Archives
Teaching Diversity with the Lives of Scientists
Racial justice is a renewed cry in our society. Major organizations have pledged to make equity an integral part of their mission statement. In the Los Angeles Times, 6 October 2020, the owner, Patrick Soon-Shiong, wrote: “We are committed to change,…
Region 4 Update | December 2020/January 2021
I hope that you have all had a peaceful Thanksgiving break. I can’t believe it is already December. There have been many goings on in the region including the California Science Education Conference in October. It was certainly a lot different than…
Science Education Post-Election Update
With the 2020 Election now behind us, there is more certainty around the direction of policy and legislative developments going forward, but there continues to remain a great deal of uncertainties too. This dichotomy seems to be endemic of the year…
California Skies, December 2020 through March 2021 (and beyond)
These monthly evening and morning twilight star maps, the December 2020 Sky Calendar and evening sky map, and summaries of sky events for December 2020 through March 2021 are intended to help teachers guide students to follow the seasonal westward…
California Skies, October through January 2021 (and beyond)
These star maps, Sky Calendars, and monthly summaries of sky events for October 2020 through January 2021 are intended to help teachers guide students to embark on following the seasonal progression of the stars; to notice changes in the arrangements…
Grow, Adapt, Invest in Yourself
Fall is finally upon us, and while we wish that everything was back to normal again, we as a society and science community must continue to adapt and change to new circumstances. When I think back on the recent months and times before, I realize that…
Engaging Students with Outdoor Education during Distance Learning
Here in the Eastern Sierra, we have abundant outdoor science education opportunities and, in a normal year, we offer a rich array of field programs for our students. Our outdoor programs start in Kindergarten or 1st grade with a garden box where…
Age Appropriate Climate Education and Conservation Messaging
As educators, we want to provide experiences that are relevant and authentic. So when learning can be tied to a current issue such as climate change, it is tempting to dive in with gusto to leverage the enthusiasm, engagement and even concern of our…
Calling all 8th Grade Science Teachers
WestEd, a non-profit education research and development organization, is partnering with Myriad Sensors, Inc., developers of PocketLab, to test their new online lab notebook and class collaboration platform through funding from the Institute of…
Region 4 Update October/November 2020
Hello there, California science educators. I hope that you are feeling better in your roles and adjusting to the current normal. I also hope you are safe and staying well. One of the benefits of the new norms is that what happens in Region 4, or…