STEM Pathways for Underserved Students - The NSTA Website...

Evaluating largE-ScalE aSSESSmEntS to Expand inSightS and opportunitiES pg 3

CONTENTS3 Commentary: Evaluating

Large-Scale Assessments to Expand Insights and Opportunities

6 NSTA Member Poll: Do You Negotiate Grades?

8 Science Worth Singing About

10 Teaching the Science of Addiction

13 BRAINSTARTER Crossword Puzzle

GRAB BAGPull-Out Section!G1 Freebies

G3 News Bits

G4 What’s New

G6 In Your Pocket

G8 Summer Programs

16 Ms. Mentor, Advice Column: Absences During Labs, Ask the Students

18 Blick on Flicks: What If Frankenstein’s Monster Had Been a Dog?

22 Life After Retirement: Opening Up (to the Outdoors) During Retirement

24 NSTA Press, Free Chapter Excerpt: Science Fair Warm-Up: Learning the Practices of Scientists

27 Mark Your Calendar; Solutions to BRAINSTARTER

28 NSTA Awards Seek Innovators

October 2013 Vol. 25 No. 3www.nsta.org

Do You Negotiate Grades?NSTA mEmBER pOll pg 6

ABSENCES DuRiNG lABS, ASk ThE STuDENTS pg 16

National Science Teachers Associationms. mentor, Advice Column:

See Underserved, pg 4

Grades Grades

Atten

den

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otes

10.1%

11.6%

29.0%

5.8%

43.5%

STEM Pathways for Underserved Students

A student uses the flight simulator in the Aerospace Education Lab, a component of NASA’s Science Engineering Mathematics and Aerospace Academy.

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Providing underserved, underrepre-sented students with rigorous, relevant learning opportunities is one of the best strategies for encouraging them to study science, technology, engineer-ing, and math (STEM), according to Jomill Wiley, lead of nationwide oper-ations of NASA’s Science Engineering Mathematics and Aerospace Academy (SEMAA). SEMAA is among several national programs created to reach these students, each taking a unique approach.

Launched 20 years ago as a joint venture between NASA’s Glenn Re-search Center and Cuyahoga Com-munity College in Cleveland, Ohio, SEMAA aims to increase participation and retention of historically under-represented K–12 youth in STEM. SEMAA has sites at community col-leges; historically black colleges and universities; Hispanic serving institu-tions; tribal colleges and universities; elementary, middle, and high schools; and science centers and museums in urban and rural cities (see http://1.usa.gov/1aD10SR).

According to Wiley, site directors have observed underrepresented stu-dents “are quite responsive to techno-logical-based simulations in the SEMAA Aerospace Education Lab (AEL).” The AEL offers middle and high school stu-dents access to aerospace hardware and software, including an Advanced Flight Simulator, a research wind tunnel, and a shortwave radio receiver and handheld global positioning systems.

SEMAA students respond well to “hands-on experiments [in which] scientific methods are [used]; robotics and Science Olympiad competitions; and field trips to museums, science centers, planetariums, and NASA field centers. Participation in these activities builds confidence and excitement, and encourages students to consider [a] STEM career path as a viable and realistic option,” Wiley maintains.

She also notes students and parents “are extremely receptive to career exploration activities that involve

introducing students to STEM profes-sionals through assemblies, festivals, and community outreach activities, and local STEM organizations. Dis-pelling the myths of difficulty and revealing the exciting roles and op-portunities available in STEM fields through ‘real’ people sparks interest and hope.”

Teachers play a vital role in SEMAA, says Wiley. Its sites “hire certified teach-ers to provide instructional delivery of

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O C T O B E R 2 0 1 3 N S T A R e p o r t s 3

C o m m e n t a r y : Steven Ruthford

Lynn Petrinjak ............................. Managing EditorDebra Shapiro .............................Associate EditorWill Thomas, Jr. .....................................Art DirectorProduction Staff...................................Jack Parker Catherine LorrainKenneth Roberts ..Asst. Exec. Dir. for PeriodicalsDavid Beacom .........................................PublisherDavid L. Evans .........................Executive DirectorAdvertising Jason Sheldrake ........................................ Director [email protected] 703-312-9273

© 2013 National Science Teachers AssociationK–16 teachers only may reproduce NSTA Reports’ contents for classroom or noncommercial, professional-development use only. This does not include display or promotional use. For all other permission to photocopy or use material electronically, please contact the Copyright Clearance Center (CCC) (www.copyright.com; 978-750-8400). Please access www.nsta.org/permissions for further information about NSTA’s rights and permissions policies.

Although advertisers work hard to follow strict safety procedures, guidelines are constantly evolving. It is important to note that all ad images are simulations, not actual experiments: Any safety lapses are extremely unlikely to endanger the participants, who are models rather than actual teachers and students. Further, NSTA assumes no responsibility for safety information presented in ads.

National Science Teachers Association1840 Wilson Boulevard

Arlington, Virginia 22201-3092703-243-7100

[email protected]

Evaluating Large-Scale Assessments to Expand Insights and Opportunities By Steven Ruthford

Steven Ruthford

In fall 2004, after six years of classroom teaching experi-ence, I began the process of earning my National Board Certified Teaching (NBCT) certificate. I enrolled in a sup-

port class at my local university to join others undertaking the process, vid-eotaped my teaching, created rubrics to focus my work, and reflected up a storm. Once all of the entries were written and my instructor and cohort feedback was overwhelmingly positive, I mailed my completed portfolios, just in time to turn the video camera on my newborn daughter.

Sitting at my computer in December 2005 to obtain my scores, I expected to have passed. Given my preparation and positive feedback, I didn’t foresee another outcome. However, when the initial screen loaded—thanking me for my effort and encouraging me to try again—I was beyond shocked. I frantically clicked on my score report, expecting an explanation of my failure and what I needed to change. All I found were numbers. No comments.

No critique. Nothing. How could I improve? What did I miss? I was lost without specific feedback.

It was this initial failing, and my lack of experience with how to proceed, that propelled me into the next chapter of my teaching career. In spite of my training, use of classroom assessment techniques, and participation in large-scale assessments as a testee, I had ab-solutely no experience with large-scale assessment techniques as an evaluator. How my National Board entries were processed, scored, and ranked was a mystery. I determined this was the case for many assessments. Our students complete various large assessments and receive only a score. Our student teach-ers complete assessments for licensure, and receive a pass or fail. Many high-stakes assessments are simply “com-plete and receive a score” evaluations.

In its 2001 report, Knowing What Students Know, the National Academy of Sciences differentiates between as-sessments that “assist learning” and as-sessments of “individual achievement.” The report identifies assessments of individual achievement as summative assessments, which often take the form of what the report calls large-scale

assessments (LSAs). LSAs are defined as assessments “administered at the direc-tion of users external to the classroom,” and when used for high-stakes decisions need to be “valid, reliable, and fair.”

Imagining what evaluative process my revised entries would undergo and realizing our profession was becoming increasingly affected by LSAs, I decided to become an assessor. What I learned changed the way I teach and how I think about testing. In 2005, I became a reader for the Advanced Placement (AP) Environmental Science exam. As I learned the steps to ensure each student’s work was evaluated in valid, reliable, and fair ways, I formulated methods to incorporate these tech-niques into my curricula and my revised National Board entries.

I realized that as practitioners, we need to become better educated con-sumers of assessment techniques, and the information they provide, to meet our students’ needs. The Northwest Evaluation Association states, “use of data, when integrated and connected to instruction and curriculum, creates a cohesive classroom or building plan that supports learning goals and greater opportunity for student growth and success.” Moreover, NSTA’s position statement regarding assessment advo-cates “science curriculum, instruction, and assessment be aligned.” By better understanding the evaluation compo-nent of LSAs, we can more effectively align our curriculum and ensure our students’ success.

Beyond the benefit to students, experience assessing LSA will also support the major science education reform effort at hand. As we adopt and implement the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for math and language arts and Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), we need to discuss what types of assessments to use; how students, teachers, adminis-trators, and even teacher preparation programs should be evaluated with

such data; and what the costs of such assessments will be.

How can you learn more about LSAs? Many organizations administer-ing LSAs offer reader/evaluator oppor-tunities for K–12 teachers and college faculty. Most positions are paid and offer both online and on-site training and scoring options. AP and International Baccalaureate exam reader positions exist in multiple subject areas. The Ed-ucation Testing Service needs assessors for online scoring opportunities. Finally, reader positions exist with organiza-tions charged with evaluating teacher readiness and mastery, like the National Board, ProTeach Portfolio, and Pear-son’s Teacher Performance Assessment. Contact information is online.

As my daughter enters third grade, her future will be full of summative and formative assessments. As a parent, I hope her teachers and administrators will be versed in multiple forms of as-sessments, including LSAs, and actively work to align such assessments with daily lessons and inquiry activities. As a teacher, I wish for them to fully un-derstand the LSA process so they can efficiently and effectively adjust curric-ulum to ensure all students excel. As a NSTA member and district director, I wish every teacher, administrator, and preparer of teachers could experience LSA evaluation to help ensure they provide well-informed input when responding to the adoption and im-plementation of the NGSS and CCSS. The success of my daughter and her classmates hinges upon our willingness to learn all we can about LSA processes and appropriate use of the information they generate. ●

Steven Ruthford is a science teacher at Sehome High School in Bellingham, Wash-ington. He also serves as NSTA’s District XVII Director and is a 2013–2014 Albert Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellow at the National Science Foundation. He earned his NBCT credential in 2006.

4 N S T A R e p o r t s O C T O B E R 2 0 1 3

Underserved, from pg 1

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content and foster hands-on authentic learning experiences...after-school, in-school, and [on] Saturday,” and at many sites, local STEM professionals and college professors “augment the delivery of subject matter–specific content...to enhance the learning experience for students,” she explains.

The program gives teachers “script-ed K–12 NASA SEMAA Curriculum Enhancement Activities (CEAs); the educational supplemental activities available on the NASA portal; and in many instances, NASA education

resource materials to reinforce ab-stract concepts related to NASA con-tent,” she relates. SEMAA graduates who have participated in all of the K–12 CEAs will have completed 441 hours of advanced studies in STEM before they enter college.

SEMAA sites also can request “sub-ject-matter experts from the NASA field centers” and offer “STEM con-tent–professional development (PD) opportunities to teachers,” she notes.

Mentors and Lab ExperienceThe American Chemical Society’s (ACS) Project SEED gives econom-ically disadvantaged high school stu-dents interested in science the oppor-tunity to spend one or two summers conducting hands-on research with scientists in academic, industry, and government research laboratories. During these programs, students “build relationships with mentors” and “hear about career paths in all scientif ic f ields—not just chemis-try—and in STEM,” says Cecilia Hernandez, ACS assistant director of endowed programs. They “network with undergraduate and graduate

students” they work with in the labs, and “attend scientific meetings...[and] present their projects,” she explains.

High school chemistry teach-ers provide “a link from school to summer internships” by recruiting and recommending students for the program, “encourag[ing] students to participate in science fairs and community activities,” and informing parents of the value of STEM course-work and research experiences, she notes. Most importantly, “teachers can really stimulate students to attend college,” she contends.

In return, teachers gain access to a network of mentors, who might even provide them with classroom materials and supplies, she points out. Teachers also can take advantage of the ACS online resources and partic-ipate in the activities of ACS Local Sections.

