Author Archive

Teaching Climate Survey

Take an online survey about your needs around teaching about climate and earn a $5 gift certificate for your time!
This survey will help the CIRES Education and Outreach Group at the University of Colorado at Boulder design a set of NASA-funded professional development experiences for teachers about climate and climate change. GLOBE and the National […]

Posted in Topics: Climate, Quick Takes, Science

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Join the MSP2 Book Club

The Middle School Portal 2: Math and Science Pathways (MSP2) project is starting an online book club. Our first selection is The Omnivore’s Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals. In it, Michael Pollan writes about how our food is grown - what it is, in fact, that we are eating. Pollan looks at industrial […]

Posted in Topics: Agriculture, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Ecosystems, Environmental Issues, Ethics, Fossil Fuels, Gardening, Math, Nutrition, Personal and Social Issues, Plants, Quick Takes, Real Data, Science

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Toyota TAPESTRY Grants for Science Teachers

Do you have an innovative idea to enhance your school or district’s science education program? Consider applying for a Toyota TAPESTRY grant!
The Toyota TAPESTRY Grants for Science Teachers program, sponsored by Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc., and administered by NSTA, is now accepting entries for the 2009–2010 competition. Now in its 20th year, the […]

Posted in Topics: Grants, Quick Takes, Science

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Keeping Current With Science Research

Keeping up with the latest research in science is getting easier - wonderful science blogs and news services can inform and engage both you and your students. Depending on the blog or service, you can have the content delivered to your inbox or show up on your browser homepage. Look for the RSS symbol on […]

Posted in Topics: Earth Sciences, Environmental Issues, Life Sciences, Physical Sciences, Quick Takes, Science, Science News, Science and Technology, Scientific Research, Space Sciences

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Reading in the Content Areas

Do your middle school students not complete reading assignments or not comprehend them when they do? Is student motivation an issue you struggle with? Do you feel that your students need assistance comprehending the textbook?
We’ve got two new Explore in Depth resource guides that will help - Reading and Writing Mathematics and Reading Comprehension Strategies […]

Posted in Topics: Education Issues, Math, Quick Takes, Reading, Science

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Free Professional Development: Tech Tools

The Middle School Portal 2: Math and Science Pathways (MSP2) project will be hosting a series of free webinars over the next few months. The first four are all about integrating technology - Interactive Notebooks (7/25), Moodle for Middle School (8/5), Digital Storytelling (8/12), and Wikis for the Classroom (8/19) - Wednesdays at 2-2:45pm EST. […]

Posted in Topics: Integrating Technology, Math, Professional Development, Quick Takes, Science

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Dynamic Math and Science Learning With Simulations

Bob Panoff, executive director of Shodor and CSERD: Computational Science Education Reference Desk is passionate about using computational science teaching methods to stimulate student engagement in learning math and science from grades K to gray!
In a recent article for the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD) entitled “Simulations Deepen Scientific Learning,” he explains the […]

Posted in Topics: Algebra, Factors, Fractals, Geometry, Health, Integrating Technology, Life Sciences, Math, Modeling, Patterns, Probability, Problem Solving, Quick Takes, Science

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Forensic Science: A Hit in Middle School, Maggots and All

The latest online publication from the Middle School Portal is now available - Forensic Science: Middle School. We’ve searched the web for the best resources associated with this topic but I’m sure we haven’t found all the great ones. We’d like your help - do you know of other resources we should include? If you […]

Posted in Topics: Genetics, Insects, Life Sciences, Quick Takes, Real Data, Science, Scientific Method

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Podcast Tools for Students and Teachers

This article was written by Stephanie Chasteen and originally published in the May 2009 Integrating Technology column of Beyond Penguins and Polar Bears, an online magazine for elementary teachers. All versions of this article are licensed under a Creative Commons License. Stephanie is a science teaching fellow at the University of Colorado at Boulder. She […]

Posted in Topics: Integrating Technology, Math, Quick Takes, Science

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What’s the Difference Between Viruses and Bacteria?

Many people think that germs are what make us sick but scientifically speaking, germs are microbes that can be both harmful or helpful and come in four varieties - bacteria, viruses, fungi, and protozoa. We’ll leave the discussion of fungi and protozoa for another post and focus on bacteria and viruses in this one. Microbeworld […]

Posted in Topics: Health, Life Sciences, Microorganisms, Quick Takes, Science

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