"What if…?" is a four-day summative assessment for a unit on biodiversity and evolution within a general biology course for ninth and tenth graders. Students gather evidence through multiple investigations to answer the questions: (1) "How has life changed on the planet? (2) What has caused those changes? and (3) What is happening…

There was a time when science was viewed as inherently objective, without bias. We now know that isn't true--scientists bring their life experiences and beliefs with them to work. The designing, funding, and reporting of research are all framed by societal influences and implemented by those who have been privileged to serve in these roles.…

Wildland fires have become a regular aspect of life for people living in the western United States. Wildfire smoke is now impacting air quality across the United States. Unprecedented wildfires have swept through Australia, Russia, and Portugal in the last few years. Like other natural disasters, wildland fires can have a devastating impact on…

Students from marginalized populations may be less likely to engage in science education and form science identities. Thus, science education should include culturally responsive pedagogy to engage students from diverse cultural and ethnic backgrounds and promote science identity in every student (Mhakure and Otulaja 2017). The author is a high…

America's current student demographics reflect greater diversity than ever before. With the increased enrollment of Black and Latinx students in American schools (NCES 2019), the importance of providing science students with classroom experiences embracing diversity is greater than ever. Experiences that spark an interest in Science, technology,…

Fall 2020 presented myriad challenges for teachers trying to plan curricula to meet students' social-emotional and learning needs following an unprecedented spring and summer of isolation and loss due to the pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 (Rivera and Wallace 2020). The result of creative planning and adjusting of curricula for remote instruction…

Students often confuse the functional differences between motion "transmission" and "transformation" systems. Students find it difficult to conceptualize differences between the specific systems. In this article, the author describes a technology and engineering unit that incorporates problem-based learning (PBL) to assist…

This article describes how one teacher introduced Earth science topics to a 10th-grade biology class using a 3D printer. The activities described give students opportunities to visit Earth's geologic landmarks through kinesthetic modeling. 3D-printed topographical maps function as a supplement to, or replacement of, two-dimensional drawings,…

Understanding the relationship between energy and temperature can be challenging, but it is crucial to developing an understanding of the underlying mechanism behind climate change. In this article, the authors review the development of a unit that focuses on the relationship between energy, greenhouse gases, aerosols (a suspension of fine solid…

Explicit and reflective teaching of communal goals forms connections between STEM content and practices, providing in- and out-of-class opportunities to reflect on how communal goals relate to class activities. This lesson integrates the concepts of "prosociality" (science helps others and gives back to the community) and…

This paper highlights learning supports associated with genetics lessons that were implemented in a urban high school biology classroom. The supports provided access to science content for ELLs [English language learners], students with IEPs [individualized education programs], and struggling readers during an introductory unit on genetics. Due to…

When asked about protein, students often mention meat, protein bars, and protein's role in building muscles. Many students are not aware of the most basic function of protein: linking genes and traits. Because of its importance in molecular genetics, protein function is included in the life sciences section of the "Next Generation Science…

Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) is life's most amazing molecule. It carries the genetic instructions that almost every organism needs to develop and reproduce. In the human genome alone, there are some three billion DNA base pairs. The most difficult part of teaching DNA structure, however, may be getting students to visualize something as small as a…

Most laboratory activities conducted by students involve measurement, and measurement can only be as precise as the instrument with which it is made. When Julia Metz began her teaching career, she assumed most of the 10th grade chemistry students would have previously used common measuring devices such as metric rulers, graduated cylinders,…

This author wanted to begin her 10-grade biology course with an authentic inquiry that included a review of equipment use, investigation methods, and critical thinking skills. She also wanted to engage students in the practice of science while teaching biological core ideas and crosscutting concepts. She was at a loss as to what that inquiry might…