K12Science

The purpose of K12Science is to share ideas about science teaching for grades K-12 and beyond. K12Science is hosted by David Bydlowski, science educator in Michigan

Innovation, Creativity and Curiosity 05/08/2025

Innovation, Creativity and Curiosity 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 /episode/index/show/k12science/id/36491030

STOP Doing 04/30/2025

STOP Doing 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. /episode/index/show/k12science/id/36380815

Bird Count History 04/24/2025

Bird Count History 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 scientific understanding. /episode/index/show/k12science/id/36298065

Earth Day 2025 04/15/2025

Earth Day 2025 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 planet but also the future of the children we teach. /episode/index/show/k12science/id/36154375

Water for Life 04/06/2025

Water for Life 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. /episode/index/show/k12science/id/36026145

EarthEcho Water Challenge 03/26/2025

EarthEcho Water Challenge 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 legacy and life’s work advocating for environmental and ocean conservation. To learn more about the challenge visit the project website at: /episode/index/show/k12science/id/35873175

The Importance of Water 03/13/2025

The Importance of Water 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. /episode/index/show/k12science/id/35675880

Aurorasaurus 03/01/2025

Aurorasaurus 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. To learn more about this citizen science project, visit: /episode/index/show/k12science/id/35493635

Sensemaking 02/17/2025

Sensemaking 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 you plan for student discussions. /episode/index/show/k12science/id/35319685

Why We Remember 01/16/2025

Why We Remember 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. /episode/index/show/k12science/id/34886905

Ecosystems 01/10/2025

Ecosystems I was recently reading the November/December 2024 issue of “Science and Children” a publication of the National Science Teaching Association. In this issue, I read the “Science 101” column, written by Matt Bobrowsky. He wrote an article entitled, “Q: What’s a Good Way of Explaining Ecosystems?” An ecosystem is like a big neighborhood where plants, animals, and even tiny things like bugs and mushrooms all love together. /episode/index/show/k12science/id/34807940

Buoyancy Misconceptions 01/08/2025

Buoyancy Misconceptions I was recently reading the November/December 2024 issue of “Science and Children” a publication of the National Science Teaching Association. In this issue, I read the “Early Years” column, written by Alissa A. Lange. She wrote an article entitled, “Deconstructing Common Misconceptions in Early Science.” Misconceptions are common in science—even into adulthood. Instead of feeling guilty when we discover our misconceptions, what if we, as adults, turn this feeling into curiosity? What if we help our students to do the same? /episode/index/show/k12science/id/34767170

Expanding Science Knowledge 12/22/2024

Expanding Science Knowledge I was recently reading the November/December 2024 issue of “Science and Children” a publication of the National Science Teaching Association. In this issue, I read the “Guest Editorial” column, written by Emily Adah Miller and Ayca Fackler. They wrote an article entitled, “Expanding Science Knowledge Through Expansive Science Teaching.” To prepare students for future scientific endeavor and to be scientifically literate world citizens, teachers must challenge the status quo, pushing the limits of science education by using local place to contextualize and increase science understanding. /episode/index/show/k12science/id/34572855

Expansive Science Teaching 12/17/2024

Expansive Science Teaching I was recently reading the November/December 2024 issue of “Science and Children” a publication of the National Science Teaching Association. In this issue, I read the “Editor’s Note” column, written by Elizabeth Barrett-Zahn. She wrote an article entitled, “Expansive Science Teaching Practices.” Expansive learning theory, rooted in activity theory, provides a framework for how learners create new knowledge and practices for novel situations. /episode/index/show/k12science/id/34491380

Gemologist 12/11/2024

Gemologist /episode/index/show/k12science/id/34400395

Gemologist 12/11/2024

Gemologist /episode/index/show/k12science/id/34400380

Asking Why 12/04/2024

Asking Why Recently, I had the pleasure of reading the November-December 2024 issue of “The Science Teacher,” a journal published by the National Science Teaching Association. Within this issue, I encountered the “Right to the Source” section, authored by Michael Apfeldorft. His article, titled “Joyfully Asking Why,” provided insightful information on a list of questions compiled by Carl Sagan and his wife, author/producer Ann Druyan. In the mid-1990’s, Carl Sagan and Ann Druyan conceived of an interesting way to help young learners confidently ask questions and think about the world around them. Carl and Ann compiled a list of 150 questions to develop a book series, where the title of each book would begin simply with the word WHY? To download this manuscript of questions, please, visit: /episode/index/show/k12science/id/34288815

