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Teaching Students to Understand Animals
Nov 6 2009 - NSTA Reports—Debra Shapiro
Debra Corbett, a science teacher at Assumption High School in Louisville, Kentucky, doesn't just bring animals to her classroom for students to learn about: She takes her students to the animals.
Amelia and the Physics of Flight
Nov 6 2009 - Jacob Clark Blickenstaff—NSTA Reports
What is there for a science teacher to sink his or her teeth into in Amelia? There is a lot of flying, and that means a lot of physics.
Tweak Gravity: What If There Is No Dark Matter?
Nov 6 2009 - Scientific American
Modifications to the theory of gravity could account for observational discrepancies, but not without introducing other complications.
Sick of Swine Flu? Here Comes H3N2
Nov 6 2009 - ScienceInsider
Although the world's attention is focused on the novel H1N1 virus causing the swine flu pandemic, H3N2, a seasonal strain of influenza, has popped up in many East Asian countries—and some variants in circulation may outfox the seasonal vaccine in use.
Tiny Tech Sparks Cell Signal Find
Nov 6 2009 - BBC News
Tiny metal particles have been shown to cause changes to DNA across a cellular barrier—without having to cross it.
Tweeting in Class
Nov 6 2009 - Inside Higher Ed
Do Twitter skeptics really believe the popular microblogging service offers no educational value, or are they just afraid of it?
Seven Cities Launch Collaborative Efforts to Improve
Nov 6 2009 - EducationNews.org
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation has announced $4 million in grants to the National League of Cities’ Institute for Youth, Education, and Families, and seven cities to boost college graduation rates by better coordinating the services that colleges, schools, and communities provide to students.
Minority Students Earned Greater Number of Academic Degrees in Fiscal Year 2006
Nov 6 2009 - National Science Foundation
A new National Science Foundation report shows an increase in the number of academic degrees awarded to minority students since 2004, the last time such data were published.
Guest Column: DeadWeight an Example of Innovative Education
Nov 5 2009 - West Branch Times Online
During the same week the 2009 Nobel Prizes in science were announced, three Iowa 13-year-olds met with the Obama administration's top education and science officials to receive recognition for their own extraordinary scientific achievement.
Science in Sight: Exploring Space Science at the Library
Nov 5 2009 - NSTA Reports—Debra Shapiro
Students, teachers, and librarians are participating in a space and planetary science program called Explore!
Swine Flu Confirmed in Iowa Cat
Nov 5 2009 - Time
A 13-year-old Iowa cat has been infected with swine flu, veterinary and federal officials said Wednesday in what is believed to be the first case of the H1N1 virus in a feline in the United States.
Election Offers Varied Impact for Education
Nov 5 2009 - Education Week (requires registration)
The results from Tuesday's state and local elections around the country offer some potentially significant implications for K-12 education, as voters sent two big-city mayors with authority over their school systems back for another term and replaced Democrats with Republicans in two governors' mansions.
Midwest Quakes Are Aftershocks from 1800s
Nov 5 2009 - MSNBC
The small earthquakes that sporadically rattle the central United States may actually be aftershocks from a few extremely large quakes that occurred in the region almost 200 years ago, according to a new study.
Why Johnny Can't Hypothesize: A Discussion about Math and Science Education
Nov 5 2009 - Scientific American
A panel of experts, moderated by The Wall Street Journal's managing editor gathered recently to discuss some of the challenges behind improving K-12 math and science education across the country.
A Powerful Identity, a Vanishing Diagnosis
Nov 5 2009 - The New York Times (requires free registration)
Experts want to remove an autism label from a diagnostic manual, but people with the disorder are divided.
A Wish List of 10,000 Genomes
Nov 5 2009 - ScienceInsider
Heartened by a continuing rapid decline in the cost of genome sequencing, a group of genome and museum experts has launched an ambitious plan to decipher 10,000 vertebrate genomes.
Rethinking Scientific Inquiry
Nov 4 2009 - NSTA Reports—Mark Windschitl
While many science teachers do instill a sense of excitement and curiosity about the natural world in their students, even for young learners, science should be about evidence, causal explanation, and the testing of models—however basic these models might be.
At Top Schools, More Than Half the Profs Have Industry Ties
Nov 4 2009 - The Wall Street Journal
A survey conducted in 2006-07 and published this week in the journal Health Affairs found that 53% of academic research faculty in the life sciences at top schools reported financial ties to industry.