After their summer experiences, SEED students receive a fellowship award and can apply for a SEED college scholarship. Hernandez es-timates about 9,500 students have completed one summer with SEED during the past 45 years, and about 1,800 returned for a second year.

Nearly 600 “have received $5,000 college scholarships in chemistry or chemistry-related fields for their first year of college,” and about 30 college scholarships are awarded annually to SEED alumni, she reports.

The program operates in 36 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. (See http://bit.ly/16ls04U.)

Funding for STEM ProjectsThe Young Science Achievers Pro-gram (YSAP®) offers grants of up to $500 for academic year–long projects in STEM for students in public and private high schools in New York City, New Jersey, Dallas-Fort Worth, and the greater Chicago area. YSAP is open to all students, but targets young women of any ethnicity and males of African American, Hispanic, or Native American descent. “We try to build a collaborative of students from all walks of life, and encourage groups to participate as teams,” explains YSAP President Jorge Valdes.

The STEM work YSAP supports is “highly collaborative, interdisciplin-ary research involving real problems” for “groups of students who are curi-ous to learn and discover something about the world,” he contends. YSAP connects students and teachers with mentors from academic and industrial research institutions to design and conduct authentic research projects “in a way that’s fun, exciting, and something kids can relate to,” he says. Students also can receive scholarships from YSAP sponsors to participate in summer research internships at local universities.

For teachers, YSAP provides funds for project supplies, PD workshops, and the chance to “be part of special events like lab tours,” he notes. An inquiry-based curriculum is housed at www.ysap.us/ysaporg.

In its 25 years, program data show YSAP has “a return participa-tion rate of greater than 90%” for students after one year, he asserts. Data also show students “get the kind of awareness about science and math that increases their chances of getting into college and considering science and math as long-term career options,” he adds. ●

High school students conduct hands-on research in the ACS’s Project SEED.

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n s t a m e m b e r p o l l : What You’re Saying

Do You Negotiate Grades?

the content or masters the skills of the course, [his or her] grade should increase to reflect that no matter when this occurs, even if it is after the whole class has finished the unit of instruc-tion.—Educator, Middle School, High School, TexasI do attempt to allow a student to demonstrate that [he or she has] learned the material...My ultimate goal is to teach students; all students learn differently; and if they can meet the standards set, then they deserve the grade.—Educator, High School, Institu-tion of Higher Learning, Kansas

Just Say ‘No’I inform students in the beginning of the semester that your grade is dependent upon what you earn. It’s like going to a store and wanting to buy something if you did not bring enough money. Either you can afford it or you can’t. Planning ahead is the student’s responsibility.—Educator, High School, Nevada Just state the student needs to learn the hard lesson that failure to apply oneself has consequences.—Educator, Middle School, High School, IllinoisI tell the parents at Back to School Night that there is no extra credit in

my class. It is rare that a parent will still attempt to have a grade changed, but it does happen. I say no, but some parents will go over my head to the principal and the superintendent. —Educator, High School, New YorkI simply tell the student or parent that the grades are calculated by the computer. I don’t ‘give’ grades; I just keep score.—Educator, High School, New JerseyI have one simple statement and pol-icy: Grades are not negotiable...In addition to asking for grade changes for a term or semester grade, parents would often challenge the grading of a paper [or] the weighting of points on a rubric, or complain about the scoring of group projects. Addressing these concerns—especially if the parents go to the principal, who in turn wants to appease them—can take a lot of time away from the work and planning of teaching. Many principals cave in too quickly to the demands of parents and strong-arm teachers. Many of the younger, more easily scared ones change the grades, leaving the door open for a parade of other parents and students, and eventually the erosion of any rigor, or validity, to grades. —Educator, Middle School, Connecticut ●

There have been legitimate requests such as a student missing time due to health reasons, but usually it is due to poor attendance, and at the last minute, suddenly parents and students become concerned! Even if we don’t “doctor” the grade, it will go before the school board, and when the parents cry “foul,” it will be changed anyway! We often do not know [of the change], because it is done by an administrator after we have left for the summer! —Educator, Middle School, Virginia I’ve only changed a grade three times in my 23 years of teaching, and these were for extreme and exceptional cas-es. The best strategy is to be proactive in making sure both students and par-ents are aware of grades throughout the duration of the course and to ap-proach/assist low-achieving students before final grades.—Educator, Middle School, CaliforniaGrade negotiations [are] just like any other type of negotiations. [They] can be worked out. The point is, it has to be agreed upon by a majority of the fac-ulty and the administration.—Educator, Institution of Higher Learning, Philippines

It is a case-by-case situation. In my cas-es, [there] have been medical reasons [for] the student need[ing] extended time to complete the work. For reasons [such as] a medical excuse or extreme extenuating circumstances, I would let the grade stand, and if the student completes the work, then update the grade...This would all take place with administrative support and approv-al.—Educator, High School, West VirginiaSince I teach at a community college, the student is the only person [whom] I can speak to about his/her grades. I try to be open with the student about why [he or she] ended up with the grade [he or she] did, make some sug-gestions about retaking the course (the grade can be replaced with a higher grade upon completion), and make suggestions about attendance (or lack of ).—Educator, Institution of Higher Learning, Oregon

Show What They KnowI think that it is important for the student’s grade to reflect the student’s mastery of the content, not their learning process. If a student learns

Grades Grades

Atten

den

ceA

ctivitiesN

otes

10.1%

11.6%

29.0%

5.8%

43.5%

Requests to change final grades appear to be a fact of life for most teachers. In a recent informal NSTA Reports poll, 87% of respondents said they have been asked to change a student’s final grade after the semester has ended. Nearly one-third (30.8%) reported receiving these requests at least once a year; 23% said they are asked at least once a semester.

Most teachers who are asked to change a final grade reported the requests come from students, parents, and administrators (43.5%); 10% received requests from students only; and 29% are asked by both students and parents. In addition, 86% reported being asked to assign students additional or extra-credit work so their final grade could be raised. Many educators noted the online availability of grades throughout the semester tends to reduce or eliminate requests to change grades.

More than half (62.6%) reported requests are most often denied, while 31.3% said students are allowed to do additional work to raise the grade. Six percent said grades were often changed in response to a request without the student doing additional work.

U.S. teachers are not alone: Educators from Canada, Ecuador, the Philippines, and Australia also participated in the survey, reporting they receive grade-change requests as well.

Here’s what science teachers are saying about requests to change grades:

8 N S T A R e p o r t s O C T O B E R 2 0 1 3TO

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More science with simple things at www.topscience.org © 2008 by TOPS Learning Systems. Photocopies permitted if this notice appears. All rights reserved.

reaction time…adapted from MOTION #21

by TOPS Learning Systems

ANSWERS3a. The meter stick typically drops through a range of distances over several trials, from about 8 cm to 12 cm. This corresponds to reac-tion times ranging from 0.13 seconds to 0.16 seconds. Total all times and divide by number of trials to find the average.3b. Beginning at 50 cm, the stick can fall only 50 cm before the catcher misses it completely.

t = = 0.32 seconds

A slower reaction time is possible if the drop begins at 0 cm, allowing the stick to fall through a full 100 cm. t = = 0.45 seconds

MATERIALS• meter stick • calculator • eye protection

3. A meter stick falls d centimeters in t seconds, according to this equation:

1. Rest your arm on a table, with your hand beyond the edge. Have a friend hold a meter stick between your open thumb and forefinger at the 50 cm mark.

2. Ask your friend to drop the stick without warning. Try to catch it by pinching your fin-

gers together.

a. Calculate your fastest reaction time; your average reaction time.

b. What is the slowest reaction time your meter stick can possibly record?

DON’ T MOVE YOUR ARM…

50 cm

EXTENSIONApply masking tape along the meter stick (test first; tape may lift the mark-ings). Calibrate the tape in 0.05 second intervals (0.05 sec, 0.10 sec, 0.15 sec:) so you can mea-sure reaction time directly from the stick.

OBJECTIVE To measure reaction time by catch-ing a dropped meter stick.

LAB NOTES Make a photocopy of the activity above for each student or lab team.Step 2. Stealth is good. The “dropper” should give no clues suggesting the moment of release. A slow easing of grip on the meter stick allows it to fall without warning. The “catcher” should call “ready” be-fore each trial. The best place to watch the meter stick is at the top.

EVALUATIONQ. Drop a dollar bill instead of a meter stick. How fast must you react to catch it?A. Half the length of a dollar bill = 7.7 cm. t = = 0.125 seconds

√5022.1

√10022.1

√7.722.1

d = 1/2 gt 2

g = 980cm/sec2k

time(seconds)

00.050.100.150.200.250.30

distance(cm)01.24.911.019.530.543.9

Try this TOPS IDEA!

Science Worth Singing AboutSome educators have written songs to engage their students in science. When asked to review science content to prepare students to learn science standards, Jeromie Heath of Pine Tree Elementary School in Kent, Washing-ton, says, “I created poems and songs from the science standards and our district curriculum materials to fuse my students’ interests in music…with science instruction. The result was a rise in student engagement and accessibility to the content.”

Heath then created music videos to accompany the songs. “I decided to post these science music videos [on the teach heath channel on YouTube] to allow easy and frequent access not just for my students, but also for…other students, teachers, and parents,” he explains.

In addition to writing lyrics, Heath collects and adapts science songs “craft-ed by creative and innovative teachers. I take the lyrics from these songs and create music videos [to motivate] my students.” He says the science songs he creates “are not ‘mine’; they are for anyone [wishing] to use them to inspire and motivate kids to learn science.” He adds, “I feel that we are all globally collaborating to engage our students in science learning by using the arts.”

For Lodge McCammon, songs arose from his decade-long quest to design the ideal lesson plan. “The best lesson would be both rigorous and would hit as many learning styles as possi-ble…Using music in the classroom, if done right, can be this perfect lesson plan. Music can engage students to listen, analyze/evaluate lyrics, and

challenge them to create spatial or kinesthetic ‘music video’ performanc-es that demonstrate student learning,” contends McCammon, a specialist in North Carolina State University’s Friday Institute for Educational Inno-vation and a studio composer.

Greg Crowther, acting assistant pro-fessor in University of Washington’s Department of Medicine, began writ-ing science songs as a student. “My first song was an extra-credit assignment in my ninth-grade biology class…My second song was an appendix to my undergraduate biochemistry thesis; I wrote the song to postpone the writing of the thesis itself,” he confesses.

“In addition, I’m constantly amused by the jargon and details of science, and many of my songs are attempts to capture that humor in some way.

At the same time, I try to convey that science is worth singing about. It’s important enough and interest-ing enough to be worthy of musical summaries and musical tributes,” Crowther maintains.

What makes a science song a “hit” with students? “There should be a nat-ural flow. Each song should focus on a discrete topic so [as] not to overwhelm the students. When one completes a song, it should be engaging such that the students want to learn more and even share with their family and friends. Since science can be com-plicated, it is helpful to be repetitive in order to facilitate memorization,” advises Olisa Menakaya, a graduate student in Tennessee State Universi-ty’s Department of Chemistry who aspires to teach high school chemistry.


