As schools across the state implement the Next Generation Science Standards, this EdSource primer provides an easy-to-read guide for parents and other community members to understand the rationale for the standards and their potential to affect science instruction in California schools. California adopted the Next Generation Science Standards, or…

We are in a period of unknowns unlike any in a generation or more. As educators, we need new pathways and ideas that can help us educate children for the world to come. "Reimagining the Classroom: Creating New Learning Spaces and Connecting with the World" provides practical steps and examples that parents and educators can use to begin…

In the following article, Dr. Seuss's children's books are creatively integrated with science activities through the creation of take-home activity kits. The kits provide families an opportunity to read at home while connecting the enjoyable experience to science content and skill development through associated activities. The kits should be…

Although literacy plays a large role in elementary science classrooms, one thing that offers a challenge for educators is meeting the linguistic needs of English language learners (ELLs) while also meeting their content needs. An additional challenge is ensuring that academic literacy extends beyond the classroom. This article presents ways of…

The Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA) is committed to providing the highest quality of education to its students. One way to provide a quality education is with an effective curriculum that reflects high standards and expectations. Thus, DoDEA has developed rigorous content standards aligned with national guidelines and standards.…

Learning disability is a classification that includes several disorders in which a person has difficulty learning in a typical manner. Depending on the type and severity of the disability, interventions may be used to help the individual learn strategies that will foster future success. Some interventions can be quite simplistic, while others are…

What is science for a child? How do children learn about science and how to do science? Drawing on a vast array of work from neuroscience to classroom observation, "Taking Science to School" provides a comprehensive picture of what we know about teaching and learning science from kindergarten through eighth grade. By looking at a broad range of…

Young children in Australia enter early childhood education settings eager to make sense of the world that surrounds them. Their interest in every day experiences is evident in the range of questions asked, many of which are scientific in nature. Intended as a resource for adults working with 4-to 8-year-old children, this booklet provides an…

This guide is a resource for K-8 teachers, college student tutors, parents, and others engaged in learning activities to help primary, elementary, and middle school students learn mathematics and science. It presents a collection of activities adapted from printed and electronic sources which help motivate student interest in mathematics and…

Contains two motivational tools, a Kind Award and a Pass-It-On poem, which are designed to encourage children to be kind to animals. Includes examples on how to use the tools, and reproducible masters to be used in both instances. (TW)

What types of instructional experiences help K-8 students learn science with understanding? What do science educators, teachers, teacher leaders, science specialists, professional development staff, curriculum designers, and school administrators need to know to create and support such experiences? "Ready, Set, Science!" guides the way with an…

"Science for Girls: Successful Classroom Strategies" looks at how girls learn, beginning with the time they are born through both the informal and formal education process. In the author's current role as professor of science education, Dr. Goetz has surveyed hundreds of female elementary education majors in their junior and senior year of…

Some children hold the belief that insects and spiders are all mere nuisances because they have never had opportunities to observe, study, and learn to appreciate how these animals live and carry out their purposes in life. Studying insects and spiders fosters children's natural curiosity about the world around them and encourages them to use…

This digest addresses the needs of homeschooling parents teaching science. National and state science standards documents are recommended for deciding what students need to know and should be able to do at different age levels. Sources of science lessons and activities are provided. Science reference materials such as books, magazines, and…

Noting the crucial role parents play in their child's academic success, this book offers parents guidance in supporting their child's education in the primary grades. The book's chapters are: (1) "Learning in the Early Grades," including questions parents ask, what 6- to 8-year-old children are like, principles that make learning effective, why…