K12Science

I was recently reading the January/February 2024 issue of "Science Scope," a publication of the National Science Teaching Association, for middle school science teachers.

In this issue, I read the section on the "Outstanding Science Trade Books for Students." The selections are a collaboration of the National Science Teaching Association and the Children's Book Council.

In part 2 of this podcast series, I share seven more books that were selected for middle-school students. The books are:

"A Star Explodes: The Story of Supernova 1054" by James Gladstone

"Old Enough to Make a Difference: Be Inspired by Real-Life Children Building a More Sustainable Future" by Rebecca Hul

"Becoming Bionic" by Heather Camlot

"Extra Life (Young Readers Adaptation) by Steven Johnson

"Hidden Systems" by Dan Nott

"Sisters in Science" by Linda Elovitz Marshall

"The Woman in the Moon" by Richard Maurer

I was recently reading the January/February 2024 issue of "The Science Teacher," a publication of the National Science Teaching Association, for high school science teachers.

In this issue, I read the section on the "Outstanding Science Trade Books for Students." The selections are a collaboration of the National Science Teaching Association and the Children's Book Council.

In this podcast, I share the two books that were selected for high school students. The books are:

"Hidden Systems" by Dan Nott

"The Woman in the Moon" by Richard Maurer

I was recently reading the January/February 2024 issue of "Science Scope," a publication of the National Science Teaching Association, for middle school science teachers.

In this issue, I read the section on the "Outstanding Science Trade Books for Students. The selections are a collaboration of the National Science Teaching Association and the Children's Book Council.

In this first of two podcasts, I share six of the twelve books that were selected for middle school students. The books are:

"My Indigo World" by Rosa Chang

"Before Colors: Where Do Pigments and Dyes Come From" by Annette Bay Pimental

"Grizzly Bears: Guardians of the Wilderness" by Frances Backhouse

"Mission Arctic: A Scientific Adventure to a Changing North Pole" by Katharina Weiss-Tuider

"We Need to Talk About Vaginas" by Dr. Allison K. Rodgers

"Evolution" by Sarah Darwin and Eva-Maria Sadowski

I was recently reading the January/February 2024 issue of "Science Scope," a publication of the National Science Teaching Association for middle school science teachers.

In this issue, I read the "Citizen Science" section written by Jill Nugent. She wrote an article entitled, "Growing Beyond Earth: Cultivating 21st-Century Science Exploration."

The Growing Beyond Earth citizen science project, in partnership with NASA and the Fairchild Tropical Botanical Garden, partners with classrooms and identifies edible plant varieties that are well suited for beyond Earth growing conditions. For more information, visit:

https://fairchildgarden.org/gbe

I was recently reading the January/February 2024 issue of "Science Scope," a publication of the National Science Teaching Association, for middle school science teachers.

In this issue, I read the "Editorial" section written by Patty McGinnis. She wrote an article entitled, "Eliciting Student Thinking."

Eliciting student thinking is a high-leverage practice in which the teacher utilizes questions and tasks that encourage and promote student thinking and sharing of ideas.

I was recently reading a WestEd blog post on the Next Gen Science website, dated January 10, 2024.

In this blog, I read the post "Seeing is Believing: Building a Shared Vision of Quality Science Instruction." It was written by Vanessa Wolbrink.

In the years following the adoption of new science standards, states and districts must begin to navigate the complexities of transitioning to new learning goals — including updating instructional materials, professional learning, course descriptions and requirements, and assessments. In order to determine what changes are needed and how to enact them effectively, we need to ask the question, "What does it really take to build a shared understanding of the shift in teaching and learning expected in today's science classrooms?"

I was recently visiting the Cornell Labs website. While visiting the site I was reminded of the upcoming Great Backyard Bird Count.

The Great Backyard Bird Count takes place February 16-19, 2024. During this time you are encouraged to observe birds for at least 15 minutes and then report the data. You can observe for longer than 15 minutes and for more than one day. To learn about how to identify birds and how to submit data, please visit:

https://www.birds.cornell.edu/k12/gbbc/

I was recently reading a community blog post on the GLOBE website, dated January 18, 2024.

In this blog, I read the post "GLOBE Clouds and NGSS (Elementary and Middle School." It was posted by Marile Colon Robles.

A new resource is now available created by GLOBE educator Mr. Roger Rose as part of his NASA internship in 2023 titled, GLOBE Atmosphere Clouds and NGSS. This document compares portions of the clouds protocol to Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) for elementary and middle school with tips and resources to use in the classroom. To view this blog post, please visit:

https://www.globe.gov/globe-community/blogs/community-blogs/-/blogs/120484191/maximized

I was recently reading the December 11, 2023 issue of "Forbes" magazine.

In this issue, I read the article "Bright Minds, Big Innovations: Exploring 'Science Fair: The Series'." It was written by Tony Bradley.

"Science Fair: The Series," National Geographic's latest documentary series, is a deep dive into the world of young scientific minds, capturing their journey through the highly competitive International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF). It is available to stream on Hulu and Disney+. This documentary series is a must-watch for anyone interested in the power of education, the resilience of youth, and the hopeful future shaped by bright, young minds.

I was recently reading the September-October, 2023 issue of "Connected Science Learning," a publication of the National Science Teaching Association.

In this issue, I read the article "40 Years of Inspiring Students to Explore STEM: What has Science Olympiad Learned?" It was written by John F. Loehr and Jenny Kopach.

In May 2024, Science Olympiad will celebrate the 40th Annual Science Olympiad National Tournament at Michigan State University. The Olympiad has been successful over these 40 years because it has demonstrated the following four factors:

• Recognition - Students' work and efforts are displayed and recognized in a very public fashion.
• Personal Choice - Students have the autonomy to decide how they want to be involved in the program.
• Peer and Professional Networks - Students' passion and interest in topics is recognized and celebrated by both their peers and STEM professionals.
• Responsiveness - The 23-event structure gives Science Olympiad the flexibility to adapt to changing interests, circumstances, and needs.