Innovation, Creativity and Curiosity
K12Science
I was recently reading the May - June 2025 issue of “The Science Teacher”, a publication of the National Science Teaching Association. In this issue, I read the section, “Editor’s Corner” written by Brooke A. Whitworth. She wrote an article entitled, “‘Fostering Innovation, Creativity, and Curiosity in Science Education.” In this article, Brooke shared many practical strategies that teachers can implement immediately, regardless of resources, in the areas of: Community-Connected Science Resource-Conscious Innovation Curiosity-Driven Learning
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STOP Doing
K12Science
I was recently reading the March - April 2025 issue of “The Science & Children”, a publication of the National Science Teaching Association. In this issue, I read the section, “The Poetry of Science” written by Amy Ludwig VanDerwater She wrote an article entitled, “‘If We Stopped.” When we imagine acting as Earth’s stewards, we often focus on what we can DO, but in this poem, the author challenges us to consider what we might STOP doing.
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Bird Count History
K12Science
I was recently reading the March - April 2025 issue of “The Science Teacher”, a publication of the National Science Teaching Association. In this issue, I read the section, “Right to the Source,” written by Jessica Fries-Gaither She wrote an article entitled, “‘The 1900 Christmas Bird Census: Introducing a New Annual Tradition and Citizen Science Project. This “historical” podcast provides an entry point for students in the Christmas Bird Count’s history and current applications in ornithology. Students use data from the Count’s history to help construct their...
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Earth Day 2025
K12Science
I was recently reading the March - April 2025 issue of “Science and Children”, a publication of the National Science Teaching Association. In this issue, I read the section, “Editor’s Note,” written by Elizabeth Barrett-Zahn She wrote an article entitled, “‘Human Impacts. As Earth Day 2025 approaches, we must ask: What kind of world are we leaving behind? Will we continue to exploit resources without regard for limitations, or will we treat the Earth’s resources as gifts to be respected and shared? The choices we make now will shape not only the future of the...
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Water for Life
K12Science
I was recently reading the March - April 2025 issue of “Science Scope”, a publication of the National Science Teaching Association. In this issue, I read the section, “Scope on the Skies,” written by Bob Riddle. He wrote an article entitled, “‘Water Bound: Part I” Space missions that search for water are important because they could add to our understanding of the origin and evolution of life on Earth and elsewhere in the solar system and beyond. Finding the presence of water is an important aspect of the search for life beyond the confines of our planet.
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EarthEcho Water Challenge
K12Science
I was recently reading the March - April 2025 issue of “Science Scope”, a publication of the National Science Teaching Association. In this issue, I read the section, “Citizen Science,” written by Jill Nugent. She wrote an article entitled, “‘Water’ Are You Waiting For? Dive Into Action With the EarthEcho Water Challenge.” The EarthEcho Water Challenge engages students in local water quality monitoring while fostering environmental stewardship. The project is part of EarthEcho International, founded by the Cousteau family in honor of Jacques Cousteau’s...
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The Importance of Water
K12Science
I was recently reading the March - April 2025 issue of “Science Scope”, a publication of the National Science Teaching Association. In this issue, I read the section, “From the Editor’s Desk,” written by Patty McGinnis. She wrote an article entitled, “Water: Earth’s Most Vital Resource.” Oceans, rivers, lakes, glaciers, and groundwater are all part of a dynamic system that not only shapes Earth’s physical landscape, but also supports all forms of life.
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Aurorasaurus
K12Science
K12Science Podcast: Aurorasaurus I was recently reading the January - February 2025 issue of “Science Scope”, a publication of the National Science Teaching Association. In this issue, I read the section, “Citizen Science,” written by Jill Nugent. She wrote an article entitled, “Illuminating the Northern Lights with Aurorasaurus.” Aurorasaurus invites participants from around the world to contribute to aurora research by reporting sightings and observing real-time data. Auroras are stunning natural light displays that occur near our planet’s poles. ...
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Sensemaking
K12Science
I was recently reading the January - February 2025 issue of “Science Scope”, a publication of the National Science Teaching Association. In this issue, I read the section, “From the Editor’s Desk,” written by Patty McGinnis. She wrote an article entitled, “Helping Students Make Sense.” Creating a classroom in which the emphasis shifts the learner role from “learning about” to “figuring out” requires students to engage in the collaborative task of sensemaking. The type of classroom discussion is critical to sensemaking. STEM Teaching Tools, at: can help...
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Why We Remember
K12Science
I was recently reading the December 9, 2024 issue of “Smithsonian” magazine. In this issue, I read an article entitles, “The Ten Best Science Books of 2024,” written by Joe Spring, Riley Black, Shi En Kim, Dan Falk, Christian Elliott, and Benjamin Cassidy. The book review that I enjoyed the most was “Why We Remember: Unlocking Memory’s Power to Hold On to What Matters,” written by Charan Ranganath. Ranganath draws on 25 years of experience studying the mechanisms of human memory to explain how remarkable it is that we remember anything at all.
info_outlineI was recently reading a WestEd blog post on the Next Gen Science website, dated January 10, 2024.
In this blog, I read the post “Seeing is Believing: Building a Shared Vision of Quality Science Instruction.” It was written by Vanessa Wolbrink.
In the years following the adoption of new science standards, states and districts must begin to navigate the complexities of transitioning to new learning goals — including updating instructional materials, professional learning, course descriptions and requirements, and assessments. In order to determine what changes are needed and how to enact them effectively, we need to ask the question, “What does it really take to build a shared understanding of the shift in teaching and learning expected in today’s science classrooms?”