It can be difficult to connect with parents of students in upper elementary grades, because as they get older, students generally seek independence and do not want their parents involved as much as they have been in their younger years. Teachers must work at finding a way to reach out to parents. The author started parent science nights so she…

"A Framework for K-12 Science Education" (NRC 2012) recommends that science teachers provide experiences for students to see "how science and engineering pertain to real-world problems and to explore opportunities to apply their scientific knowledge to engineering design problems once this linkage is made" (NRC 2012, p. 32). To…

Elementary students make great scientists. They are natural questioners and observers. Capitalizing on this natural curiosity and wonderment, the authors have developed a method of doing inquiry investigations with students that many teachers have found practical and user friendly. Their belief is that full inquiry lessons serve as a vital method…

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…

Introduces the inventions of young inventors who are finalists in the Craftsman/NSTA Young Inventors Award Program. Includes a list of regional awardees. (YDS)

Presents an activity to answer the question, "What makes soda pop fizz?". Lists necessary materials and describes the procedure for making soda pop. Discusses the fermentation process and how it occurs. (NB)

Describes a twist on the egg-drop challenge activity for an 8th grade physical science unit. Students engage in active inquiry and explore the laws of physics, develop critical thinking skills, and practice problem-solving tasks. (NB)

Presents an outdoor activity to study pill bugs. Includes a lesson plan. (KHR)

Presents an activity that explores the operation of Maglev trains. Demonstrates that elementary students can master cutting-edge technology through creating and racing magnetic vehicles on a specially designed track, researching the history of rail transportation, and exploring a current science issue. (NB)

Introduces camping as an outdoor classroom activity for elementary and middle school students. Explains what students learn from the camping experience. (YDS)

Analyzes the role of standards in science curriculum development and professional development. Discusses the difficulty of interpreting standards and describes experiences from a curriculum forum. (YDS)

Uses two novels, "Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World" and "Carry On, Mr. Bowditch", to teach about the importance of leadership to 6th grade students. (YDS)

Describes a project in which 7th and 8th grade students learned lasting lessons about habitat when they built nesting boxes and erected them in a local park. Students deepened their understanding of environmental issues and gained a sense of pride. Includes instructions for building nesting boxes. (NB)