After completing a science unit on transfer of energy, including how chemical energy from a battery is converted to electrical energy; electrical circuits; and transformation of energy into sound, light, or heat; the students in Mrs. Finlay's fourth-grade science class were challenged to use what they learned to solve a problem. The students…

Many students find it easier to express their ideas about science through talking rather than writing. However, writing in science promotes new learning, helps students consolidate and review their scientific ideas, and aids in reformulating and extending their scientific knowledge. These practices lead to formulating and defending scientific…

In this article, author Bill Robertson attempts to help readers understand some of the Earth's heating and cooling mechanisms and how they relate to global warming. Figures are provided to help facilitate learning.

To become scientifically literate, students need to interpret science concepts using numbers, text, and visuals (Lemke 2004). Scientists use multiple modes to communicate their ideas to each other and the public, including images, text, mathematical notations, symbols, diagrams, charts, and graphs. Several of the science and engineering practices…

Most plants are able to obtain all of the nutrients that they need from air, water, and soil; however, this is not true of carnivorous plants. Because they tend to live in boggy soils where there are small amounts of nitrogen, carnivorous plants have developed specialized structures that enable them to lure and capture insects and sometimes other…

Units on static electricity and electrical charges are always a third-grade favorite, with students finding the inquiry and hands-on activities, well, electrifying. However, teachers planning a unit on static electricity may find it difficult to navigate around latex bans. While latex allergy is a serious issue, removing balloons from the…

Elementary teachers often avoid the struggle of matching a science activity to a specific standard by using a lesson planning process known as Understanding by Design (UBD) (Wiggins and McTighe 2005). A main tenet of the UBD model involves starting at the end rather than at the beginning of the planning process. By starting at the end and visiting…

Teachers who participate in the Teacher Institute on Science and Sustainability (TISS) at the California Academy of Sciences commit to intensive professional development--that is, two two-week summer sessions, four evening workshops, and four Professional Learning Community (PLC) meetings throughout each school year--focused on creating more…

One of the most powerful strategies to support next generation science instruction is the use of instructional models. The Biological Sciences Curriculum Study 5E (Engage, Explore, Explain, Elaborate, and Evaluate) instructional model is arguably the most widely used version of a learning cycle in today's classrooms. The use of the 5Es as an…

This article describes a two-day lesson in which fifth-grade students took on the role of marine biology scientists, using their critical-thinking and problem-solving skills to explore human impact on the blue crab ecosystem. The purpose of "Crabby Interactions" was to help students understand the impact of human activities on the local…

This lesson addresses the three dimensions of science learning as laid out in the "Next Generation Science Standards"--science and engineering process skills, crosscutting concepts, and disciplinary core ideas--in addition to embedding practical exposure to NOS tenets in an inquiry-based activity. In addition to the efficiency component,…

This column includes activities inspired by children's literature. Through two different stories, students are introduced to the process--including the frustrations--of designing something to solve a problem. The experiences of the books' characters are brought into the classroom by having students engage in an engineering and design process. The…

Severe flooding was prevalent within the authors' region at the beginning of the school year. Many homes and fields were affected by the amount of rain that fell within a short period of time over multiple days. Their students were concerned about the impact this natural phenomena was having on their local community. Natural phenomena can provide…

This column presents ideas and techniques to enhance science teaching. In this month's issue an upper elementary Science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) challenge brings an engineer into the classroom while emphasizing cooperation, communication, and creativity. STEM activities come in various shapes and sizes. Some are quite involved…

Elementary science experiences help develop students' views of science and scientific interests. As a result, teachers have been charged with the task of inspiring, cultivating, recruiting, and training the scientists needed to create tomorrow's innovations and solve future problems (Business Roundtable 2005). Who will these future…