The Mountains That Froze the World
Nov 4 2009 - ScienceNow Daily News
The rise of the Appalachians plunged Earth into an ice age so severe that it drove nearly two-thirds of all living species extinct. That's the conclusion of a new study, which finds that the mountains' rocks absorbed enough greenhouse gas to freeze the planet.
Race to the Top Education Grant Propels Reforms
Nov 4 2009 - USA Today
It's relatively small by Washington standards, but the Obama administration's $4.35 billion carrot for schools is already leading states to adopt a handful of key reforms.
Advanced Math, Science Mandatory
Nov 4 2009 - ArgusLeader.com
Despite criticism that they are setting the bar too high, the South Dakota Board of Education passed a new set of high school graduation rules Monday that make upper- level math and science classes mandatory.
Messenger Spies Iron on Mercury
Nov 4 2009 - BBC News
Mercury is even more of an "iron planet" than scientists had previously supposed. Richer concentrations of iron and titanium have been seen on Mercury's surface by Nasa's Messenger probe.
Claude Lévi-Strauss, French Anthropologist, Dies at 100
Nov 4 2009 - The Washington Post (requires free registration)
Claude Lévi-Strauss, 100, one of the preeminent social anthropologists of the 20th century, died over the weekend in Paris. He was best-known for popularizing a social science theory known as "structuralism."
Former Apple Executive to Lead U.S. Ed-Tech Office
Nov 4 2009 - Education Week (requires registration)
After months of anticipation about who would head educational technology initiatives at the U.S. Department of Education , ed-tech advocates praised the appointment of Karen Cator, saying the former educator and Apple executive brings to the job a passion for the potential of technology to improve teaching and learning.
Barberton Science Teacher Selected for Fellowship Program
Nov 3 2009 - The Suburbanite
Four out of the 185 science teachers chosen as Fellows in the 2009 NSTA New Science Teacher Academy are from Ohio.
ARL Student Receives National Honor
Nov 3 2009 - Aggie Town Square
USU graduate student Mark Towner, a science teacher at Granite Park Middle School in Salt Lake City, was chosen from hundreds of applications nationwide to participate as an Amgen-National Science Teachers Association Fellow in the 2009 NSTA New Science Teacher Academy.
Test to Measure ELLs’ Science Content Knowledge
Nov 3 2009 - NSTA Reports—Lynn Petrinjak
A joint project by the World-Class Instructional Design and Assessment Consortium and the Center for Applied Linguistics hopes to offer states a way to assess the proficiency of English-language learners in science and math while bypassing language barriers.
First Lady Launches White House Mentoring Program
Nov 3 2009 - The Boston Globe
First lady Michelle Obama launched a mentoring rogram Monday to give local high school girls access to women at the White House.
The New Myths of Gifted Education
Nov 3 2009 - ScienceDaily
More than 25 years after myths about gifted education were first explored, they are all still with us and new ones have been added, according to new research.
Aspirin Only for Heart Patients
Nov 3 2009 - BBC News
The use of aspirin to ward off heart attacks and strokes in those who do not have obvious cardiovascular disease should be abandoned, researchers say.
Home Flu Cures: Bad Medicine?
Nov 3 2009 - The Wall Street Journal
Heard the one about the raw onion? With concerns over the H1N1 flu rising and supplies of vaccine running scarce, it's no surprise that alternative remedies are circulating on the web.
TV Linked to More Child Aggression
Nov 3 2009 - WebMD
A new study shows that children who watch more television—and even those who are exposed to the television while other people in the home are watching—are more likely to be aggressive.
Socrates in the Boardroom
Nov 3 2009 - Inside Higher Ed
A new book says that research universities are best led by presidents who have had distinguished
careers doing real research.
Crossing the Bridge to STEM Success
Nov 2 2009 - NSTA Reports—Debra Shapiro
Some students may be potential candidates to pursue advanced studies and STEM careers, but may face a few roadblocks, such as a disadvantaged background, inadequate study skills, or lack of knowledge. A summer bridge program can help these students overcome those obstacles.
European Water Mission Lifts Off
Nov 2 2009 - BBC News
A European satellite is set to provide major new insights into how water is cycled around the Earth.
Which States Have the Highest Standards for Students?
Nov 2 2009 - The Christian Science Monitor
Each state comes up with its own standards for student achievement. A new study from the National Center on Education Statistics compares them. Here are the top and bottom five.
