPS is aimed at assisting science…
Equity in the Classroom
Equity, particularly equity in education, is being discussed today with a new intensity. The increasing income gap, the simultaneous erosion of social safety nets and civil liberties, and the disparities in the treatment of people based on race and other characteristics—all are contributing factors to a society that is becoming polarized around…
Resilience In Early Second Career Stem Teachers Employed In Public Secondary Schools
My name is Don Selway, and I am a Ph.D. candidate in the Graduate School of Education and Psychology at Pepperdine University. I am conducting a study on resilience of early career STEM teachers. If you are 19 years of age or older and are currently teaching or looking for a job teaching grades 6-12 in a STEM related field and are in the first five…
In CASE You Missed It Aug/Sep 2021
It’s hard to believe it’s already August! A new school year will soon be upon us (and for some, it may even be here already). Where did the summer go? If you’ve been busy this summer, we’ll fill you in on what you may have missed.
Region 1 Events
Region 1 Update (Aug/Sep 2021)
As a former classroom teacher, August and September always sparked excitement for me as the anticipation of starting school built. But this year seemed different. This year, like much of the last 17+ months, appears to continue to lack the sense of “normalcy” that we had become accustomed to. The months, weeks, and days leading up to the first days…
Region 4 Events
Meet your Region 4 Director (Aug/Sep 2021 Update)
Hello Southern California!
My name is Crystal Howe and I am super excited to support CASE in our counties. I grew up in Orange County (Go SC Tritons!) and went to college in San Diego (Go UCSD Tritons!). I am one of those people who accidentally became a teacher, but I immediately had a passion for science education.
Spotlight
California Skies August - October 2021 (and beyond)
When organizing a first sky watching session for students, we suggest that you begin your outdoor session during evening twilight, so students can experience the joy of discovering and identifying the brighter stars as they first appear. Begin your session no later than one-half hour after sunset, or even earlier if the Moon or a bright planet is…
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California Classroom Science
CASE's signature publication, is an electronic publication that is produced bimonthly. The publication consists of mostly original content produced by CASE members and provides information of interest to California science educators.
CCS is packed with information, news, resources, ideas, and activities of current interest to science educators. CCS is delivered to CASE members electronically via e-mail and is available on our website for all to enjoy.
Science Classroom Move
CASE’s newsletter, California Classroom Science, has always had great articles about resources, lessons, planning tools, and issues in science education. But sometimes the things that help us the most are the little things: A classroom move. This is a new interactive column that allows you to share those little moves. We’d love to hear from all of you!