Do the Standards really matter in middle school? Nine years after the National Science Education Standards' release, just how well do science teachers in grades 5 to 8 actually use them to plan content, define improved teaching, and assess real learning? Find out the answers to these key quesitons in this groundbreaking collection of 15 essays by teachers, researchers, and professors whose specialty is middle school. Nine years after the release of the Standards, these educators describe what they're doing to achieve the visions for the reform of teaching, assessment, professionaldevelopment, and content. All the visions correspond to the Less Emphasis and More Emphasis conditions that conclude each section of the Standards, characterizing what most teachers and programs should do less of as well as decribing the changes needed if real reform is to occur. Among this collection's wide-ranging essay topics: "Teaching Science With Student Thinking in Mind," "The Relationship Between a Professional Devleopment Model and Student Achievement," "Creating a Classroom Culture of Scientific Practices," "Traveling the Inquiry Continuum: Learning Through Teacher Action Research," "What Do We Get to Do Today? The Middle School Full Option Science System Program," and "Teach Them to Fish." This volume is the third in NSTA Press's Exemplary Science monograph series, which provides the results of an unprecedented national search to assess how well the Standards' vision has been realized.

This collection of 16 essays is ideal for staff development providers, as well as preservice science methods instructors. Each essay describes a specific program designed to train current or future teachers to carry out the constructivist, inquiry-based approach of the Standards. Each essay also provides evidence of effectiveness on how teachers grow more confident using inquiry approaches,

In this collection of 15 essays, educators describe successful programs they've developed to fulfill the US National Science Education Standards' vision for the reform of teaching assessment, professional development, and content at the high school level. All the visions correspond with the Less Emphasis and More Emphasis conditions that conclude each section of the Standards, characterizing what most teachers and programs should do less of as well as describing the changes needed if real reform is to occur. Essay titles reveal the range of programs, and creativity, this book encompasses. Among the titles are: "Technology and Cooperative Learning: The IIT Model for Teaching Authentic Chemistry Curriculum," "Modeling: Changes in Traditional Physics Instruction," "Guided by the Standards: Inquiry and Assessment in Two Rural and Urban Schools," and even "Sing and Dance Your Way to Science Success." The book ends with a summary chapter by editor Robert Yager on successes and continuing challenges in meeting the Standards' visions for improving high school science. As Yager notes, "The exemplary programs described in this monograph give inspiration while also providing evidence that the new directions are feasible and worth the energy and effort needed for others to implement changes.

Offering fresh alternatives to common instructional practices that fail to get results, this accessible, highly practical guide highlights ways to motivate middle school students while enhancing content-area learning. Each chapter features an enlightening case study of a teacher whose current strategies are not supported by research; describes effective instructional alternatives, illustrated with concrete examples; and lists online resources and lesson examples. Emphasis is given to supporting critical engagement with texts and drawing on technology and new literacies. The book covers specific content areas?including science, social studies, math, and literature?as well as ways to teach oral literacy and writing across the curriculum. ?

This reader-friendly text is solidly grounded on the three legged stool of constructivist theory, science content standards and practical applications. In this book for both experienced and novice teachers of elementary and middle school science, the authors connect constructivist compatible theory with practical teaching strategies and activities. Special features include original activities, a rich resource list for the constructivist science teacher, as well as strategies for working with special education students and English language learners (ELLs) in science. Classic and new ideas for student activities include "Big Science" activities such as tissue paper hot air balloons, cardboard boats and catenary arch projects developed by Edward Ebert. Discussion questions for teacher study groups close each chapter.

Newly Updated! Deepen students’ science knowledge through formative assessment. Formative assessment informs the design of learning opportunities that take students from their existing ideas of science to the scientific ideas and practices that support conceptual understanding. Page Keeley, a nationally known expert in science education, wrote Science Formative Assessment to help educators weave formative assessment into daily instruction and learning. In the second edition, the author provides many new examples, links the strategies to current research as well as the Framework for K-12 Science Education and Next Generation Science Standards, and even shows how these same techniques can be used across other disciplines. Teachers will appreciate 75 formative assessment classroom techniques (FACTs) that include: Descriptions of how each FACT promotes learning and informs instruction Charts linking K-12 core concepts and scientific practices to the 75 FACTs Implementation guidance, such as required materials and student grouping Modifications for different learners and grade spans Links to use in other content areas, including a brief example Use Science Formative Assessment with any science curriculum or state standards to improve and enhance teaching and learning in K-12 science classrooms.

Your definitive guide to inquiry- and argument-based science—updated for today’s standards! Doug Llewellyn’s two big aims with this new edition of Inquire Within? To help you engage students in activities and explorations that draw on their big questions, then build students’ capacity to defend their claims. Always striking a balance between the “why” and the “how,” new features include how to Teach argumentation, a key requirement of both the Common Core and NGSS Adapt your existing science curricula and benefit from the book’s many lesson plans Improve students’ language learning and communication skills through inquiry-based instruction Develop your own inquiry-based mindset

Best-selling author Marcia L. Tate outlines 20 proven brain-compatible strategies, rationales from experts to support their effectiveness, and more than 250 activities in this practical resource.

This is a must-have book if you're going to tackle the challenging concepts of force and motion in your classroom. --