Engaging students in the study of genetics is essential to building a deep understanding of heredity, a core idea in the life sciences (NRC 2012). By integrating into the curriculum the stories of famous scientists who studied genetics (e.g., Mendel, Franklin, Watson, and Crick), teachers remind their students that science is a human endeavor.…

As smartphones become more ubiquitous among adolescents, there is increasing potential for these as a tool to engage students in science instruction through innovative learning environments such as augmented reality (AR). Aligned with the National Science Education Standards (NRC 1996) and integrating the three dimensions of "A Framework for K-12…

It is relatively easy to incorporate plants into a curriculum and extend their use beyond the botany unit into other scientific arenas. There are numerous web-based resources for teachers, including the Human Flower Project (HFP) website, which offers numerous vignettes on all aspects of flowering plants. In addition to botany and invasive plant…

This project incorporates technology and a historical emphasis on science drawn from ancient civilizations to promote a greater understanding of conceptual science. In the Apps for Ancient Civilizations project, students investigate an ancient culture to discover how people might have used science and math smartphone apps to make their lives…

The author describes how she has come to use technology in her classroom over the years. Her main topics include using the internet, experiencing podcasts, using technology for assessment, and recording results from science research. (Contains 3 online resources and 5 figures.)

CSI: The Experience, a traveling museum exhibit and a companion web adventure, was created through a grant from the National Science Foundation as a potential model for informal learning. The website was designed to enrich and complement the exhibit by modeling the forensic process. Substantive science, real-world lab techniques, and higher-level…

Landforms, natural hazards, and the change in the Earth over time are common material in state and national standards. Volcanoes exemplify these standards and readily capture the interest and imagination of students. With a minimum of training, students can recognize erupted materials and types of volcanoes; in turn, students can relate these…

One of the largest challenges of teaching astronomy is bringing the infinite scale of the universe into the four walls of a classroom. However, concepts of astronomy are often the most interesting to students. This article focuses on an alternative method for learning about stars by exploring visible characteristics of the constellation Orion and…

As educators we must ask ourselves if we are meeting the needs of today's students. The science world is adapting to our ever-changing society; are the methodology and philosophy of our educational system keeping up? In this article, you'll learn why web logs (also called blogs) are an important Web 2.0 tool in your science classroom and how they…

Students who engage in scientific inquiry must be able to evaluate the processes and evidence used to reach conclusions about scientific issues, regardless of whether the process is conducted in the classroom or through an information search on the internet. To explore strategies for integrating information literacy and science, the authors…

The Technology-Enhanced Learning in Science (TELS) center, a National Science Foundation-funded Center for Learning and Teaching, offers research-tested science modules for students in grades 6-12 (Linn et al. 2006). These free, online modules engage students in scientific inquiry through collaborative activities that include online…

After the first observation of life under the microscope, it took two centuries of research before the "cell theory" was established. Luckily, today's teachers can take advantage of computer technology and speed up the discovery process in their classrooms. This article describes how computer-based instructional programs can be used to engage…

In this article, the authors describe how to use a TI-73/83/84 graphing calculator and Vernier's LabPro/CBL2 probe system to take pH readings. This is not an endorsement of these products, but simply the authors' attempt to give readers an idea of what is involved in using this technology in the classroom. This activity can be accomplished using a…

Discusses teaching display and presentation skills by incorporating it into an interdisciplinary computer, math, and science lesson on graphing and collecting data which reinforces problem-solving skills and develops students' abilities to graph and interpret data. (ASK)

Describes the PowerTools Project, a partnership program between schools and research scientists at the University of Texas Health Center. Discusses the beginnings and the scaling up of the project. (JRH)