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McCammon says he is developing the McCammon Education Music Impact Scale (MEMIS; http://tinyurl.com/memiscale) “to help quantify the power of content songs.” According to the MEMIS, songs should have “strong lyrics—calculated by evaluating each line for content-relatedness; divide the number of content-rich lines by the total number of lines…; [a] standard lyric/musical structure [in which] lyr-ics have a refrain that occurs at least twice and lyrics have identifiable parts (i.e., refrain separated by verses); lyric clarity and high production quality…; short length—less than five minutes; and fast tempo—greater than 90 beats per minute…to encourage students to move to the music.”

Want to write your own science songs? Crowther says teachers should first search online (he points to his SingAboutScience.org database) to make sure their topic hasn’t already been covered.

Next, he sug gests “caref ully defin[ing] the goal of the song: Is it intended to help students memorize a bunch of information, inspire a sense of wonder at a particular natural pro-cess, provide examples of real-world applications, or something else?” Then, “find musical collaborators (including students!); the main goal is to create the best song possible, not to showcase how clever you can be on your own,” he contends.

After writing the song, “share it with others for constructive feedback to help you find ways to further im-prove [it],” Menakaya counsels.

When using your song in your classroom, “encourage students to develop images or movements that correspond with the information in the song. This will help reinforce the learning by using different learning styles,” McCammon recommends.

Your colleagues might also want to use your songs. “Many music teachers will be happy to incorporate science songs during music if you just ask,” Heath notes. “The same goes for [physical education] teachers: Some play music during their activities in the gym…You can also ask your principal [if] your class [could] present a science song at an assembly.” ● ”

A teacher in search of his/her own freedom may be the only kind of teacher who can arouse young persons to go in search of their own.

—Maxine Greene, U.S. philosopher and educator


For more information, visit

www.nsta.org/conferences

S H A R E Y O U R I D E A S !Have an idea for an inspiring presentation or workshop on science education?

Submit a session proposal today for...

2014Conferences on Science Education

Richmond, VirginiaNonformal (Informal) Science EducationOctober 16–18, 2014

Orlando, FloridaNovember 6–8, 2014

Long Beach, California–in Collaboration with CSTADecember 4–6, 2014

Proposal Deadline:

1/15/2014

2015National Conference on Science Education

Chicago, IllinoisMarch 26–29, 2015

Proposal Deadline:

4/15/2014

to enthuse and stimulate our community of educators!

Teaching the Science of Addiction“Teaching about drug addiction is an entry to teaching about the nervous system and neurobiology, consistent with the Next Generation Science Standards,” says Maureen Munn, di-rector of education outreach in the University of Washington’s (UW) De-partment of Genome Sciences. “Drug addiction is a complex disease with a biological basis, [and] neurobiology is a growing field of research that will continue to expand,” she points out, noting President Obama “has proposed the BRAIN (Brain Research through Advancing Innovative Neuro-technologies) Initiative, a decade-long project to map the human brain [see http://1.usa.gov/13X7ljH].”

Students need this knowledge because “addiction of any sort is a complex combination of physical, emotional, mental, spiritual, and social conditions that can critically alter a person’s life. The science of addiction involves chemical changes in all of the cells of the body,” maintains Joyanne Hamilton, science teacher at Innoko River School in Shageluk, Alaska.

“As they become participating and responsible citizens,” it is important for students “to recognize the signs and symptoms of addiction early and understand the underlying pathophysi-ology of addiction” because “addiction can be a problem for society and…it often requires professional interven-tion,” asserts Oliver Grundmann, clin-ical assistant professor of the Forensic Science Program in the Department of Medicinal Chemistry at University of Florida’s College of Pharmacy.

“Students are interested in discuss-ing and learning about addiction, so this topic is a great hook to engage them in exploring related science con-cepts. For some students, drug abuse and addiction are things they witness in their daily lives, which motivates them to understand them,” notes Munn.

“The science of addiction is most-ly explored by high school classes when studying brain function and neurotransmitters, whether that be in biology, anatomy, AP Biology, AP Psychology, or health. However, leaving [this] instruction…exclusively

up to high school teachers is too late; many people report first drug use [be-fore] high school,” contends Roxanne Greitz Miller, professor of teacher education at Chapman University in Orange, California. “I believe we need to incorporate the scientific research on the changes that occur in the brain and effects elsewhere in the body into our science curriculum as soon as students can understand the science, [using] age-appropriate terminology and examples.”

One resource for middle level teach-ers is This Is Your Brain: Teaching About Neuroscience and Addiction Research, from NSTA Press. “The 10 lessons in this collection begin with the structure of the brain. The authors explore how neuroscience research is done and what it tells us about addiction. There is a section on use of animals for med-ical research, and an opportunity for students to explore the value and ethi-cal issues involved with this approach,” says Steve Canipe, who reviewed the book for NSTA Recommends (see http://bit.ly/17lnnnA).

Focus on Science“Science teachers can easily talk about the chemical effects on the body and brain of an addiction,” says Hamilton, but they should “keep their lessons and discussions focused on the chemical and physical changes, [not] on moral and social behaviors.”

“Although there is some contro-versy surrounding the concept of ad-diction as to the specific mechanisms, society often labels somebody who is addicted in a specific, demeaning way…This label should not be applied, and the teacher should make clear that addiction can happen to everybody,” Grundmann contends.

“The topic of addiction is fraught with social opinion and local customs, which vary based on religious and cultural beliefs,” Miller maintains. “I strongly suggest that teachers notify families well in advance of discussing addiction in their classrooms, giving parents/guardians time to contact the teacher with questions, or infor-mation.” Teachers should “also be aware of the impression created by the media and evidenced by some of my own former students, who [have said], ‘Well, if I get hooked, I’ll just go to rehab and be fine.’ That fallacy, and the permanent changes in the brain of an addict, not to mention the dangers of overdosing and drug-induced acci-dents, needs to be directly addressed by teachers as well.”

She adds, “[A] confidential ‘question box’ that students can put questions in and know the teacher will answer them with scientific answers, rather than opinion or judgment, is highly valuable.”

Research-Based LearningWith National Science Foundation funding, Munn and colleagues at UW’s Institute for Science and Math Education created Exploring Databas-es, a unit for high school students on the science of nicotine addiction. The unit recently received Science maga-zine’s Prize for Inquiry-Based Instruc-tion, which showcases outstanding materials.


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Exploring Databases aims “to ex-pand teachers’ and students’ under-standing of how scientists conduct research, as well as the important role of databases in scientific research,” Munn explains. “Traditionally, stu-dents are taught to use the classical experimental design in which they are able to manipulate one variable in their test samples compared to their controls while maintaining all other variables constant between the two groups. This is seldom possible in re-search with human subjects, both for ethical reasons and because so much variation exists among humans. In Exploring Databases, students learn about a different study design used in many epidemiological studies: a case control study.” The curriculum “has a lesson that compares and contrasts this design to the classical one so students can develop a broader sense of how re-search is conducted in different fields.”

Teachers benefit “from a low-cost approach to involve their students in conducting authentic research using a

database. Through professional devel-opment (PD) workshops, they partic-ipate in discussions with professionals from science, epidemiology, bioethics, and the learning sciences, along with expert teachers and one another,” and can earn continuing education credits or clock hours for attending the work-shop, she observes.

She emphasizes that “certain con-straints and specific statistical calcula-tions” are used in a case control study, the study design used in Exploring Databases. “Within this context, teach-ers can use an existing database from a previous study of smoking behavior to test their own hypotheses about how environmental and/or genetic factors may influence whether people become smokers after trying smoking. Because epidemiology is not a topic most teach-ers are familiar with, it is important for them to learn the constraints and calculations during the [PD] workshop (or using our Teacher PD Website, http://bit.ly/16TVPZK) so they can accurately teach their students.” ●

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44 It’s unwelcome at a ski slope 45 Sales agents, for short 48 � e Tell-Tale Heart author 49 ___ scan (diagnostic test) 50 St. crosser, in Manhattan 51 Once around the track ANSWER ON PAGE 27

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http://learningcenter.nsta.org/onlinecourses

• High quality interactive content for K–12 science teachers

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• Gain knowledge exclusive to your area of instruction

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Learning Center American Museum of Natural History Seminars on science, six-week online graduate courses in the life, Earth, and physical sciences, incorporate the museum’s resources plus interaction with scientists and educators. CEUs and graduate credits.

California University of PennsylvaniaDesigned for elementary and middle level teachers, Cal U’s online masters degree focuses on teaching inquiry across the STEM disciplines. Each course in the 30-credit program also develops your teacher leadership skills so you can take your career to the next level.

Mississippi State University Earn a Master of Science degree in geosciences via distance learning through the Teachers in Geosciences program. Curriculum includes courses in geology, meteorology, climatology, oceanography, astronomy, hydrology, and environmental geoscience.

Montana State University - Bozeman Online graduate credit courses for K–12 science teachers through National Teachers Enhancement Network, as well as online offerings for Masters of Science in Science Education. NSTA member discount.

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NSTA Online Short CoursesJoin NSTA’s cadre of experts in our five-week moderated courses that incorporate live web seminars, interactive simulations, and classroom-ready student activities. NSTA member discount, graduate credit, and CEU’s available.

Inside this Convenient Pull-Out Section you will find:

Freebies page G1

In Your Pocket

page G6

What’s Newpage G4

Freebies for Science Teachers

News Bitspage G3

Summer Programspage G8

See Freebies, pg G2

Science Magazines for Kids—Try Three Free! Elementary science educators can register to receive three digital issues of any classroom science magazine published by Cobblestone & Cricket. Titles include Click (grades K–2 nature and science), Ask (grades 3–5 science), Odyssey (grades 5–9 cutting-edge science), and Muse (grades 5–9 science and critical thinking). Lexile measures and teachers guides are available at www.cobblestonepub.com (see Teacher Resources). Register by November 15 at www.cricketmag.com/NSTA-Try3Free (enter code USF59).

Goldburger to Go! System engineering activities can be difficult to find, especially ones for elementary students. In this fun activity to introduce simple machines and Rube Goldberg (http://to.pbs.org/16ThSfJ), the mission is to serve lunch to the PBS Kids ZOOM cast and crew. To successfully deliver the burger and fries, students must adjust 13 moveable “contraption” parts. When the parts are “just right,” the burger moves forward, and applause is heard all around. The site includes hints in the form of questions to help students complete the path correctly.

Design Challenge Labs. At http://bit.ly/1dmSU1K, teachers can access engineering–design lab lesson plans from California’s Tech Museum of Innovation. Produced as part of the museum’s outreach efforts, the labs use readily available materials and ex-plore electromagnetism, solar energy, force and motion, chemical properties, engineering and earthquakes, and genetics, solar energy, and electrici-ty. Most are targeted for the middle level, but some can be adapted to other grade levels (e.g., The Physics of Roller Coasters, Grades 2–12, and Engineering for Earthquakes, Grades 5–12).

Ordinary Extraordinary Junco. Explore evolution, animal behavior, ecology, and the research process through this video project from biologists and filmmakers at Indiana University. Targeted for college and high school levels, the feature-length video examines biological concepts through juncos, a common yet amazing group of backyard

birds. The video is divided into eight shorter “chapters” to facilitate classroom or homework use. The website at http://juncoproject.org/videos includes a teachers guide and student study questions for each chapter (click on the Education tab, then Educator Resources).

