It seems each new school year brings its own opportunities to grow as an educator. As teachers in a STEM focused school that serves primarily at-risk students, the authors face a new challenge in rethinking their instruction to align with the "Next Generation Science Standards". This involves changing the focus of units previously taught…

Carefully crafted experiences in the early childhood classroom can create learning opportunities for children that allow one curiosity to lead to another. Learning how to find out answers to fascinating questions is what science is all about. In fact, it can be as simple as learning how an ordinary egg can be changed. For the past year, the…

As the United States strives to achieve energy independence, students need to be literate about energy and environmental issues. In this article, the authors present a lesson about the nation's electricity resources that is part 1 of a free, comprehensive unit on coal and energy that is available online (http://tinyurl.com/coalenergyunit). The…

This document features a lesson plan that examines how maps help scientists protect biodiversity and how plants and animals are adapted to specific ecoregions by comparing biome, ecoregion, and habitat. Samples of instruction and assessment are included. (KHR)

Describes activities for K-12 students, most of which are adapted from "The Lewis and Clark Expedition: Scientific Discovery Educator's Resource Guide" created by the partnership of Fort Clatsop National Memorial and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. (Author/KHR)

This document features a lesson plan in which genetic traits are identified and classified using a genetic wheel by playing several different games that introduce genetic diversity and highlight why it is important within populations. Samples of instruction and assessment are included. (KHR)

Presents low-cost learning activities to help teach elementary students about the earth's magnetic field. One project has students make a model of the earth's magnetic field. Another has them experiment with magnetism. (SM)

Presents a unit approach that utilizes Howard Gardner's seven intelligences (Linguistic, Logical/mathematical, Spatial, Music, Kinesthetic/body, Intrapersonal, and Interpersonal). Students are given a list of activities and make a contract to complete a certain number on the list. A sample unit for fifth graders on the bodily systems is provided.…

Presents a color poster, information, and activities for introducing students to biodiversity. (PR)

A teacher describes her science class' successful inclusion of a student with Rett Syndrome. Included in the article are the classroom implications of the disease and strategies for ensuring that all students receive the best science education available. (ZWH)

A teacher shares three instructional aids that she used to teach blind as well as sighted students the basic principles of chemical bonding.(ZWH)

Provides strategies for adapting microscope activities for students with disabilities. The following factors are considered: (1) mainstreaming strategies; (2) laboratory techniques; (3) observing and classifying; (4) vocabulary and terminology; and (5) safety. (ZWH)

Describes a project where students build their own catapults and modify them to solve four problems. Suggests the unit be integrated with a social studies unit on the Middle Ages. (PR)

Describes a partnership between the Joint Activities Program and an inner-city school that provides students with an enriched science learning experience. The program's educational beliefs, assumptions, and their implications are discussed. Also included in the article are brief descriptions of some the science experiences and learning of the…

Describes an assignment that allows students to explore the life of the Cherokee Indians during a tragic period in history when the U.S. Government removed the Cherokees from their ancestral homeland. Students demonstrate learning by creating skits that incorporate Cherokee history, culture, and herbal remedies. (ZWH)