In science, understanding cause and effect is crucial. It’s like connecting the dots, seeing how one thing leads to another. Cause and effect help us make sense of the world around us, from why plants grow towards the sun to…
Teaching cell structures and functions is tricky because it’s hard to know EXACTLY what you are supposed teach. Which cell structures should you include and which can you ignore? And, if you ask three people, you’re likely to get three…
Starting the school year can be exciting and challenging for science teachers. While many activities can engage and inspire students, some can be counterproductive. Avoiding certain activities can help create a more effective and enjoyable learning environment. This post highlights…
When my daughter was little, we loved spending summer break reading books together. While she preferred mysteries, the science teacher in me loves to steer her in the direction of STEM books. Here are some of our all-time favorites so…
In this blog post, we delve into the essential concept of energy and matter, a crosscutting theme in science education. Regardless of your teaching level, understanding the relationship between energy and matter is crucial for comprehending various phenomena in the natural world.
The instructional shifts that come with NGSS are huge. Consequently, there are a lot of mistakes to be made. Here are the 7 most common mistakes that teachers make when shifting to the NGSS. What are the mistakes that teachers…
As a former anatomy and physiology teacher, structure and function was one of the first crosscutting concepts that I started using in my classroom. But, when I began using it, I didn’t understand the complexity involved in this CCC. Take…
Patterns in science are easy to spot. But, are you able to make connections to the CCC in the appropriate grade level? Even though Patterns is a commonly used Crosscutting Concept, its depth is commonly misunderstood.
Understanding the concept of scale, proportion, and quantity is crucial in science education. It provides a framework for comprehending the relative sizes of objects, the relationships between different quantities. Also it helps students to understand the significance of numerical data…
In the realm of science education, the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) offer a roadmap for teaching diverse scientific concepts. Among these, the notion of “stability and change” is fundamental. Understanding this concept is crucial as it provides insights into…