Into the Outdoors Videos and Lesson Guides. Introduce middle school students to biodiversity and sustainability issues with these videos from the Into the Outdoors Entertainment and Educational Network. The videos at www.intotheoutdoors.org blend serious science content with outdoor adventure, showing students that creating solutions for a healthy planet is both necessary and fun. Videos address environmental, farm, life, natural resource, physical, and social science concerns. Each video includes a lesson guide and student discussion questions.

Volcano World. Earth science fans, get your volcano on at http://volcano.oregonstate.edu. Produced by the Oregon Space Grant Consortium and administered through Oregon State University’s Department of Geosciences, this website offers news, facts, background information, photographs, activities,

interviews, games, and more to help K–college educators build background knowledge on vol-canoes and enhance classroom instruction. Of special interest are the virtual field trips to far-reach-ing volcanoes worldwide and the FAQ section, a searchable database of vetted responses to questions about lava, volcanic ef-fects, eruptions, volcano studies, and other topics.

Case Studies in the Classroom. StageLearn (www.stagelearn.org) helps educators of grades 7–12 effectively incorporate the use

of case studies in their classrooms. Educators can access 24 case studies and student and teacher resources to guide their implementation. The studies focus on issues that could change societal norms or dramatically impact people’s health world-wide. The studies are meant to supplement the curriculum,

G2 NSTA Reports O C T O B E R 2 0 1 3

Freebies, from pg G1

providing students with a real-world link to covered topics. Titles include Alternative Energy: A Powerful De-cision; Managing Mercury in Omani Fisheries; Protect or Protest BP; and Tap vs. Bottled Water.

Superhero Science. This educational video series from TED-Ed explores the scientific reasoning (or lack there-of ) behind six “superpowers”: speed, strength, invisibility, body mass, im-mortality, and flight. Most appropriate for middle and high school students, each video at http://bit.ly/11UeqE5 fo-cuses on a single superpower and con-siders what is and is not possible. After viewing, students can answer ques-tions to reinforce learning (Think), access additional links (Dig Deeper), and have a guided conversation about the concept (Discuss). Teachers can customize the lesson by clicking Flip This Lesson.

Sailthebook.net. High school educa-tor and environmental geologist Ira Bickoff wanted to help his students connect with inspirational maritime literature like The Voyage of the Beagle (Charles Darwin) and Sailing Alone Around the World ( Joshua Slocum). He created Google Earth tours (virtual journeys) to locations identified in the books. The tours renewed attention to the literature, and the technology kept students engaged in the content.Bickoff ’s latest tour highlights the battle of Hampton Roads during the Civil War. Students visit the site of the USS Monitor shipwreck, located in a National Marine Sanctuary, and complete related NOAA and Mariners’

Museum activities. The tour provides access to primary sources (i.e., letters from sailors) to connect science, litera-ture, and history. View all of the tours at http://Sailthebook.net.

Science Ideas Galore and More. Searching for classroom lessons, proj-ect ideas, or just plain science inspira-tion? Don’t miss author and science guru Janice Van Cleave’s website at http://scienceprojectideasforkids.com. Here K–8 teachers can find explora-tions in nearly every science discipline (e.g., astronomy, physics, chemistry, biology, and Earth science), along with tips for teaching science, fun facts, and ideas for “Science Around the Year.” Recently added freebies are lesson plans for explorations using heat– or light–activated color-chang-ing stickers.

Energy Curriculum: Grades 5–9. This Discovery Education learning module (http://bit.ly/19Kol0Q) com-bines digital resources and hands-on explorations to bring energy concepts to life for middle level students and spark their curiosity about science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) careers. For example, after watching the video segment What Are Fossil Fuels?, students use drinking straws and clay to model how oil reser-voirs are explored. In another activity, students research what geologists and hydrologists do, then work in groups to build and test their own solar hot water heater.

Teaching Nonfiction Literacy Skills in Science. Explicitly teaching students how to read nonfiction material is rec-ommended by the Common Core State Standards. In this blog post (http://bit.

ly/116nRkr), educator Bill Ferriter shares as-signments and handouts he uses to teach nonfic-tion writing skills to his sixth-grade science class. The handouts are “Ac-tive Reading Behaviors,” “How Quotes Influence Your Thinking,” “Using Stories, Statistics, and Star Statements to Per-suade,” and “Reading With a Skeptical Eye.”

Gamequarium. Hundreds of videos, games, activities, lesson ideas, and teaching tips to en-hance K–12 instruction in core subjects are housed at http://gamequarium.org. Educators can search for resources by subject, type, or grade level, and save their favorites. Each category has a wide range of subject matter, so plan to spend some time searching! For example, the site’s more than 800 science resources include film footage of a “hippo spa” in Kenya and virtual labs exploring reversible and irreversible changes.

Cloud Lab. How do clouds form, why do so many types exist, and what can clouds reveal about the weather and climate to come? In this lab from the Public Broadcasting Service’s series NOVA (http://to.pbs.org/15tuRIz), students in grades 7–12 learn to clas-sify clouds and investigate their role in tropical storms. The Educator’s Guide has annotated descriptions of individual lab components; teachers will find many options for using the components separately or combined to address numerous weather, climate, Earth systems, and scientific modeling topics.

UnlockingLifesCode.org. Developed by d’Vinci Interactive to accompany the exhibit Genome: Unlocking Life’s Code at the Smithsonian Institution’s Museum of Natural History, this multimedia website at www.unlocking lifescode.org presents genomics in an engaging, interactive way for middle and high school students. Highlights include an interactive timeline of the human genome; a virtual tour of the Smithsonian exhibit; and 3D imagery and video. Click on the Learn tab for Resources for Teachers from genetics organizations worldwide. The Genom-ic Careers Resource, an interactive tool, enables students to explore jobs in the field.

Science Misconceptions Website. Any K–college science educator can probably name a few science miscon-ceptions that they or their students have held. The web page at http://bit.ly/16O2ogo offers research about common and uncommon science

misconceptions among K–12 students and tools to help combat them. For example, the article “Ten Myths of Science: Reexamining What We Think We Know” (McComas 1996) pointed out some often forgotten, yet still widely held misconceptions about the nature of science.

Energy and Climate Change: Links to Our Past, Present, and Future. This curriculum from National Wild-life Federation (NWF) Eco-Schools USA and Entergy Corporation frames energy conservation in the context of climate change. Through two learning modules (grades 5–8 and grades 9–12) at http://bit.ly/14ZwJW6, students explore forms of energy and renew-able and nonrenewable resources and learn how and why to conduct energy audits. In addition, NWF Eco-Schools USA provides free training for teach-ers to increase their climate change understanding and more effectively use the curriculum (click on Wildlife University).

Climate Change Connections. NWF Eco-Schools USA and NASA have a new high school curriculum (http://bit.ly/1dmXjSg) that incorporates NASA mission resources to provide authentic learning experiences for students and help them develop an in-tegrated, systems-thinking approach to solving climate change issues. Four modules comprise the curriculum: Module I introduces energy audits, the Eco-Schools USA program, and My NASA Data (the portal used to collect data throughout the curric-ulum); Module 2 focuses on factors influencing the Earth’s temperature; Module 3 explores how climate change affects natural and human systems; and Module 4 considers renewable energy. ●

O C T O B E R 2 0 1 3 Science Teachers’ Grab Bag G3

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• Most teachers agree that the best way for students to learn anato-my is through hands-on experi-ence with a specimen. But what about those who don’t have ac-cess to donor animals? New re-search from the University of Missouri (MU) might provide the next best thing.

Casey Holliday, an assistant professor of anatomy at the MU School of Med-icine, and her team recently created a 3D computer model of an alligator’s skull that can be used to learn about anatomy and explore complicated biological structures. “We have been able to generate 3D models for the last several years,” she says. “But very few people are embracing this technology. These computer models are complete-ly and globally available because they are saved as PDF files, which are free to access and share.”

The model is also easy to use—as Holliday observed at a recent school display, when children ages six and seven discovered how to manipulate it within minutes of approaching the computer. Holliday says the technolo-gy can be applied to any field in which researchers study 3D structures, such as engineering or plant science, or used in the classroom when donor animals aren’t available. Read more about Holliday’s 3D model at http://bit.ly/1fgVZfr.

• We’ve eased the gender divide in some areas of science, but a stubborn gap persists in high school physics: Boys are more likely to take it than girls. A new study from the University of Tex-as (UT), however, finds that the community where the girls live might be the key to reversing this trend.

The research, published in Social Science Quarterly by UT sociologist Catherine Riegle-Crumb, found girls were more likely to study physics

if they lived in places with a higher percentage of women in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) careers. Riegle-Crumb’s study supports previous research showing that the decision to pursue STEM careers does not correlate with innate differences between boys and girls, but rather with social context and norms. To learn more about the importance of role models for girls in math and science, visit http://n.pr/15tYcCC.

• New research from Stanford University examines the recent efforts of Brazil, Russia, India, and China to create world-class university systems—and what kind of competition their grad-uates provide for science and tech professionals in the United States.

Researchers analyzed the quality of institutions, the quantity of people earning degrees, and equal access to education in the world’s four largest developing countries. What they found was that we don’t have much to fear—yet. Overall, they found that Brazil, Russia, India, and China still face significant challenges in creating universities that equal those in the United States.

“Russia has provided the vast ma-jority of its people with a high level of education, but it has lagged in terms of putting money into research,” contends Prashant Loyalka, a Stanford research fellow. “Brazil has a high level of graduate education and research at its top-tier public institutions, and these institutions are receiving a lot of support. However, the vast majority of students attend private institutions, which are, on average, of dubious qual-ity.” The researchers also found China and India had disparities between their elite universities and mass institutions as well. Read more about this study at http://stanford.io/15j5DiM.

• In Colorado, burn areas are more than just a place of destruction and remembrance: They’re a site for teaching, too.

Twenty-two educators from around the state attended the 12th annual Fire Ecology Institute for Educators, held at the Nature Place in Florissant, Colorado, to learn about fire science, forest health, and flooding amidst the charred landscape of burned forests. The institute is designed to equip teachers with the background informa-tion and resources they need to create lessons that incorporate burn areas, fire prevention, and rehabilitation.

The institute gave teachers access to burn areas that were still closed to the public, and they learned about

prevention and rehabilitation efforts from foresters, biologists, ecologists, geographers, and firefighters. One local teacher planned to incorporate what she learned to make her science classroom more interesting for her special education students.

“Children are agents of change. They will teach their parents and friends, who will teach their neighbors and families,” says Shawna Crocker, a coordinator for Project Learning Tree, which sponsors the program with the Colorado State Forest Service. “The new buzzword is ‘fire-adapted com-munities.’ We’ve got to assume this is the new norm. We might as well figure out how to deal with it.” Learn more at http://bit.ly/15mWfUE. ●


F r o m U . S . G o v e r n m e n t S o U r c e S

Library of Congress (LOC)Science Education in the 21st CenturyThe LOC’s Science Tracer Bullet Se-ries is a collection of research guides that helps visitors locate information on science and technology subjects. The latest guide in the series addresses Science Education in the 21st Century, providing references to resources that highlight methods, curricula, standards, and strategies to promote learning in K–12 environments. Some feature incentives and novel ideas for science teachers, methods of integrat-ing standards into the classroom, or new ways of making cross-curriculum connections. Other materials seek to inspire both teacher and student, to encourage further study of or careers in the sciences, or to advance science literacy through the school into the community. View the guide at the LOC’s Science Reference Services site at http://1.usa.gov/13XJkhy.