Snows of Kilimanjaro Could Vanish in 20 Years: Study
Nov 2 2009 - Yahoo! News
The snows capping Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa's tallest peak, are shrinking rapidly and could vanish altogether in 20 years, most likely due to global warming, according to a new study.
Want a Solution? Try Offering a Prize
Nov 2 2009 - The Boston Globe
Prize fever has breached the walls of government bureaucracy, and more federal agencies are using competitions as a strategy to spur innovation. The competitions leverage modest amounts of taxpayer money to attract inventors and investors to certain scientific and technological problems.
World's Most Environmentally Sound Building Opens
Nov 2 2009 - Voice of America News
A French engineering firm has built what is being hailed as the world's most environmentally sound building, a structure that produces more energy than it consumes.
7.3 Billion Years Later, Einstein’s Theory Prevails
Oct 30 2009 - The New York Times (requires free registration)
Astronomers said a contest between gamma rays of differing energies and wavelengths tested a proclamation by Einstein on the speed of light.
Parents: Focus More on 21st-Century Skills
Oct 30 2009 - eSchool News
Although parents, K-12 students, and educators agree that using technology is essential to learning and student success, parents are largely dissatisfied with the technology skills their children are learning in schools, according to a new analysis of survey data.
7 Ghoulish Archaeological Discoveries
Oct 30 2009 - MSNBC
From brains to preserved bodies, scientists have dug up some scary stuff.
Many States Set Low Bar on Student Proficiency
Oct 30 2009 - The Boston Globe
Many states declare students to have grade-level mastery of reading and math when they do not, the Education Department reported yesterday.
Frog Embryos 'Smell' Predators
Oct 30 2009 - BBC News
Frogs learn to recognize the smell of their enemies while they are still developing as embryos, say scientists.
Russia Hopes Nuclear Ship Will Fly Humans to Mars
Oct 29 2009 - Yahoo! News
Russia should build a new nuclear-powered spaceship for prospective manned missions to Mars and other planets, the nation's space chief said Thursday.
Wash. Report: Health and Grades Related
Oct 29 2009 - The Seattle Times
A report based on data from a health survey of Washington state's young people has found a direct connection between healthy living and good grades.
After Complaints, Gates Foundation Opens Education Aid Offer to All States
Oct 29 2009 - The New York Times (requires free registration)
Some officials complained that the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation was trying to handpick the winners of the Department of Education's $4 billion grant competition, known as Race to the Top. After some reflection, the foundation last month broadened its offer to include all states that are competing for the money and can prove they share the foundation's views about education reform by signing an eight-point checklist.
Scientists See Blast from Past—13 Billion Years Ago
Oct 29 2009 - Reuters
Astronomers have seen the furthest back in time ever, measuring light from a star that exploded 13 billion years ago, just after the dawn of the universe.
STEM Defection Seen to Occur After High School
Oct 28 2009 - Education Week
Despite popular opinion, the flow of qualified math and science students through the American education pipeline is strong—except among high-achievers, who appear to be defecting to other college majors and fields.
Forensics Courses Becoming Classroom Fixture
Oct 28 2009 - Education Week (requires registration)
Over the past decade, forensic science has carved out a sizable niche in the science curriculum. Once found almost exclusively on college campuses, increasingly sophisticated forensics lessons—typically focused on crime-solving techniques—have become entrenched in many high schools and even some middle schools as electives or sections of core science classes.
Report Urges Colleges to Emphasize Math, Science, and International Studies
Oct 28 2009 - The Chronicle of Higher Education
Americans ages 25 to 34 are less educated, on average, than their parents' generation, and are less likely than their predecessors to earn degrees in science, technology, and mathematics, according to a new report by the American Association of State Colleges and Universities.
Big Weight Gain For Kids on Psych Drugs
Oct 28 2009 - Time
Children on widely used psychiatric drugs can quickly gain an alarming amount of weight; many pack on nearly 20 pounds and become obese within just 11 weeks, a study found.
Grand Ledger Teacher Honored
Oct 27 2009 - Lansing State Journal
Allison Webster, a second-year science teacher at Grand Ledge High School, was recently selected by the National Science Teachers Association as one of two Michigan science teachers chosen as Fellows in the 2009 NSTA New Science Teacher Academy.
