This article describes a group of second and third graders who began the school year 83% below reading proficiency. On surveys given at the beginning of the year, parents/guardians stated reading was the biggest concern for their child, and students stated they enjoyed hands-on activities, especially during science. To increase comprehension and…

"Citizen science" gives students a unique opportunity to engage with their own research, as well as data collected by other citizen scientists. Often, citizen science projects focus on students collecting and submitting data for scientists, which can sometimes limit opportunities to engage in the entire scientific process. This article…

Family science nights are fantastic, but planning one can be overwhelming, especially when one considers the already overloaded schedule of a classroom teacher. To overcome this challenge, the authors--colleagues with a mutual love of science--developed a much simpler annual event called "Lab With Dad." The purpose was for one target age group of…

This article describes the driving question board (DQB), a visual organizer that supports inquiry-based instruction through the use of guiding questions. The DQB is a teaching aid designed to increase student engagement alongside science kits. Information is provided on its application to a lesson on buoyancy, highlighting how it improved…

Teachers created an after-school club called The Green Team and implemented an instructional strategy know as service-learning to teach environmental science. This article describes the transformation that occurred over a three-year period and illustrates how service-learning can provide a framework for environmental education. (Contains 1 figure,…

On the Saturday before Halloween, hundreds of students and their parents went from booth to booth participating in science activities at an annual Fall Festival and Learning Fair. The Fall Festival and Learning Fair is a valuable annual partnership where culturally relevant teaching engages each child in hands-on, standards-based science lessons.…

This article describes a lesson taught in a designated English Language Learner (ELL) classroom in an elementary school in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, using a sheltered instruction approach. Eighty one percent of the students at this school are from diverse ethnic backgrounds where 25 per cent of them receive ELL services. A variety of languages are…

It is common to see word walls displaying the vocabulary that students have learned in class. Word walls serve as visual scaffolds and are a classroom strategy used to reinforce reading and language arts instruction. Research shows a strong relationship between student word knowledge and academic achievement (Stahl and Fairbanks 1986). As a…

The authors collaborated on hosting a "Spring Inspire Day." planned and delivered by preservice elementary teachers as a social studies/science methods project. Projects that have authentic application opportunities can make learning meaningful for prospective teachers as well as elementary students. With the impetus for an integrated…

Family Math and Science Nights engage students and parents in active investigations tied to the curriculum in a fun, informal environment. Through this program, families actively explore math and science ideas, discover together through guided inquiry, and apply their discoveries to solve a problem at the end. All activities are hands-on, use…

Presents tips and suggestions for parents that can make a family nature walk more rewarding and help parents encourage their children to look closer at the natural world. (JRH)

Describes the Parents' Science Lab where parent volunteers lead a homeroom of 25-30 students through a hands-on science activity. Reports that this program has given parents personal experience with activity-based science and mathematics and made them positive and enthusiastic advocates for the cause of good science education. (JRH)

Presents suggestions for parents who wish to continue their children's science education at home. (JRH)

Presents two activities, the "Super Bubble" that challenges students and parents to blow the biggest bubbles and "For Fingers Only" that asks them to duplicate a pattern of blocks using only the sense of touch. (JRH)

Describes the Evening Science program, a science enrichment program for K-6 students and their parents where students and parents engage in problem-solving activities that encourage science learning for the whole family. (JRH)