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Questioning Strategies in Science

We all know that asking our students questions as they engage in science learning is important, but it is also important to reflect on and plan out the purpose of the questions that we ask our students. There are many reasons and goals for encouraging questioning within the classroom. Just some examples of these goals …

A Culture of Talking for Equity

This is the second in a year-long series of blogs about the Nature of Science and Culture in the Classroom. Be sure to read the first blog in the series from February. Happy Spring everyone! In February, I invited you all to come with me on a year-long journey of discovery. Using Black History Month …

Shift Happens: Tips for shifting to a student-centered classroom

So, you want to shift your classroom to be more student-centered. Research shows that inquiry learning, a more student-centered approach to instruction, has many positive benefits across subject areas. While the payoffs may be plentiful, this change doesn’t happen overnight; students and teachers have to adapt to a new way of existing in the classroom. …

Is My Science Classroom Biased?

This is the first in a year-long series of blogs about the Nature of Science and Culture in the Classroom. Be sure to read the second blog in the series from May. We have just celebrated the birthday of Abraham Lincoln and the chosen birthday of Frederick Douglass and we are in the midst of …

Take 10: Growth Mindset

Welcome to Take 10 – a launch for powerful professional learning in just ten minutes designed to meet the needs of professional learning communities remotely. Our purpose is to provide you with some ideas that you can explore further on your own or in a professional learning community. In this Take 10, we explore our …

The School/Workforce Connection: How are industries changing?

It’s no secret that the workforce is changing. It seems like every week or so you hear about a new way to automate a process or you might experience a new technology to quicken your trip at the grocery store, and to some, this can be very stressful.  We hear that machines are taking over …

The Importance of Science in Out of School Time

Kids are in school for only a quarter of their day, and only a small portion of that time is devoted to Science and STEM related learning, particularly in the early grades. But it is clear that the skills needed for our evolving workforce are increasingly STEM related. Out of school time learning is crucial …

How to Take Science Notebooking to the Next Level

We introduced the concept of a Science Notebook in a previous blog. Now, we will outline how teachers might use notebooks for formative or summative assessment.   Either way you decide to use your students’ notebooks — to drive further instruction or as a way to gauge student learning — it is key that you provide …