Monarch Butterflies 11/25/2024

Monarch Butterflies Recently, I had the pleasure of reading the November-December 2024 issue of “Science Scope,” a journal published by the National Science Teaching Association. Within this issue, I encountered the “Citizen Science” section, authored by Jill Nugent. Her article, titled “Journey of the Monarchs: Studying North America’s Nomadic Butterfly,” provided insightful information on the migration of Monarch populations. Journey North, a participatory science project based at the University of Wisconsin-Madison Arboretum, offers a special way for educators to bring the study of the monarch butterfly migration into their classrooms. To learn more about this project, visit: /episode/index/show/k12science/id/34146805

Reading in Science 11/19/2024

Reading in Science Recently, I had the pleasure of reading the November-December 2024 issue of “Science Scope,” a journal published by the National Science Teaching Association. Within this issue, I encountered the “From the Editor’s Desk” section, authored by Patty McGinnis. Her article, titled “Reading in the Science Classroom,” provided insightful information on the science of reading. Reading plays a pivotal role in all disciplines, and science is no exception. If you are seeking reading-based strategies to incorporate into your classroom, The California Academy of Sciences offers several before, during, and after active reading strategies that can assist students in comprehending science texts. To access these active reading strategies, kindly visit: /episode/index/show/k12science/id/33998732

Food Scientist 11/12/2024

Food Scientist Recently, I had the pleasure of reading the September-October 2024 issue of “The Science Teacher,” a journal published by the National Science Teaching Association. Within this issue, I came across the “Career of the Month” section, authored by Luba Vangelova. Her article, titled “Amy DeJong, Food Scientist,” provided insightful information on the field of food science. Food science is an applied science that merges chemistry, engineering, and microbiology to develop safe, palatable, and nutritious food products. Amy DeJong, a process development engineer, is employed by Mars Wrigley in Chicago. Her role involves contributing to research and development efforts aimed at enhancing food quality and safety. /episode/index/show/k12science/id/33903912

Addressing Science Misconceptions 10/29/2024

Addressing Science Misconceptions I was recently reading the September-October 2024 issue of Science and Children, a journal published by the National Science Teaching Association. In this issue, I read the “Science 101” section, written by Matthew Bobrowsky. He wrote an article entitled: “Q: How Can I Address Science Misconceptions Using Phenomena-Driven Instruction?” A phenomena might just be the best way to address misconception because research has shown that misconceptions are very persistent, and merely teaching the correct information doesn’t automatically remove the misconception. /episode/index/show/k12science/id/33674177

Fall Colors 10/16/2024

Fall Colors I was recently reading the September-October 2024 issue of Science and Children, a publication of the National Science Teaching Association. In this issue, I read the “Poetry of Science” section, written by Amy Ludwig VanDerwater. She wrote an article entitled: “Changes in the Leaves.” Included in the article was a poem entitled, “Saving the Best for Last,” written by David L. Harrison. Leaves change color in the fall because the amounts of chemical pigments inside the leaves change. The intensity and timing of fall colors can be affected by weather, both in fall and earlier in the growing season. /episode/index/show/k12science/id/33484197

Fieldwork Fridays 10/09/2024

Fieldwork Fridays I was recently reading the September-October 2024 issue of Science Scope, a journal published by the National Science Teaching Association. In this issue, I read the “Interdisciplinary Ideas” section, written by Katie Coppens. She wrote an article entitled: “Fieldwork Fridays: Connecting Scientific Learning to Nature.” Each Friday, in what are referred to as “Fieldwork Fridays,” the author brings her students outside to apply what they learned that week in class to the environment around them. /episode/index/show/k12science/id/33398422

