In the transition from classical to modern physics, the idea of taking some certain quantities as distinct or bounded values and keeping the rest continuous has proved useful in dealing with many problems. In this paper we assume an upper bound on the velocity of classical particles and indicate that applying this assumption to electromagnetism…

As part of a multiyear research project investigating the affordances of online citizen science (OCS) projects for enhancing school students' learning in relation to science and digital technology, teacher-researchers have designed and implemented classroom interventions incorporating one or more OCS projects. The project is situated in New…

We live in a neurodiverse world, and therefore need to ensure that equally diverse educational opportunities are accessible to all learners. The term "neurodiversity," coined by Judith Singer (1999) describes the broad, and complex, spectrum of human brain functionality. Terms like "neurodivergent" or "neurodistinct"…

Fall 2020 presented myriad challenges for teachers trying to plan curricula to meet students' social-emotional and learning needs following an unprecedented spring and summer of isolation and loss due to the pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 (Rivera and Wallace 2020). The result of creative planning and adjusting of curricula for remote instruction…

Involving students in state-of-the-art research from an early age eliminates the idea that science is only for the scientists and empowers young people to explore STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) subjects. It is also a great opportunity to dispel harmful stereotypes about who is suitable for STEM careers, while leaving students…

Inspired by the inclusion of a British astronaut on the International Space Station, explanations and demonstrations that lead to an understanding of how satellites stay above the Earth are described. This is a mixture of separate ideas that have been demonstrated successfully at a public exhibition of science-based activities. Although some…

Although U.S. high school students' access to Earth and space science (ESS) varies widely from state to state, nationally, ESS content is the most neglected area of science education and scientific literacy. States have been considering whether they will formally adopt, or less formally adapt, the new national science education standards, the Next…

Understanding how blogs can support collaborative learning is a vital concern for researchers and teachers. This article explores how blogs may be used to support secondary education students' collaborative interaction and how such an interaction process can promote the creation of a Community of Inquiry to enhance critical thinking and…

Earth and space science in the middle school classroom are composed of intricately intertwined sets of conceptual systems (AAAS 1993; NRC 1996). Some systems of study, such as the water and rock cycles, are quite explicit and often found as stand-alone middle school science units. Other phenomena are not so apparent, yet they play an extremely…

This article looks at how space can provide a context for the teaching of STEM subjects. It explores how space fits with the new curriculum, and outlines what resources are available for teachers from the National STEM Centre eLibrary. In November 2015, the UK sends its first official astronaut into space, Tim Peake. His mission can provide a…

According to the national survey of science education, science educators in the USA currently face many challenges such as lack of qualified secondary Earth and Space Science (ESS) teachers. Less qualified teachers may have difficulty teaching ESS because of a lack of conceptual understanding, which leads to diminished confidence in content…

The familiar image of Saturn and its rings has come to symbolise our idea of a planet but there is still much about Saturn and its system that we do not understand. The history of our beliefs and knowledge about it, one of the most distant planets visible to the naked eye, is described, from the early myths, such as the Indian village that…

The "Next Generation Science Standards" ("NGSS"), due to be released this spring, represents a revolutionary step toward establishing modern, national K-12 science education standards. Based on the recommendations of the National Research Council's "A Framework for K-12 Science Education: Practices, Crosscutting…

The Moon appears to be much larger closer to the horizon than when higher in the sky. This is called the "Moon illusion" since the observed size of the Moon is not actually larger when the Moon is just above the horizon. This paper describes a technique for verifying that the observed size of the Moon is not larger on the horizon. The technique…

Visualization is the art of turning information--concepts, processes, events, structures, and trends--into images that support our understanding. Carter Emmart is a visualizer of science. He is the director of astrovisualization for the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH). In this interview, Emmart describes what it is like to be a…