Archives
The Saga of Cell Phones
When I went to junior high, my father made sure I had quarters in my pocket. After all, what if I needed to get in touch with him? (I might have forgotten my lunch or homework.)
The California Science Teachers Association Names Camron King as Executive Director
The CSTA Board of Directors is pleased to announce that Camron King has been named as Executive Director for the Association.
Taking Pride in Science
Science-minded. Tall. Parent. Innovator. Juggler. Blonde. Educator. These are just a few of the labels that have been assigned to me. One other label that could be used is Transgender. These labels do not define me but each is a component that makes…
Follow the Naked-Eye Planets in 2019-20 School Year and Beyond, August 2019 Through August 2020
Dawn and dusk twilight sky maps by Robert D. Miller. Sky Calendar illustrations courtesy of Abrams Planetarium, Michigan State University. Graphs of planet rising and setting times for School Year 2019-2020 by Jeffrey L. Hunt.
Resources for Teaching About Forest Fires and Climate Change
The topic of wildfires presents a peculiar challenge for teachers examining anthropogenic climate change in our state. Forest fires are now frequently used to depict the effects of climate change. However, as I discussed in my essay “Backfire: How…
Region 1 Update
It does not seem that long ago that the bell rang to conclude the last day of school; but, here we are, getting ready to start another school year. For many of us, summer included taking a well-deserved vacation or maybe, it was catching up on all…
Changing “Needs” to “Gots”
“I need time to plan with my team.” “I need to explore the standards more.” “I need help developing lessons.” “ I need to know how to appropriately assess student learning.”
SpaceCV and the Quest Institute: Pioneering STEM and ISS Education Through NGSS
Space, the next frontier. Today’s students will be tomorrow’s scientists, astronauts, and inventors. How can we as educators teach and inspire students for careers that are not yet created? We have the power to inspire students to look beyond Earth…
Let the Quarter of Transitions Begin
Every year, July is the beginning of a transition period within CSTA. This year, the transition is a bit more personal for me. Not only has our organization started searching for a new Executive Director, but on July 1st, I dropped the “elect” from…
Introducing Middle School Students to the Crosscutting Concepts
The crosscutting concepts are one of the three pillars upon which the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) are built. The other two are the Science and Engineering Practices and the Disciplinary Core Ideas.