National Institutes of Health (NIH) Environmental

Health for Middle LevelThis National Library of Medicine web portal (http://kidsenvirohealth.nlm.nih.gov) can help you keep middle level students informed about the health of our environment. You’ll find facts about air pollution, water pollu-tion, chemicals, and climate change, as well as ideas for environmental–health–themed science fair projects. In addition, students can learn about careers in environmental health sci-ences and read profiles of various scientists and their jobs. The Teacher Page has links and lesson plans from the U.S. Environmental Association, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Baylor School of Medicine, and other environmental organizations.

Environmental Health for ElementaryYou’re never too young to be in-formed about the health of our environment! The National Institute for Environmental Health Sciences proves it with its website for K–6 educators and students at http://1.usa.gov/14JmI4s. In addition to les-son plans, fact sheets, and links for teachers, the site offers kid-friendly fare promoting environmental health awareness, including sing-along songs, stories, coloring pages, and puzzles and games. Teachers and students alike will appreciate the “What’s That Word?” online glossary of more than 50 environmental health science words explaining everything from allergens to waste.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Solve the Outbreak!In this app, players assume the role of disease detectives and must de-cide what to do during an epidemic: Quarantine the village? Talk to the people who are sick? Ask for more lab results? Targeted to middle and high school students, the app points out the importance of making sound decisions and shows students how different decisions result in different outcomes, impacting the number of lives saved. Use the app to take the study of epidemiology outside the classroom. Download it at http://apps.usa.gov/solvetheoutbreak-app.shtml.

U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)

School Garden ResourcesPractical suggestions for starting a school garden appear on the USDA’s blog at http://1.usa.gov/18ZehQM. The tips—including ideas such as

evaluating available space before plan-ning; finding resources and forming partnerships to assist with the proj-ect; monitoring soil health; choosing plants wisely; and involving the entire community in the garden’s design, construction, and eventual use—can help educators of any level establish a garden project. Similar information in checklist format appears at http://1.usa.gov/17BuH0t.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) EPA Eco Student Blog

The Eco Student, EPA’s environmental blog for students at http://blog.epa.gov/students, highlights what students and others are doing—and can do—to help the environment. Written by EPA employees, educators, and students ages 13 and older, recent contributions have discussed topics such as Creating a Haven for the Creatures of the Florida Keys and Staying Active With Asthma. Many posts contain interviews with EPA employees about their jobs. Stu-dents can discover what it is like to be an environmental scientist, trace metals chemist, computer technician/website builder, science curriculum developer, Geographic Information System spe-cialist, and many other occupations.

U.S. Geological Survey (USGS)

Glacier National Park: Now and ThenRepeat photography has become a valuable tool for communicating the effects of climate change. While less quantitative than other high-tech methods of recording glacial mass, depth, and rate of retreat, examples of glacial decline can be documented by pairing historic images with contem-porary photos taken of the same site.

Using repeat photography projects in Glacier National Park, available at http://nrmsc.usgs.gov/repeatphoto, middle and high school students can investigate glacial ice and vegetation changes in the park over the last cen-tury. These images can help students understand that climate change is not just a current phenomenon and that it contributes to the dynamic landscape.

Earthshots: ‘Seeing’ Environmental ChangeThe Earth’s surface is always chang-ing, but it can be hard to see the changes. Earthshots, a website at http://earthshots.usgs.gov/earthshots, uses remote sensing (satellite) images to show examples of environmental change worldwide. Users select a location or category of interest to reveal a page containing an explana-tion of the changes that the satellite images reveal.

For example, the Mount St. Helens page shows what the mountain looked like before and after the 1980 eruption. It also includes recent images detailing how the forest is recovering. Middle to high school Earth science educators could use this page to show students how an environment changes over time, as well as to help them under-stand how both people and nature play roles in the changing landscape.

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

ISS Benefits for Humanity The International Space Station’s (ISS) unique environment enables scientists worldwide to conduct investigations that can’t be done elsewhere. ISS-led research has resulted in numerous advancements that benefit everyday life on Earth. Vaccine development research, ISS-generated images that


The Case for STEM EducationChallenges and OpportunitiesGrades K–College

If you're concerned with science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) initiatives, this book is a must-read and offers several ideas you can use to develop action plans for implementing STEM. Chapters outline the challenges facing STEM education, while author Rodger Bybee puts an emphasis on both thinking and acting. Teachers, administrators, methods professors, and education leaders at all levels will benefit from this book.

Member Price: $22.36 | Nonmember Price: $27.95

The NSTA Ready-Reference Guide to Safer Science, Volume 3Grades 9–12

This new volume addresses systems to help prevent and control laboratory hazards and standard operating procedures, covering general safety

precautions and specific disciplines. Helpful safety-related NSTA position papers and internet resources are also included. Safe science is a daily requirement for every teacher in every science classroom and laboratory. As easy to read as it is practical, this book is full of safety information, anecdotes, and advisories you can use every day.


Exemplary Science for Building Interest in STEM Careers Grades K–College

This book provides examples and inspiration to steer students toward the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math. It explores a large number of STEM careers—including scientist,

engineer, inventor, and education reformer. Chapters include input from business and industry representatives, emphasizing the current view of what science is and the importance of collaborative learning. This volume will help you engage students in resolving problems and issues using their own ideas and problem-solving techniques.


The NSTA Reader’s Guide to the Next Generation Science StandardsGrades K–12

The key to unlocking the full potential of the NGSS is a deep understanding of the interrelationship of its core ideas, scientific and engineering practices, and crosscutting concepts. This brief and easy-to-use Reader’s Guide offers anyone with a vested interest in improving the quality of science education the tools they need to absorb the new standards and begin to implement them, effectively, into classroom practices.


To place an order or download a free chapter, visit

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“ ”Quotable

Science is not a list of facts and principles to learn by rote; it is a way of looking at the world and asking questions.

—F. James Rutherford, U.S. physicist, educator, and author

assist with disaster relief and farm-ing, and global education programs that inspire future scientists are a few examples.

Middle and high school teachers and students can learn the stories behind these and other advancements in the brochure “International Space Station (ISS) Benefits for Humanity” (http://1.usa.gov/17jWZg8). Developed collabo-ratively by scientists from NASA, the Canadian Space Agency, European Space Agency, Japan Aerospace Explo-ration Agency, and the Russian Federal Space Agency, the publication not only emphasizes the global nature of science and the diversity within science, tech-nology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields, but it also describes new careers to inspire students!

U.S. Department of Education (ED)NAEP Questions ToolNational Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) assessments mea-sure student performance for the nation at grades 4, 8, and 12 and in selected subjects for states at grades 4 and 8. The NAEP Questions Tool presents sample questions and data from past assessments. You can access a database of NAEP science items including constructed-response items with their associated rubrics (scoring guides) and sample responses at each score level at http://1.usa.gov/112g Z8V. You’ll find Extended Constructed–Responses (ECR) items as well as Short Constructed–Response (SCR) items for grades 4, 8, and 12. Teachers can search the database by grade level, content classification, and other parameters.

National Institute of Standards (NIST)Did you know you can obtain a free set of education resources on the Interna-tional System of Units (SI, also called the metric sytem)? E-mail the NIST Metric Program at [email protected], and include your name, school, subject, grade level, phone number, and mailing address. The NIST SI Teacher Kit con-tains a classroom set of metric rulers (NIST SP 376, a 300 mm ruler), lam-inated metric conversion cards (NIST SP 365), an SI Education CD, and other measurement resources. Visit http://1.usa.gov/15Caw0O to learn more. ●


Editor’s Note Visit www.nsta.org/publications/calendar to learn about more grants, awards, fellowships, and competitions.

CVS Caremark Community Grants CVS Caremark provides grants for wellness programs in public schools and inclusive programs that support wellness initiatives for children with disabilities, such as physical activity and play. Grants of up to $5,000 are

available for nonprofit organizations. Applicants are prescreened through an eligibility quiz that requests their Employer Identification Number.

Visit http://bit.ly/17hdafP for de-tails; apply by October 31.

American Honda Foundation GrantsThe American Honda Foundation awards grants of between $20,000 and $75,000 to youth education pro-grams focused on science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) and the environment. Programs should be imaginative, creative, youthful, forward-thinking, scientific, human-istic, or innovative. Public and private elementary and secondary schools, public school districts, and nonprofit organizations with 501(c)(3) status are eligible.

Apply by November 1 at http://bit.ly/OnjIiB.

Progress Energy Grants The Duke Energy Foundation pro-vides grants to support higher ed-ucation in communities where the company operates: in Florida, North Carolina, and South Carolina. Grants are available for programs, projects, and agencies focusing on STEM and

the environment and have 501(c)(3) status or are part of a government en-tity. Grants range from a few hundred dollars to $10,000.

App ly o n l in e a t ht t p : / / b i t .ly/18Y6mTF by November 1.

The Lawrence Foundation Grants The Lawrence Foundation provides funding to support the environment, human services, disaster relief, and other causes. Public schools and librar-ies and nonprofit organizations may apply. Both program and operating grants are available. Grant amounts range from $1,000 to $100,000.

Visit www.thelawrencefoundation.org/grants to learn more; apply by November 1.

ACS Award for Achievement in Research for the Teaching and Learning of ChemistryThe American Chemical Society (ACS) presents various awards to recognize outstanding contributions to chemical education. This award—sponsored by ACS and Pearson Education—recog-nizes an individual’s contribution to ex-perimental research that has increased our understanding of chemical peda-gogy and improved the teaching and learning of chemistry. The winner will receive $5,000, a certificate from ACS, and up to $2,500 for travel expenses to attend the meeting at which the award is presented.

Nominations are due by November 1; see http://bit.ly/1aMfOO8.

ACS Award for Encouraging Disadvantaged Students Into Careers in the Chemical Sciences This ACS award recognizes an indi-vidual who encourages students who are underrepresented in the profession to pursue careers in the chemical sciences or engineering. The recipi-ent may work in academia, industry,

government, or any other professional setting in the United States. The win-ner will receive $5,000, a certificate from ACS, and up to $1,500 for travel expenses to accept the award. In addi-tion, ACS and the Camille and Henry Dreyfus Foundation will provide a grant of $10,000 to an academic in-stitution designated by the winner to increase its ability to meet the objec-tives of this award.

Submit nominations by November 1; visit http://bit.ly/19Ko8uF for details.

ARRL Education and Technology Grants The American Radio Relay League (ARRL) offers grants for teachers who use amateur radio as an instructional tool in their classrooms. Funds are available for license manuals and in-structional guides, station upkeep and maintenance, upgrades, and various supplies and consumables.

Teachers in U.S. schools are eligible for grants of up to $500. See http://bit.ly/WzbD2A for details; apply by November 1.

George C. Pimentel Award in Chemical Education This award—sponsored by ACS, Cengage Learning, and friends and colleagues of George and Jeanne Pi-mentel—recognizes an outstanding contribution to chemical education. This can include integrating chemistry into the educational system, training professional chemists, and dissem-inating reliable information about chemistry to prospective chemists, stu-dents in other fields, members of the

Spend 3-5 days living and learning in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Use the park as your classroom and share with students an experience that not only covers what’s required, but also impacts lives for years to come.

