One way to develop a cross-curricular lesson is to select the most common mathematical formulas used in science and carefully develop and implement tasks that allow students to make connections between the mathematical representations and theoretical/physical science concepts. The slope-intercept formula, which is used to study relationships…

For much of the northern United States, the months surrounding the winter solstice are a time of increased darkness, low temperatures, and frozen landscapes. Each year, the ubiquitous white ice crystals that blanket regions of the north go uninvestigated. Instead of hunkering down indoors with their classes, however, teachers can take advantage of…

Even though density is taught in middle school, high school students often struggle to understand that the density of a substance is consistent regardless of amount. This is because many high school students know density = mass/volume, but do not have the conceptual understanding necessary to explain density-related phenomena. The scaffolded…

The Next Generation Science Standards ("NGSS") were developed by teachers, scientists, and leaders in science and science education from around the country and are endorsed by the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA), a partner in the development of the "NGSS." This article presents an example of how to modify a lab to…

A recipe is a great way to learn about the procedure and the variables (or "ingredients") involved. Cookbooks are comforting and valuable: They're easy to follow, and people know what they'll get. The problem is that cookbook labs end just when things get interesting. The excitement of science is in understanding the discovery and pursuing the…

Recently, a high school Science Club generated a large number of questions involving temperature. Therefore, they decided to construct a thermal gradient apparatus in order to conduct a wide range of experiments beyond the standard "cookbook" labs. They felt that this apparatus could be especially useful in future ninth-grade biology classes, in…