Common-Standards Leaders, Experts Eye Adding Math, Science
Oct 27 2009 - Education Week (subscription required)
Leaders of an effort to establish common academic standards in math and language arts have held tentative discussions with advocates for science and social studies groups about expanding that work into those subjects.
PCAST Tackles Science Education
Oct 27 2009 - ScienceInsider
Does the United States need another high-powered panel recommending ways to improve how students learn science and math? The President's Council of Advisors for Science and Technology (PCAST) thinks the answer is yes.
Radiation from Medical Scans Soaring
Oct 27 2009 - Healthday.com
Americans' exposure to radiation from medical procedures has exploded over the past few decades, to six times the level of 1980, a new report shows.
Clean Tech: Schools Bet on the Next Big Thing
Oct 27 2009 - eSchool News
New programs aim to prepare students for an emerging field with the transformative potential of railroads, telephones, and the internet.
Mars May Have Caves, Scientists Say
Oct 27 2009 - Los Angeles Times
Images of ancient lava flows from the Arsia Mons volcano suggest an extensive system near the Red Planet's equator. Caves could one day aid space explorers.
Duncan Scolds Hawaii on School Furloughs
Oct 27 2009 - The Wall Street Journal
Hawaii schools drew a stern rebuke from Washington on Friday, the first of 17 furlough days planned for the school year, amid concerns that billions of dollars in federal aid won't be enough to prevent further classroom cuts across the U.S.
'Coral Bank' Created to Preserve Threatened Reefs
Oct 27 2009 - Discovery News
An international meeting on climate change in Copenhagen has heard the prospects of saving the world's coral reefs now appear so bleak there are plans to freeze samples to preserve them for the future.
Colossal 'Sea Monster' Unearthed
Oct 27 2009 - BBC News
The fossilized skull of a colossal "sea monster" has been unearthed along the UK's Jurassic Coast. The ferocious predator, which is called a pliosaur, terrorized the oceans 150 million years ago.
Floating Science Teachers Inspire Students
Oct 26 2009 - AP Texas News
Northrop Grumman is just one among many companies—Exxon Mobile Corp., Honeywell International Inc., Merck & Co., and Lockheed Martin Corp. to name a few—and government entities, such as the Department of Energy, the National Institutes of Health and the Environmental Protection Agency, providing hands-on experiences for science teachers in elementary and secondary schools.
New Works of Science Nonfiction
Oct 26 2009 - The Washington Post (requires free registration)
Creating an original organism required no bolt of lightning for a team of University of Virginia students. But it did take buckets of ice, vials of bacteria, and a FedEx delivery.
Vitamin D Levels Lacking in Millions of U.S. Children
Oct 26 2009 - Time
Millions of American children may not be getting enough vitamin D, according to a new report out today. The sunshine vitamin is essential for helping kids build healthy bones and ward off rickets.
Darwin Teaching 'Divides Opinion'
Oct 26 2009 - BBC News
More than half of adults in a survey of 10 countries thought school science lessons should teach evolutionary theories alongside creationism.
Peek Into NSTA Press
Oct 26 2009 - NSTA Reports
Chapter 3: Oops, I Did It Again: Errors in Measurement
'Secret Life of Scientists': What Do They Do When Not in the Lab?
Oct 26 2009 - USA Today
A juggling climate scientist, a back-flipping engineer, "leech man," and a physics student who plays in the cult band Harry and the Potters star in a new web-only series that delves into the quirky secret lives of scientists and engineers.
Science Students Do Better When Teachers Go Back to School
Oct 26 2009 - Voice of America News
New research indicates that high school science teachers who get actual, hands-on experience doing scientific research become better teachers as measured by their students' test results.
Studying the Seeds of Climate Change
Oct 25 2009 - NSTA Reports—Debra Shapiro
Plants can serve as a window for exploring climate change, and a national scientific research project called Project BudBurst can help teachers open that window for their students.
Courses Transform Students into CSIs
Oct 24 2009 - The Washington Post (requires free registration)
Forensics classes have flourished across the country in the past several years. Science educators praise the courses for drawing together strands of chemistry, biology, physics, and more, and they say that the lab work is a practical introduction to solving problems using scientific methods.
Student Scientists Spur EPA Action
Oct 24 2009 - NSTA Reports—Lynn Petrinjak
First place winners of the inaugural Siemens' We Can Change the World Challenge student competition got a chance to present their project as part of the United Nations International Youth Day on August 12.
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