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It’s hard to ignore lessons on nature when you’re holding it in the palm of your hand.


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Engage Students in Real World STEM Learning Project Learning Tree provides:

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profession, and the general public. The activities recognized by this award may be in the fields of teaching (at any lev-el), administration, research, writing, or public enlightenment. The winner will receive $5,000, a certificate from ACS, and $2,500 for travel expenses to accept the award.

Submit nominations online at http://bit.ly/16KnvN1 by November 1.

James Bryant Conant Award in High School Chemistry Teaching ACS and Thermo Fisher Scientific present this award to an outstanding teacher of high school chemistry in the United States and the U.S. territories. Nominees should demonstrate quality of teaching, the ability to challenge and inspire students, extracurricular work that helps stimulate student in-terest in the field, and a willingness to stay updated on current developments in the field. The winner will receive $5,000, a certificate from ACS, and up to $2,500 in travel expenses to attend the meeting at which the award is presented.

Nominations are due by November 1; see http://bit.ly/15geLhb.

AIAA Foundation Classroom Grants The American Institute of Aeronau-tics and Astronautics (AIAA) Foun-dation provides grants of up to $250 to teachers who develop or apply STEM in their curriculum. Grants can be used for demonstration kits and science supplies tied to specific lesson plans that impact at least 25 students. Applicants must be K–12 teachers and must first register—at no charge—as AIAA Educator Asso-ciates. Apply by November 30; visit http://bit.ly/YGU1f7.

Dreyfus Foundation Educa-tional Grants The Max and Victoria Dreyfus Foun-dation gives grants of between $1,000 and $20,000 to community-based nonprofit programs located in the United States. Schools; museums; ed-ucational and skills training programs; environmental and wildlife protection activities; cultural and performing arts programs; and programs for youth, se-niors, and the handicapped are eligible

for these awards. Proof of 501(c)(3) status is required.

Applications must be postmarked by November 10; refer to www.mvdrey fusfoundation.org.

The Leavey Awards These awards—sponsored by the Freedoms Foundation and the Thomas and Dorothy Leavey Foundation—rec-ognize elementary, junior high, high school, and college-level educators who teach students about entrepre-neurship and the free enterprise sys-tem. One award of $15,000 and up to 20 awards of $7,500 are available.

Recipients must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents who are employed full-time at an accredited American school (grades K–12), col-lege, or university. Applications with innovative projects that develop deep appreciation for and understanding of the enterprise system are preferred. The program, course, or project must be currently operating or initiated during the 2012–2013 academic year.

Nominations must be postmarked by November 1; consult http://bit.ly/19KuZEl.

N-Visioning a Brighter Future Grant Program Through this program, Westinghouse provides grants for teachers and el-ementary, middle, and high schools that want their students to learn about STEM through hands-on proj-ects. Projects that involve students directly, incorporate community resources, and use interdisciplinary or team-teaching strategies are pre-ferred. Three schools will receive grants of $3,000: $1,000 to complete their projects and $2,000 for the schools’ science department needs. Proposed projects must be completed during the current school year.

See http://bit.ly/W4MwA5 for more information; apply by November 15.

Walmart Foundation Grants The Walmart Foundation provides grants for K–12 public, private, and charter schools; community or junior colleges; and state and private universi-ties through its Local Giving Program. Grants of between $250 and $2,500 are available, and should be used to

benefit areas served by a Walmart, Sam’s Clubs, or a company logistics facility. Apply online at http://bit.ly/181X2Nu by December 1.

Partners in Science This program helps high school sci-ence teachers work with a mentor to conduct cutting-edge research over the course of two summers. About 25 grants are awarded each year to teachers in the Pacific Northwest. Participants must arrange their own partnerships, though some guidance is provided. The goal is to bring the knowledge gained from these re-search experiences back to the class-room to promote hands-on learning. Consult http://bit.ly/VfZmvR; apply by December 1.

The Engineering Education Service Center’s Poster Contest This contest seeks posters on the theme “Engineering Innovation” that inspire students to pursue degrees in engineering, engineering technolo-gy, or any other STEM field. Posters should be fun, creative, and motiva-tional. Cash prizes of $200, $100, and $50 will be awarded to the top three

entries; the winners will also receive a certificate and inclusion in the En-gineering Education Service Center’s Poster Artist Royalty Program.

The contest is primarily for high school and college students, though anyone may enter. However, entrants must be 18 or older, so younger students need a parent or guardian to submit their entries. Up to three posters can be submitted.

Visit http://bit.ly/14APyT4 for de-tails; enter by November 1. ●


Editor’s Note Visit www.nsta.org/publications/calendar to learn about more sum-mer professional development opportunities.

Learn more at: amnh.org/yna

The American Museum of Natural History announces the 17th annual Young Naturalist Awards, a research-based essay contest for students in grades 7–12 to promote participation and communication in science.

The YNA web site provides:• tips for integrating the program into your science

curriculum, and for mentoring individual students• complete contest guidelines• a classroom video that highlights the scientific process• a list of prizes for students and teachers

A contest that challenges students to investigate the natural world.

Contest Deadline: March 1, 2014

Young Naturalist Awards 2014

NPS Teacher-Ranger-Teacher Pro-gram. The National Park Service’s Teacher-Ranger-Teacher (TRT) pro-gram is an extended professional de-velopment opportunity for teachers at K–12 schools. TRTs spend the summer learning, and often living, in one of the National Parks. They perform various tasks, depending on their interests and the needs of their particular location, though most spend their time learning about park resources and developing

lesson plans for their classrooms. The program aims to link National Parks and teachers from schools with under-served populations in urban and rural school districts.

TRT program dates vary by park, but a typical program lasts four to eight weeks. TRTs are required to complete 160 hours of effort for their final project, which is outlined in a project agreement form provided by the TRT program coordinator before the teacher begins the program. (Sam-ple projects might include applied science, technology, engineering, and math [STEM] materials and ac-tivities; a review of park materials; or National History Day projects.) Projects are typically due by August

15. An additional 60–80 hours of other activities are also required to complete the program.

H o u s i n g i s available in some p a r k s , t h o u g h TRTs receive a sti-pend to help cov-er travel or living expenses incurred while participating in the program. TRTs will receive a certification of completion that tracks the num-ber of hours they spent researching, developing lesson

plans, and so on. Three hours of graduate credit from the University of Colorado Denver are also available for an additional fee.

Visit www.teacherrangerteacher.org for a list of program contacts by region, and contact the specific Na-tional Park you are interested in for its application materials. Application dates vary by park; many parks have a January 31 deadline. ●

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m s . m e n t o r , Advice Column

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Absences During Labs, Ask the StudentsI need some ideas for what to do when students miss a lab. I’ve tried having them do the activity before or after school when they return, but that is difficult because most of my students ride the bus.

—Jennifer, Henderson, NevadaA teacher cannot control student absences, and students should not be punished for missing a class due to ill-ness or a family situation. On the other hand, you plan meaningful activities to help students meet the learning goals, and when they miss the activity, it af-fects what they are learning.

Some teachers excuse the student from the activity, but most provide a makeup opportunity or alternate activity. If your main concern is hav-ing points to include in a grade, then having the student do a generic report or extra worksheet might suffice. But if the activity supports the planned learning goals, a report or worksheet might not be an adequate substitute.

Many teachers provide opportunities for students to make up labs before or after school. But as you mentioned, this may not be an option for bus riders or students involved in extracurricular activities. In a self-contained elemen-tary classroom, you might have more flexibility to accommodate makeups during the school day. But at the second-ary level, the only possibilities may be study halls or activity periods, when the teacher might be involved with another class. You should not require a student to skip lunch to make up a lab (and eat-ing lunch in the lab is a definite no-no).

Realistically, it’s also hard to keep equipment and supplies set up for an extended time, especially if you teach more than one subject, are ready to move on to a different activity, or share the lab or equipment with other teachers.

If students miss one day of a multi-day activity, it’s not difficult for them to catch up with their lab team.

Perhaps an ad hoc role for a lab team member could be to explain the pro-cedure and share the data when the absent student returns the next day. The absentee would be responsible

for completing the assigned report on the activity.

For longer absences, you could con-sider several possibilities. These could be done outside of the lab and on the students’ own time:• For each investigation, you could

create an alternate assignment on the topic (such as a report or project) that addresses the same learning goals. However, this would require you to plan two separate activities and create rubrics and due dates for the alternate.

• Provide a link to a virtual lab or simulation on the topic. A side ben-efit here is that other students may appreciate the opportunity for the additional experience.

• Give the student a copy of the ques-tion or hypothesis, the procedure, and a data set. Ask the student to draw a picture of the equipment setup, graph and analyze the data, and respond to the question or hypothesis. Model and practice this with the class so students know what to expect if they miss a lab.

• For each activity, ask one group to take photos as they work or record a video of the procedure (using the cameras on cell phones, tablets, or laptops). Print the photos or post the


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video on the class website so absent students can follow along with the procedure, record the data, and com-plete the writeup. This may sound like a lot of work, but the graphics do not have to be professional. You only need one presentation per activ-ity, and unless the activity undergoes a drastic change, the presentation can be used again or by other teach-ers. This may require some practice by student videographers.

Most students enjoy lab activities and will try not to miss them. If you have many students who typically miss the last class period for athletic events, you could plan the activities for days when no events are planned, ask your princi-pal to schedule athletes for an earlier period, or ask the students to join a class during their study hall period (if possible) to work with another group.

If students are removed from your class for special services, perhaps you could arrange with that teacher or counselor so if a student must miss a science class, it would be on a day when you don’t have a hands-on in-vestigation scheduled.

I’m trying to incorporate more in-quiry activities in my fourth- and f ifth-grade science classes. The students seem to enjoy them, and I can tell from talking to them and reviewing their notebook entries that they are learning content and skills. However, my principal has noted that students were off-task during his 10-minute walkthroughs. How should I respond? How can I tell if students are really on-task and engaged in the activities?

–Michael, Orlando, FloridaYou could ask your principal how he determined in a 10-minute visit that elementary students were off-task! In a busy science classroom, many levels of activity will ebb and flow with the task itself, the time of day, the combinations of students, and other factors. The bottom line is that you have evidence they are learning from the activities. But before you approach him with your evidence, consider a few points.

The writer Alfie Kohn suggests, “When students are off-task, our first response should be to ask, ‘What’s

the task?’” It’s hard for fourth and fifth graders—or students at any other grade level—to sit still through class after class of worksheets, silent read-ing, death-by-PowerPoint lectures, or copying notes from the board without getting restless (just as it’s hard for their teachers to sit through similar activities at a meeting or workshop). Even videos or multimedia can become distracting or lose their ability to engage if students perceive them as time fillers and don’t know how they relate to the learning goals. I could tell my seventh graders were not engaged when, after a few minutes at an assignment, the requests to use the restroom or get a drink of water began, along with the query “What time is this class over?” But when I structured the same activities as cooperative learning, provided a choice of activities, or used activities requiring more student involvement, question-ing, or creativity, the requests seldom were voiced. Other positive signs were the questions “Is the class over already? Can we continue tomorrow?” when the period ended.

However, with all due respect to Mr. Kohn, I think the first response to a stu-dent who appears to be off-task should be to ask the student, “Hmm…What are you doing?” You might discover that what appeared to be an off-task behavior was very much on-task for that student.

