Lab Out Loud

An NPR poll recently discovered that most teachers don't teach climate change, yet parents wish they did. To find out more about these findings, Lab Out Loud invited NPR education correspondent Anya Kamenetz to the show. Anya joins co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler to explain why teachers might not teach climate change, provides a few resources for us to change that behavior, and also challenges parents to have these conversations at home.

Show notes at:

https://laboutloud.com/2019/05/episode-207-teaching-climate-change/

As a Math for America fellow and chemistry teacher at Park East High School in New York City, Jamie Kubiak recently delivered an important presentation to a packed room at the NSTA conference in St. Louis: Affirming and Representing LGBTQIA+ Students in Science. Lab Out Loud wanted to continue this conversation and invited Jamie to the show to help deliver this message to a wider audience. Listen to the show as Jamie joins co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler to discuss why this work is important while sharing some valuable resources and simple strategies that you can use to affirm and represent LGBTQIA+ students in your science classroom.

Show notes at:

https://laboutloud.com/2019/05/episode-2016-lgbtqia-students-in-science/

While still in St. Louis, Lab Out Loud reflects on the NSTA 2019 National Conference on Science Education. Listen to the show to hear co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler discuss conference highlights such as astronaut Scott Kelly's keynote, coming changes to NSTA's name and memorable speakers, sessions, and exhibitors from NSTA's largest professional development gathering for science teaching. Don't forget to check out the show notes for links, tweets and pictures!

Show notes at:

https://laboutloud.com/2019/04/episode-205-nsta-2019/

Nathan Schreiber returns to Lab Out Loud to talk about his newest project using a graphic novel to teach physics concepts. In Big Trouble with Simple Machines, Schreiber's characters solve problems using their knowledge of simple machines, with each chapter providing a new challenge with ramps, wedges, screws, levers, pulleys, wheels, and axles. There is even an illustrated appendix guiding readers to make and experience their own simple machines! Nathan joins co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler to discuss the recently released graphic novel, how comic book art can engage students in learning science, and how his work can portray science concepts in a way that photographs cannot.

Show notes at: https://laboutloud.com/2019/04/episode-204-simple-machines-graphic-novel/

Lab Out Loud's guest this week is Sarah McAnulty, squid biologist and founder of Skype a Scientist. Using SKYPE or other video chat tools, SKYPE a Scientist connects real scientists with classes around the world. Through these video sessions, classes can learn more about the scientist's field of study, what it means to be a scientist and how they do their job. Sarah joins co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler to talk about the program, and how it promotes scientific literacy, communication and outreach. Listen to the show to find out how you can be matched with a scientist or join a live Q&A session held weekly.

Show notes at: https://laboutloud.com/2019/03/episode-203-skype-a-scientist/

This week Lab Out Loud welcomes Laurie Wallmark to the show. As a computer science teacher and award-winning children's author, Laurie has been writing picture book biographies that recognize women in STEM. Her breakout book Ada Byron Lovelace and the Thinking Machine (Creston Books) debuted in 2017 and was readily recognized with numerous awards. Laurie's most recent book, Hedy Lamarr's Double Life, was just released in February from Sterling Children's Books. Listen to the show to hear Laurie discuss Hedy Lamarr in her new book, how she chooses women in STEM to write about, and why her work is so important.

Show notes at: https://laboutloud.com/2019/02/episode-202-women-in-stem/

This week Lab Out Loud welcomes science writer Carl Zimmer to the show. As Zimmer often writes about life, he has been wondering about the concept of life and if there is a way to properly define it. To shed some light on the matter, he recently hosted a series of live conversations with some leading thinkers on life—including chemists, physicists, and a philosopher. Supported by a grant from Science Sandbox, these conversations are now available as a podcast series with seven episodes called "What is Life?" Zimmer joins co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler to discuss the concept of life, shares some insights from his guests and even reveals how his thinking about life changed based on these conversations.

Show notes at: https://laboutloud.com/2019/02/episode-201-what-is-life/

For their 200th episode, Lab Out Loud welcomes Phil Plait (The Bad Astronomer) back to the show. Phil joins co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler to discuss the current status of exoplanet discovery and shares a glimpse of what we might find in the future. Listen to the show to hear Phil discuss new techniques and technology in planet hunting, looking for life on other worlds and the role of science in science fiction.

Show notes at: https://laboutloud.com/?p=4458

Are you noticing less insects in your biology textbook? You're not alone. Jennifer Landin, with student and co-author Kiran Gangwani, recently decided to quantify the coverage of insects in college-level introductory biology textbooks over time. By exploring the coverage of insect diversity concepts, the visual representation of insects, and conducting a text analysis of keywords, they discovered a significant decline in biology textbook content dedicated to insects, along with an increasingly neutral tone in addressing the animal kingdom's largest group. Jennifer joins Lab Out Loud to discuss her research, how it mirrors the decline of natural history in education, and the implications that taxonomic bias might have on our understanding of ecosystems and human society.

Show notes: https://laboutloud.com/2019/01/episode-199-disappearing-insects/

Gillian King-Cargile and Dr. Kristin Brynteson join co-hosts Brian Bartel and Dale Basler this week to talk about STEM Read - a program from Northern Illinois University that uses live and online programs to inspire a broad range of readers to learn more about the science, technology, engineering, and math concepts in popular fiction. Listen to Lab Out Loud to learn more about STEM Read and the educational opportunities it offers, including book-aligned lesson plans, a podcast featuring an author or STEM expert and even a STEM Read Summer Institute.