Since the "Next Generation Science Standards" (NGSS) were released, K-12 science teachers have been figuring out how to extend related learning opportunities to all students, including multilingual learners (MLLs) who are new to speaking English. Elementary schools often prioritize math and English language arts, the subjects that are…

Created by Tufts University through a National Science Foundation (NSF)-funded project, the Novel Engineering website explains that "Novel Engineering is an integrated approach to teaching engineering and literacy" (2018) that asks teachers to support students' engagement in a project-based endeavor of problem-and-solution processes and…

During early childhood, children interact with objects around them. During these interactions, they develop their own concepts about matter, even before encountering the word matter in school. When they encounter the concept of matter in school, they develop a beginning notion of matter as the "stuff" that makes up the things around…

Like science, poetry often involves a high level of abstraction in language and ideas, requiring specific critical-thinking skills and promoting interaction. Casteel and Isom (1994) acknowledge, "The literacy processes are the means by which science content is learned because content information is rooted in written and oral language"…

Early-formed preconceptions can be explained by one of the intuitive rules identified by Stavy and Tirosh (2000) called "More A-More B". By starting with students' preconceptions, revealed through the use of a formative assessment probe, teachers can scaffold inquiry-based experiences that will confront children with their misconceptions and guide…

In recent years, educators have become ever more aware of the critical role that vocabulary knowledge plays in the academic lives of their students. Vocabulary knowledge is fundamental to the comprehension of text and is most effective when it relates new words to students' existing vocabulary and background knowledge. Effective vocabulary…

Where the author teaches is far from the ocean, bordered on one side by forests of ponderosa and by the High Desert on the other. So when his first graders walked into class on the Monday morning after the 2011 earthquake and subsequent tsunami along the coast of Japan--and their usual light conversations about the weekend included some sobering…

Flower petals, acorn hats, exoskeletons of beetles, and lichens are just a few of the objects students may find in a surprising array of vivid colors. These tiny examples from nature's palette can be discovered in a school yard, a park, or even along the edges of a paved sidewalk...it simply takes careful observation! This article describes a…

Insects are fascinating creatures--especially when you and your students get up close and personal with them! To that end, the authors facilitated an inquiry-based investigation with an emphasis on identification of the different types of insects found in the school yard, their characteristics, their habitat, and what they eat, while engaging the…

Weather is a topic in science that is applicable to our lives on an everyday basis. The weather often determines what we wear, where we go, and what we do. This month's column focuses on clouds and the part they play in determining our weather. In the K-3 lesson, students learn about different cloud types and sculpt each type out of shaving cream.…

This article presents classroom resources for teaching both weather and climate along with background resources for teachers who want to beef up their own knowledge in the subjects. In addition, the author proposes learning progressions that teachers can use to guide their instruction. (Contains 13 online resources.)

You'll gain plenty of weather resources from this month's issue (temperature concepts, weather instruments, the water cycle/evaporation). You can use that information with these outdoor seasonal connections.

Fifth graders in Mrs. Caldwell's class would soon experience a "change" as they made the transition from elementary to middle school. Participation in classroom inquiry investigations and schoolwide science enrichment events had already developed students' enthusiasm for science; here was an opportunity to solidify that enthusiasm. Guest science…

Many teachers and students have experienced the classic pet rock experiment in conjunction with a geology unit. A teacher has students bring in a "pet" rock found outside of school, and the students run geologic tests on the rock. The tests include determining relative hardness using Mohs scale, checking for magnetization, and assessing luster.…

Discover discovery bottles! These wide-mouth plastic containers of any size filled with objects of different kinds can be terrific tools for science explorations and a great way to cultivate science minds in a K-2 science classroom. In addition, the author has found them to be a useful, inexpensive, and engaging way to help students develop skills…