I learned this from the experiences my siblings and I had in elementary school (and I can only imagine the phone calls my parents received). For example, during seatwork or a class discussion, I would gaze out of the window or stare into space. I wish teachers would have asked me what I was thinking about instead of tell-ing me to stop daydreaming and pay attention or get back to work. I could have told them I was thinking about what was being said or visualizing the connections between the new infor-mation and what I already knew (and yes, once in a while I was lost in space and just needed a gentle reminder to come back to Earth).

My brother was a socializer in school. He loved to talk and listen to people. Perhaps he and his friends were talking about unrelated topics, but some of their sidebar conversations may have been relevant to the class

topic or consisted of more in-depth discussions. The teachers could have discovered this with a simple question instead of giving detentions or sending them to the office. If teachers would have looked at or asked about my sister’s doodles instead of telling her to put her pencil down, they would have seen an artist at work, taking in the information and reformatting it graphically. (By the way, all three of

us applied our dreaming, talking, and drawing to successful careers in sci-ence, business, teaching, and the arts.)

Your principal may even find that asking students to explain what is happening or what they’re doing can be helpful in other situations, including discipline referrals. ●

Check out more of Ms. Mentor’s advice on diverse topics or ask a

question at www.nsta.org/msmentor.


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Animal Electricity: What If Frankenstein’s Monster Had Been a Dog?

As Halloween approaches, science teachers may seek ways to link class-room activities to the holiday. Students likely already connect Halloween with at least one of Tim Burton’s movies, as most of them have a dark and creepy atmosphere befitting the season. Bur-ton has written and/or directed several films that have achieved cult classic status over his long career. Peewee’s Big Adventure (1985), Beetlejuice (1988), Bat-man (1989), and The Nightmare Before Christmas (1993) are probably the best examples. Burton is fond of the “mad scientist” character, and has used the trope many times. Characters raised from the dead or constructed from non-living materials are also a favorite, appearing in Edward Scissorhands (1990) and Corpse Bride (2005).

Frankenweenie is an animated, fea-ture-length remake of an independent live action short film Burton made in 1984. It takes the idea of reanimating the dead from Mary Shelley’s novel Frankenstein, and retells the story as a middle school science fair project gone wrong. Fans of classic horror stories will enjoy a treasure trove of references in the names of characters, situations, and even re-created shots.

Victor Frankenstein (voiced by Charlie Tahan) is the devoted owner of a small dog, Sparky, who stars in Vic-tor’s homemade monster films. Victor’s parents (Martin Short and Catherine O’Hara) indulge his moviemaking and let him work in the attic undisturbed. Victor attends school with an unusual collection of classmates: kids who

resemble characters from classic horror films, including a hunchback who looks like Igor; a tall, Boris Karloff lookalike; and a girl with a breathy voice who car-ries a cat with her everywhere. Victor’s only real friend is Sparky.

A new science teacher joins Vic-tor’s school, Mr. Ryzkruski (voiced by Martin Landau), who demonstrates that a dead frog’s leg can be made to move by electrical stimulation. (This is a re-creation of work done by Gal-vani and Volta in the 18th century, when the phenomenon was known as “animal electricity.”) After this dra-matic demonstration, Mr. Ryzkruski announces an upcoming science fair competition. This generates some en-thusiasm in class for students to create their own demonstrations.

Although Victor is more interested in the science fair, his dad pushes him to try baseball to get him out of the attic and interacting with other kids. At his first game, Victor hits the ball into the street, and Sparky chases it, is hit by a car, and dies. Victor is crushed by this loss and retreats to his attic room.

Remembering Mr. Ryzkruski’s demonstration, Victor decides his sci-ence fair project will be to bring Sparky back to life using the nightly thunder-storm that visits New Holland. Victor succeeds by building an apparatus that raises Sparky’s body high above the roof and attracts a bolt of lightning. He now has to keep Sparky’s new life a secret from his parents and classmates. In a town as small as New Holland, and with an Igor poking around looking


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“ ”Quotable

The mind, once expanded to the dimensions of larger ideas, never returns to its original size.

—Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr., U.S. author (1809–1894)

“Science is not good or bad, Victor. But it can be used both ways. That is why you must always be careful.” —Mr. Ryzkruski in Frankenweenie

for a science fair partner, it’s impossible to keep a secret. Other kids want to bring their deceased pets back to life, with terrible consequences.

Teachers can use this film to dis-cuss the love and passion for science that drives scientists to do their work. Teachers can also point to the accurate representation that scientists often fail, and must be resilient enough to learn from their errors and move on.

At the same time, the film reinforces some common misconceptions about science and scientists. Both Victor and Mr. Ryzcruski fall into the “mad sci-entist” stereotype: They are antisocial and mysterious, and attract the ire of “normal” townspeople. And Victor connects a bunch of unrelated electri-cal equipment in a rather haphazard way in his reanimating device.

I find the representation of the scientist/inventor in How to Train Your Dragon (2010) more appealing. Hiccup takes the time to draw out plans for his work, and we see his design/testing/redesign sequence more than once, while Victor seems to solve his sci-entific challenges almost by accident.

Though the film does not depict the best representation of scientists or the practice of science, teachers can take advantage of the spooky, Halloween feel of Frankenweenie to show scientists’ passion for their work, and the unintended consequences of cutting-edge work. ●

Jacob Clark Blickenstaff is an inde-pendent education consultant located

in Seattle, Washington. Read more Blick at http://bit.ly/amBgvm.

FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO REGISTER, VISITwww.nsta.org/conferences OR call 1.800.722.6782

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Standards—What’s in It for Me?• Building Bridges Within STEM Education

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TOP 10 REASONS TO ATTEND

1. PERFORMANCE: You and your students deserve to be excellent in science.

2. LEADERSHIP: New skills, knowledge, and activities help build educational leaders who infl uence others to do extraordinary things.

3. DISCOVERY: Looking at the world with a new perspective brings innovation and creativity in the classroom.

4. MOTIVATION: Expert speakers, educators, and scientists serve to inspire and stimulate.

5. PASSION: Sharing it with your peers, your mentors, and the leaders in science education is contagious.

6. EXPERTISE: Educators are the best when they are well-versed in their fi eld.

7. INSPIRATION: You’ll hear stories from renowned authors and presenters that will move you to act.

8. GROWTH: Your conference experience will expand your world personally and professionally.

9. FREEBIES: Exhibiting companies from across the nation will o� er you hundreds of classroom giveaways, new products, and samples.

10. CONNECTIONS: You’ll meet peers, mentors, leaders, and acquaintances for support and friendship.


Opening Up (to the Outdoors) During RetirementBy Judy McKee

J U D y m C k e e : Life After Retirement

For many retired educators, working outdoors, immersed in nature, satisfies a basic need. Some people develop post-retirement outdoor careers, while others are satisfied to volunteer to work in school gardens, nature pre-serves, and botanical gardens. Former teachers are designing ecology and conservation programs, training active teachers and scout leaders, leading outdoor adventure clubs, and restoring wildlife habitat in park and recreation areas. Opportunities are available with the National Park Service or the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Refuges.

One retired NSTA member recalls how her early childhood on a family farm grounded her love of nature. She vividly remembers “wiggling my toes in cool water in the creek behind the barn, catching tadpoles and frogs there, picking wildflowers, [and] roll-ing in the grass and just smelling it.” After retiring from teaching elementa-ry school, she has volunteered to help maintain a restored prairie. “My early responses to the living world come rushing back as I thoroughly immerse myself once again in a natural setting. I feel an inner peace and restoration af-ter a morning I can hardly call ‘work.’”

Research confirms we are hard-wired to respond positively to direct nature experiences. Spending time in a natural setting is good for physical and mental health. Heart rate slows, and blood pressure lowers. Many people feel calmer and more relaxed. Studies have shown subjects experi-ence decreased levels of depression and anxiety and an increased sense of exhilaration and spiritual growth after spending time outdoors. The restor-ative powers of nature may reduce the risk of developing dementia. These benefits are incentives for enjoying natural encounters through work and recreation. Finding opportunities to help develop or maintain natural outdoor spaces or design programs and activities enticing young and old to make natural connections can be a satisfying bonus to our “bonus” years.

Cliff KnappAt an early age, Cliff Knapp developed a deep passion for nature while playing in the vacant lots of his hometown in northern New Jersey. When he went fishing, as he often did, it was about more than just catching fish. He says he experienced “high-level adventure and high-level reflection.” Those early experiences stimulated his curiosity about interconnections within the natural world.

As a camp counselor at the New Jersey School of Conservation at age 19, he received his first formal environ-mental lessons from more experienced staff members. Field courses in college had special appeal as he prepared to teach science. Decades later, Knapp still takes every opportunity to explore nature with wonder and curiosity. He has inspired hundreds of students and teachers to delve into the natural scienc-es and ecology with similar zeal.

As an experiential educator, Knapp received much recognition and many awards. His career included seven years as a public school teacher, as well as more than two decades teaching at the university level. In 2001, he retired from Northern Illinois University, where as a member of the outdoor education faculty he taught a variety of courses, including education methods, environmental ethics, environmental and place-based education theory, and Native American cultures.

Knapp remains busy. This fall, he will present a keynote address and workshops at the annual conference of the Asia Experiential Education As-sociation. He continues to write books, contribute to field guides, and publish magazine and journal articles. He spends much time outdoors teaching and participating in adventures.

Nick HockingsIndigenous wisdom as it relates to nature and spirituality resonates with Knapp, so in 1996, when he met Nick Hockings, a member of the Lac Du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior

Ojibwe Indians, he knew he had found a mentor. Both advocated for envi-ronmental ethics, an understanding that humans are part of the natural world—not a separate entity, but part of and dependent on interconnected ecosystems. Knapp explains: “Nick Hockings influenced my philosophy of environmental ethics, though I had started down that path long before I met him. He gave me more spiritual grounding with native ways and a more refined philosophy about reciprocity (giving back for what we receive).” Knapp developed a close friendship with Hockings, who died in November 2012.

Hockings influenced hundreds in his role as an educator of youth and adults. He appeared in television documen-taries and on talk shows. He received two Emmy Awards as artistic director for the PBS series, Wasaa Inaabidaa (We Look in All Directions). He and his wife, Charlotte, recreated an Ojibwe village named Waswagoning on the Lac Du Flambeau Indian Reservation in Wis-consin. Many people influenced by Hockings’ outreach presentations visit the village, which was designed to give visitors authentic cultural experiences. He also worked with hundreds of schoolchildren in the Midwest to impart indigenous understandings of human connections with the natural world and to teach them about Ojibwe culture. They were enthralled with his dances, stories, and fire-making skills. His gen-tle nature and quiet wisdom endeared him to the children and teachers who asked him to return year after year.

Hockings taught Knapp much about life through the Ojibwe culture. They shared a basic life philosophy. They saw eye to eye on a view of science known as “Two-Eyed Seeing” (also known as integrative science, native science, and ecological metissage). It is a way of understanding the world from two cultural perspectives: Western scientific knowledge and native science.

Knapp sums up his life’s experienc-es: “Nature has been my object of study and source of spiritual renewal.

