A few years back the California Science Teachers Association (CSTA then CASE now) and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) found themselves on opposite sides of a dissection debate in Sacramento. PETA was supporting a bill to ban…

Science is always evolving, so why are some of the methods we use to teach it—like dissecting dead animals—stuck in the past? We can better prepare students for the future by leaving behind old ways in favor of innovative and exciting new approaches…

At the 2023 California Science Education Conference in Palm Springs, the Keynote Speaker was the inspiring Dr. Tyrone Hayes, who introduced himself as “a boy who loved frogs.” I asked him after the keynote, how he felt about frog dissection, and he…

When people recall their science experiences in school, those with strong memories often describe times when they were actively engaging with content, having hands-on exploration, and participating in the process of science. Many describe conducting…

At a recent meeting of CASE’s Environmental Literacy Committee, we were discussing the power of using engaging reading books as a way to introduce, explore, and teach environmental literacy. We discussed several books that we have successfully used…

In spite of the many challenges presented to educators by the recent COVID-19 pandemic, science teachers have been presented with a rare opportunity to talk with their students about the remarkable way in which science responded to this challenge,…

We’ve grown up being asked that question as early as Kindergarten and we continue to ask that of each other and ourselves throughout our years. From an early age we are conditioned to pick a title/career and focus solely on that career as we navigate…

This October at the CASE conference in Palm Springs, the Call to Action for Science Education was heard loud and clear. One point really stood out to me: “Scientific thinking and understanding are essential for all people navigating the world, not…

Academic learning and achievement is often a synergistic process, with student learning in one subject potentially bolstering learning in other subjects. Districts that used STEMscopes Science had higher science, ELA, and mathematics proficiency…