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Why We Teach Science
It’s Springtime, and the school year is getting to feel a bit long in the tooth. Testing might be zapping the life out of the year, and students and teachers are starting to count days. It’s been a very rough few year(s), and summer is calling…
Beyond the Use of Academic Language
“Using academic language,” a session attendee offered. This was in response to a question about what norms need to be in place so we can create a classroom environment that is conducive to productive talk. This suggestion gave me pause, but I ended…
Yearlong Fifth-Grade Science Curriculum for All Students, Including English Learners
In this excerpt, our fifth-grade English learners (ELs) are developing a model to explain how the hydrosphere interacts with the geosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere in order to answer the driving question of the unit, “Why does it matter if I drink…
Can Cheating be Reduced in a Take Home Exam in Chemistry?
Although I teach at a university, the beginning portion of General Chemistry has much the same content as chemistry at the high school level. During the pandemic, my campus moved to virtual instruction, which intensified worries about cheating. For…
Taking on Climate Change with Courage
I remember the day I was invited to attend a group meeting with Dr. Deborah Ball to learn more about discretionary spaces and how these small interactions carry such great weight in classrooms. I was so excited to chat more with her about teacher…
Here We Go Again: Fresh Advice on Distance Learning
Almost everyone in education is building distance learning activities these days. Elementary and secondary teachers, college professors, and professional developers are all trying to figure out how to create enjoyable and effective learning…
Bringing your classroom outdoors
In light of COVID-19, with new concerns and requirements for student and teacher safety, schools are being challenged to consider alternatives to traditional classrooms and science labs.
Chemistry Experiments at Home - Acid-Base Reactions
Learning chemistry should include hands-on experimentation, but can this be done safely while under stay-at-home orders?
Does State Testing Help or Hurt Science Education?
CSTA and the STEM4Real team put this question up at the CSTA booth at the CA STEAM Symposium in Anaheim last December. We hoped the poster would get people interested in visiting our booth and start some discussions. We had no idea. As you can see,…
Calling all K-8 teachers of science!
WestEd is conducting cutting edge new research on the impact of the COVID-19 school closures. They need teachers to share their experiences with teaching science through distance learning.