I maintain my sense of wonder and curiosity and want to continue to help others develop theirs. If we could be taught to empathize with all living things and realize the connection among all of the components of the Earth, we would assure the survival of humans and ecosystems. I believe that everyone needs to love and understand the place in which they live. We need to know the sources of our air, water, food, and soil and where our waste and pollution goes. If I could be granted one wish, I would hope that humanity can come to peace with other humans and all other living things on the planet.” ●

Editor’s Note: For information on an NSTA-sponsored opportunity to work in a Fish and Wildlife Refuge, see “Life After Retirement: Retired, Not Idle,” published in the February 2013 issue of NSTA Reports (http://bit.ly/1aIMFU2). For location information, dates, and times to tour Waswagoning Indian Village, check www.waswagoning.us.

For more information on ecological metis-sage, see Cliff Knapp’s article, “Two-Eyed Seeing as a Way of Knowing,” in the Green Teacher, Spring 2013 (http://bit.ly/17BNRoY).

“If we could be taught to empathize with all living things and realize the connection among all of the components of the Earth, we would assure the survival of humans and ecosystems.” —Cliff Knapp

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n S t A p R e S S : Science Fair Warm-Up: Learning the Practice of Scientists (Teachers Guide)

NSTA Reports Ad 9.2013.indd 1 7/11/13 11:26 AM

Editor’s Note NSTA Press publishes high-quality resources for science educators. This series features just a few of the books recently released. The following excerpt is from Science Fair Warm-Up: Learning the Practices of Scientists, by John Haysom, edited for publication here. To download the full text of this chapter, go to http://bit.ly/1d2YXov. NSTA Press publications are available online through the NSTA Science Store at www.nsta.org/store.

Chapter 2: An Overview of the Nature of Scientific Inquiry

There are many possible answers to the question, “What is the nature of science and scientific inquiry?”

Words alone are not enough to pro-vide the answers. Yet it’s important for students to begin to see their projects from the perspective of real scientific activity. This chapter provides students with experiences through which they can understand what science is all about and the sort of demands a sci-entific investigation makes on them.

There are many types of scientif-ic inquiry. Science, technology, and engineering differ from one another. Simply put, science—for example, the study of the behavior of animals in their natural environment—aims to add to our understanding of the natu-ral world. On the other hand, technol-ogy—for example, the formulation of

better house paints—aims to apply our understanding gained from science to a practical problem. Engineering—for example, the design of a turbine to harness tidal power—seeks to address human needs. The boundary between technology and engineering is a fuzzy one, and some would claim they are the same. Such studies nevertheless do have significant features that dis-tinguish them from the more casual, undisciplined inquiry of the layperson. They all use similar types of inquiry. Many examples of each type of inquiry are featured in the students’ texts.

The first lesson invites the students to contrast everyday common sense with science sense. The students

will probably notice how careful and precise scientists are and begin to see why science is often carried out in lab-oratories with specialized equipment.

The second lesson emphasizes the empirical—the place of contrived ex-periments and systematic observation and how scientists use them to unravel problems.

The lessons draw attention to the methods of investigation scientists use and the purpose of scientific activity.

Here is an extract from A Framework for K–12 Science Education (NRC 2012):

Thus a common elementary school activity is to challenge children to use tools and materials provided in class


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to solve a specific challenge, such as constructing a bridge from paper and tape and testing it until failure occurs. Children’s capabilities to design struc-tures can then be enhanced by having them pay attention to points of failure and asking them to create and test redesigns of the bridge so that it is stronger. (p. 70)

Beginner Scientists and Experienced Scientists PurposeThis lesson is designed to provide the students with a broad view of the nature of science and scientific inqui-ry. It provides them with an overall perspective in which to see the work they are doing on their projects. The first part of the lesson is designed to help them distinguish between ev-eryday sense-making and disciplined sensemaking.

Time AllocationTwo 40-minute periods

Apparatus and MaterialsNone required

Suggested Approach1. Ask the students what they know

about puddles drying up. Read the introduction and discuss it.

2. Introduce the Exploration, and ask the students to devise an ex-periment to solve one aspect of the puddle problem. After about 10 minutes, review one or two answers.

3. Ask the students to dramatize the conversation between the two ex-perienced scientists, Michelle and Joanne.

4. Identify and discuss the differences between the beginner and experi-enced scientists.

5. Have students form small groups, and challenge them to refine their own experiments. After about 10 minutes, review answers from one or two groups.

6. Provide the opportunity for stu-dents to review and refine some

of the experiments they have de-signed in their projects (possibly for homework).

7. The remainder of the lesson at-tempts to help the students grasp how scientists build scientific un-derstanding. Read the section What Have Scientists Discovered About Puddles? and pause for discussion when appropriate.

What Do Scientists Do?PurposeThis lesson is designed to help the students increase their understanding of the nature of science and scientific inquiry. They compare their attempts to solve an apparently simple problem with those of scientists.

Time AllocationThree 40-minute periods

Apparatus and Materials• Golf balls and table tennis balls• Pieces of foam or carpet

• Two packets of cards• Several pieces of paper• Stapler (may be necessary)

Suggested Approach1. After a brief discussion of the nature of science and scientific inquiry, ask the students to write down their defi-nitions of science and scientific inquiry.2. Introduce the Exploration, and set the students to work (they might try to make sense of their findings for homework).3. Read about Aristotle’s and Galileo’s ideas. Pause to discuss whom the stu-dents believe was right. Continue read-ing, pausing to discuss the italicized questions. You can find useful videos of the penny and feather experiment and the experiment using a strobe on YouTube (http://bit.ly/157QOJT; http://bit.ly/vAmFta).4. Review the way science has helped us understand the way objects fall. After discussing the ideas students have about science, invite them to refine their original definitions. ●

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(All dates are deadlines unless otherwise specified.)

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American Museum of Natural History, www.amnh.org/yna G8

American Nuclear Society, 800-323-3044, www.nuclearconnect.org/NSTA1013 G3

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National Science Teachers Association, 800-722-8700, www.nsta.org 10, 14, G5, 16, 19, 20–21, 23, 26

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TEOK Investigations, 888-233-8365, www.teok.com 17

Texas Instruments, http://education.ti.com/go/sciencensta 2

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October 22—Surf the wave of the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) by exploring a core idea during a free NSTA Web Seminar, NGSS Core Ideas: Waves and Their Applications in Technologies for Information Transfer. Part of a series of four web seminars, this session will examine how waves transfer energy and information and the instruments used to transmit and detect waves. The session will be held at 6:30–8 p.m. East-ern Time. For more information or to register, go to http://bit.ly/Eo1MU. October 24—The 2013 NSTA Area Conference on Science Education in Portland, Oregon, opens today. Join your colleagues as they build “Bridges to the Future” by delving into the Next Generation Science Standards; explor-ing links to the Common Core State Standards in English language arts and mathematics; integrating science, tech-nology, engineering, and mathematics; and more. The conference continues through noon on October 26. For more information and to register, visit www.nsta.org/portland.October 29—Do you know all the resources the NSTA Learning Center

has to offer? Explore some of the more than 3,700 free resources during a free NSTA Web Seminar, The NSTA Learning Center: An Online Portal for Teacher Professional Learning. All participants will receive one free SciPack, (an online, interactive learn-ing module valued at $40), a certificate of participation, and 100 Learning Center activity points for attending and completing the post-program evaluation. An archive and related PowerPoint presentation will be avail-able when the program concludes. The session will be held at 6:30–8 p.m. East-ern Time. For more information or to register, go to http://bit.ly/Eo1MU.November 1—How do you access re-sources outside your school to enhance your students’ learning experiences? The Summer 2014 issue of Science & Children will feature manuscripts on the theme, “Resources From Informal Science Centers and Funded Proj-ects.” Share how you identify resourc-es, recruit and train volunteers, partner with informal science centers, and more. For more information, see the call for papers at http://bit.ly/18pn1ie.November 7—Rev your education engine as the 2013 NSTA Area Con-ference on Science Education opens in Charlotte, North Carolina. The conference, themed “Racing Toward Science Excellence,” features strands

on engineering, merging literacy into science instruction, and digital learning and runs through noon on November 9. For more information and to register, go to www.nsta.org/charlotte.November 8—Applications for the Shell Science Teaching Award are due! The award honors K–12 science teach-ers who have affected their students, schools, and communities through their exemplary science teaching. Find more information and download an applica-tion at http://bit.ly/alRFmJ.November 14—Learn how to use the My Library feature in the NSTA Learn-ing Center to create custom collections of resources for your own reference and to share with your colleagues during NSTA Learning Center Collections: Grouping and Sharing Resources, a free NSTA Web Seminar. The session will be held at 6:30–8 p.m. Eastern Time. For more information or to reg-ister, go to http://bit.ly/Eo1MU.November 15—It’s the last day to register your student teams for the America’s Home Energy Education Challenge, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy. Students in grades 3–8 can participate if they have a Team Advisor. For more information, go to www.homeenergychallenge.org.November 30—It’s your last chance to submit an application for one—or more—of the NSTA Teacher Awards for outstanding educators. Award cat-egories include inquiry-based science teaching, environmental educators, biotechnology educators, new teach-ers, and more. For more information on the 2014 NSTA Teacher Awards program, visit www.nsta.org/awards. December 12—Discover how “Sci-ence Runs Through It”—where “it” is everything!—at the 2013 NSTA Area

Conference on Science Education in Denver, Colorado. The conference focuses on three strands, PreK–8 Sci-ence: A Playground for Literacy and Mathematics; Engineering the Engi-neering: Connecting the Why to the How; and Exploring STEM: Inside and Out—with sessions for all levels. The conference runs through noon on De-cember 14. For more information and to register, visit www.nsta.org/denver. December 17—Creating and tracking a professional development plan can be a daunting task, but the NSTA Learn-ing Center’s professional tools can help manage and document professional learning activities. Learn how during Give Yourself Credit: Planning Your Professional Learning Activities, a free NSTA Web Seminar. The session will be held at 6:30–8 p.m. Eastern Time. For more information or to register, go to http://bit.ly/Eo1MU.December 20—Applications for the 2013–2014 Shell Science Lab Chal-lenge are due! Describe your science teaching philosophy, your school’s cur-rent laboratory facilities and resources and why they might be classified as “limited,” and your innovative use of them. For more information or to apply, visit www.nsta.org/shellsciencelab.


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NSTA Awards Seek Innovators Whether you are at the beginning of your science teaching career or reflecting on years of inspiring stu-dents, your hard work and innovation deserve recognition. No matter how wonderful, they can’t be appreciated if they’re kept under wraps. NSTA’s award program features 18 awards designed to recognize the best in science teaching at every career stage and grade level, both formal and in-formal, and cover various areas from biotechnology and agriculture to communicating about science.

The awards include two new awards, the DuPont Pioneer Excel-lence in Agricultural Science Educa-tion Award and the Robert E. Yager Foundation Excellence in Teaching Award.

In addition to the awards for edu-cators, NSTA also offers the Angela Award, which honors a grades 5–8 female student involved in or strong-ly connected to science. For more information on the NSTA awards program or to apply, visit www.nsta.org/awards. Applications are due on November 30.

For the first time, NSTA is hosting a web seminar to advise educators on the online application process and crafting a strong application. Carrie Launius, chairperson of the NSTA Teacher Awards and Recognition Committee, will lead the seminar starting at 6:30 p.m. on October 15. More information is available from the NSTA Learning Center at http://bit.ly/Eo1MU. ●

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