Comets 10/02/2024

Comets I was recently reading the September-October 2024 issue of Science Scope, a journal published by the National Science Teaching Association. In this issue, I read the “Scope on the Skies” section, written by Bob Riddle. He wrote an article entitled: “Chasing Giant Ice Balls.” Comets are frozen leftovers from the formation of the solar system composed of dust, rock, and ices. They range in size from a few miles to tens of miles wide, but as they orbit closer to the Sun, they heat up and spew gases and dust into a glowing head that can be larger than a planet. This material forms a tail that stretches millions of miles. /episode/index/show/k12science/id/33298987

Elephant ID 09/24/2024

Elephant ID I was recently reading the September-October 2024 issue of Science Scope, a journal published by the National Science Teaching Association. In this issue, I read the “Citizen Science” section, written by Jill Nugent. She wrote an article entitled: “Snapshot Safari: Elephant Edition.” Elephant ID is an online project that leverages Zooniverse’s people-powered research platform to address behavior and conservation questions related to the African savanna elephant, a species facing pressing challenges, including habitat loss. To learn more, visit the project website at: /episode/index/show/k12science/id/33189082

Social-Emotional Learning 09/18/2024

Social-Emotional Learning I was recently reading the September-October 2024 issue of Science Scope, a journal published by the National Science Teaching Association. In this issue, I read the “Editorial” section, written by Patty McGinnis. She wrote an article entitled: “Social-Emotional Learning in the Science Classroom.” Perhaps nowhere else in education is social-emotional (SEL) more crucial than in the middle school science classroom, a place where students are expected to collaborate, communicate, and participate respectfully in the practice of argumentation. For more information about SEL consider exploring the site for the Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning (CASEL), a nonprofit organization that utilizes research to guide SEL initiatives. For more information, visit: https://casel.org /episode/index/show/k12science/id/33108042

Learning Styles 09/12/2024

Learning Styles I was recently reading the July-August 2024 issue of Science and Children, a journal published by the National Science Teaching Association. In this issue, I read the “Science 101” section, written by Matt Bobrowsky. He wrote a Q and A article entitled: “Q: If Students Have Different Learning Styles, What Kinds of Science Activities Are Best for Reaching All Students?” For a more well-rounded educational experience, teachers can use “multimodal” teaching. Examples include visual, kinesthetic, and auditory. But that does not mean that students have specific “learning styles.” If students believe they have a particular “learning style” it can lead to a self-limiting mindset. /episode/index/show/k12science/id/33026872

Astrophotography 09/04/2024

Astrophotography I was recently reading the July-August 2024 issue of Science Scope, a journal published by the National Science Teaching Association, for middle school teachers. In this issue, I read the “Scope on the Skies” section. In the section was an article entitled, “Capturing Photons,” written by Bob Riddle. One way to make astronomy more accessible and engaging to students is to introduce them to astrophotography. The most direct way is probably with the student’s own smartphone. /episode/index/show/k12science/id/32902647

Trustworthy Scientific Information 08/22/2024

Trustworthy Scientific Information I was recently reading the July-August 2024 issue of Science Scope, a journal published by the National Science Teaching Association, for middle school teachers. In this issue, I read the “Commentary” section. In the section was an article entitled, “Finding Instructional Resources for Teaching About Scientific Misinformation,” written by Andy Zucker. The nonprofit Media Literacy Now has developed a first-of-its-kind online database where teachers can find and access instructional materials to help student resists false and misleading information. To access the database, please visit: /episode/index/show/k12science/id/32694357

Secchi Disk 08/13/2024

Secchi Disk I was recently reading the July-August 2024 issue of Science Scope, a journal published by the National Science Teaching Association, for middle school teachers. In this issue, I read the “Citizen Science” section, written by Jill Nugent. She wrote an article entitled “Summer Science With the Secchi Dip-In Project.” The Robert Carlson Secchi Dip-In Project is a demonstration of the potential of volunteer monitors to gather environmentally important information on our lakes, rivers, and estuaries. For more information, visit: /episode/index/show/k12science/id/32564662

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