Why Learn Outdoors?
K12Science
I was recently reading the March - April 2026, issue of Science and Children, a publication of the National Science Teaching Association. In this issue I read an article written by Mary Starr, Jordan Sherry-Wagner, Carrie Tzou, Megan Bang, Shirin Vossoughi, and Anna Lees. They wrote an article entitled “Place Matters.” Outdoor learning is not simply a change in instructional setting, but a shift in relationships among children, educators, families, and the socio-ecological systems they inhabit. Outdoor learning, when historicized and relationally grounded, becomes a practice of...
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Stop Cheating in an AI World
K12Science
I was recently reading the March - April 2026, issue of Science Scope, a publication of the National Science Teaching Association. In this issue I read an article written by Patty McGinnis. She wrote an article entitled “AI in the Classroom.” The rate of cheating in science classrooms has not changed after the availability of ChatGPT and other generative AI tools. The sudden alarm to do something about a problem that we have been complacent about for decades highlights some fundamental misconceptions about both why cheating happens and the role that technology plays (or doesn’t) in...
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Stop Competing for Attention
K12Science
I was recently reading the April 22, 2026, NSTA Blog, a publication of the National Science Teaching Association. In this blog I read an article written by Tara Graham. She wrote an article entitled “Stop Competing for Attention. Start Using It.” Ask any middle school science teacher what their biggest classroom challenge is right now, and there’s a good chance that attention ranks near the top of the list. This isn’t a new problem, but it is an accelerating one.
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Mercury Hazards
K12Science
I was recently reading the April 10, 2026, NSTA Blog, a publication of the National Science Teaching Association. In this blog I read an article written by Ken Roy. He wrote an article entitled “Mercury Spills in the Science Instructional Space: Hazards, Risks, and Safety Actions.” Use of mercury in high school and middle school science classrooms and laboratory instructional spaces has well-known safety and health hazards and risks. Bottomline is don’t take any chances with safety and health-even to learn important science.
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Artemis II
K12Science
I was recently reading the April 2, 2026, NSTA Blog, a publication of the National Science Teaching Association. In this blog I read an article written by Christine Anne Royce. She wrote an article entitled “A New Dawn on the Lunar Horizon: #WeAreGoing.” On April 1, 2026, the Space Launch System engines ignited, lift off occurred, and Artemis II headed to the moon. It carried the first four humans to venture into the deep-space proving ground in over a half century.
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Citizen Science Month
K12Science
I was recently reading the April 1, 2026 NSTA Blog, a publication of the National Science Teaching Association. In this blog I read an article written by Jill Nugent. She wrote an article entitled “Spark Curiosity This Spring.” Citizen science refers to public participation in science. Opportunities for students to participate in authentic science practices can deepen their understanding of the world. One way to provide such opportunities is by incorporating citizen science experiences in the classroom and schoolyard during Citizen Science Month, this April. For more information...
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AI Gems
K12Science
I was recently reading the March 17, 2026 NSTA Blog, a publication of the National Science Teaching Association. In this blog I read an article written by Christine Anne Royce and Valerie Bennett. They wrote an article entitled “Discovering AI Gems.” AI Gems are custom versions of Google Gemini that act as specialized AI assistants. Gems can serve as “thought partners” that remember your specific instructional frameworks, grade levels, and pedagogical goals so you don’t have to retype them every time. You can find examples of Gems at:
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Advice for New Science Teachers
K12Science
I was recently reading the November 24, 2025 NSTA Blog, a publication of the National Science Teaching Association. In this blog I read an article written by Jason Strohl. He wrote an article entitled “Embrace the Chaos: Advice for New Science Teachers.” Jason interviewed Madeline Grygiel, a science instructional support teacher for the Richmond (Virginia) Public Schools. The article shares four keys to successful science teaching: 1. Redefine what science looks like 2. Connect lessons to the real world 3. Collaborate with fellow educators and professional organizations 4. Remember...
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What if AI Gets it Wrong?
K12Science
K12Science Podcast: What if AI Gets it Wrong? I was recently reading the February 18, 2026 NSTA Blog, a publication of the National Science Teaching Association. In this blog I read the section, “From Chalkboards to AI” written by Valerie Bennett and Christine Anne Royce. They wrote an article entitled “What if AI Gets it Wrong? Teaching Students to Detect Errors and Misleading Models.” When teachers intentionally surface AI errors, students learn that: Authority does not equal accuracy. Confidence is not evidence. Scientific knowledge is always provisional. It may be best to...
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Misconceptions About Data Science
K12Science
I was recently reading the January - February 2026 issue of “Science and Children,” a publication of the National Science Teaching Association. In this issue, I read the section, “Science 101” written by Matt Bobrowsky. He wrote an article entitled “What is Data, and Is Data Science Really Science?” In the article, Matt addresses three misconceptions about data science: 1. Data refers only to numbers. 2. Data tells the whole story. 3. It’s computers, not people, who do data science.
info_outlineI 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.