Our August 28 blog entry focused on developing concepts related to the methods in and nature of science. In that post, titled “Put On a Happy Face!,” the inspiration came from scientific investigation of the relationship between suggestive language and involuntary contractions of facial muscles. The goals of that post were to help teachers assist […]

Very soon we will meet our new students and their parents. Everyone is excited but a bit nervous and perhaps anxious. Intuitively, we know smiling will help put others at ease. Everyone has heard the old wives’ tale that it takes more muscles to frown than to smile; thus, smile more and decrease the energy […]

An oxymoron? Perhaps, but 500 million years ago, such a creature roamed the vast seas. That was before the dinosaurs and concurrent with the Cambrian explosion. Scientists who put the fossil parts together described the giant shrimp this way:

. . . this underwater predator had a segmented body, a pair of claws and a circular […]

If your classroom experiences are at all like some of mine, then you know the frustration of having students who either cannot or will not consider the relationship between their book knowledge and its applications in society. I provide what I consider to be scaffolded reading/thinking/discussion opportunities around current science issues connected to concepts learned […]

According to TV’s CSI, forensic science can do no wrong. Thus, if you are a criminal, wear gloves and a hairnet, brush over footprints left in the dirt, and leave no evidence behind.
Remember the O.J. Simpson trial for the murder of Nicole Brown? It appears the police botched the evidence collection, calling the investigation into […]

Well, it’s the holiday movie season again. And once again, there’s a sci-fi thriller sure to attract students, The Day the Earth Stood Still. This is a remake of a 1951 movie. That plot involved an alien coming to Earth to warn of nuclear war. The remake has climate change as the demise of the […]

I have just returned from the regional conference of the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) in Cincinnati, Ohio. As usual, I’m filled with inspirational new knowledge regarding science and instructional approaches. I have already created a review activity using my newfound knowledge, not 24 hours post-conference, and I cannot wait to implement it this week!
But […]

DEET (short for N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide) is the most widely used insect repellent in the world for a very good reason – it works really, really well! Just a quick spray on exposed skin keeps mosquitoes, flies, fleas, chiggers, and ticks away. Developed by scientists at the U.S. Department of Agriculture and patented by the U.S. Army […]

Middle school students are often intrigued by the excitement of exploration and the adventures of explorers, as their enthusiasm for Indiana Jones attests. Space exploration should be no exception. With new images now available from the Mars explorer, Phoenix, teachers can capitalize on student interest in exploration to meet some of the Earth and Space […]