As computational models are becoming more widely used with the release of "A Framework for K-12 Science Education" (NRC 2012) and the "Next Generation Science Standards" ("NGSS"; NGSS Lead States 2013), these models are reshaping the way science is practiced in increasingly diverse classrooms. For students classified…

The authors describes their experiences incorporating the virtual lab into a simple circuit lesson during an energy unit in a sixth-grade class. The lesson included a hands-on group experiment using wire, batteries, and light bulbs to make a circuit and an online simulation, using a virtual lab. Class discussions, student inquiries, and the study…

Technology can be both a blessing and a curse in the classroom. Although technology can provide greater access to information and increase student engagement, if screen time replaces time spent outside, then students stand to lose awareness and connectivity to the surrounding natural environment. This article describes how Google Earth can foster…

The Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)--now in development--will be based on "A Framework for K-12 Science Education" released by the National Research Council last summer. The "Framework" identifies seven scientific and engineering practices that should be used in science classrooms. These practices reflect the multiple ways in which…

When one thinks of the amazing creatures of Antarctica, an insect probably does not come to mind. But this unlikely animal, and a scientific expedition to Antarctica, was the foundation for a learning event that created a community of learners spanning kindergarten through sixth grade and extended beyond the classroom. Miami University's Antarctic…

This column discusses resources and science topics related to students in grades preK to 2. The author discusses teachers using technology to help students develop a science inquiry. Teachers can use technology to help students develop a science inquiry--express ideas, document observations, research information, discuss results, and relate…

Introducing science inquiry early in young children's education is imperative, and providing opportunities for conducting investigations that develop process skills can lay a foundation for later learning. Combining inquiry-based instruction with appropriate technology allows the students to explore, reason, test, and revise their ideas about…

Stories, steeped in science content and full of specific information, can be brought into schools and homes through the power of live video streaming. Video streaming refers to the process of viewing video over the internet. These videos may be live (webcam feeds) or recorded. These stories are engaging and inspiring. They offer opportunities to…

YouTube makes it possible for teachers to capitalize on children's insatiable appetite for visually stimulating learning. Some of these videos attain "viral" status, getting passed on from person to person and by links on other sites. Not only are these popular videos viral, but developing one's own content and posting it for the world's access is…

Digital cameras are easy to find, easy to use, and offer great potential for incorporating technology into lessons. Project ideas can range from creating collections of objects to identify (e.g., insects, plants, rocks/minerals, and so on) to documenting the signs of the seasons or recording the progress of an investigation. Even stages of the…

Presents a workshop on graphing technology that targeted a diverse group of students from elementary and secondary grades. Includes an activity on exploring the relative rates of heating and sections on reading the graphs, practicing with sensors, and plotting 3-D graphs. (YDS)

Explains how databases can be used to enrich and complement the science curriculum. Provides examples of applications of databases to science activities and experiments. (ML)

Assistive Technology (AT) helps a person with a physical, cognitive, learning, or speech disability perform tasks that would otherwise be difficult or impossible. There are hundreds of specialized AT devices on the market, but their price tags often prevent their use in elementary science classrooms. Fortunately, affordable technologies "are"…

The use of electronic mail in the science classroom is discussed. Several applications of the use of this technology in the science classroom are described. Optional activities on computer networks are suggested. (CW)