K12Science

I was recently reading the July/August 2026 issue of "The Science Teacher" a publication of the National Science Teaching Association. In this issue I read the section "Fact-or-Faux" written by Jonathan Osborne.  He wrote an article entitled "AI - Friend or Foe?." Can AI help in detecting misinformation? Can it sort fact from faux? Here is a three-step process to help: 1. Get it In — Put the claim into AI 2. Track it Down — Track down the source 3. Follow Up — Follow up by asking more questions of AI about the source of the claim.

I was recently reading the July/August 2026 issue of "Science and Children" a publication of the National Science Teaching Association. In this issue I read the section "Teaching Teachers" written by Lin Xiang, Kristin Cook, Caitlin Ousley, Stephanie Harmon, and Corinne Lardy.  They wrote an article entitled "Using a Tool to Demystify the Complexity of Choosing Anchoring Phenomena." The Next Generation Science Standards emphasize that making sense of phenomena in the natural and human-affected world is at the core of all science learning. Teachers should not merely use a phenomenon as a "hook" or confirmation of certain scientific concepts but use it to anchor their students' learning throughout a unit of instruction to make sense of the phenomenon. These phenomena are known as anchoring phenomena.

I was recently reading the July/August 2026 issue of "Science Scope" a publication of the National Science Teaching Association. In this issue I read the section "Citizen Science" written by Jill Nugent.  She wrote an article entitled "Backyard Biodiversity: Bring Science to Life with Bugs in Our Backyard." As educators we look for ways to make science relevant, hands-on, and engaging for our students. Involving them in real world science is one way to accomplish this, and with Bugs in our Backyard citizen science project, learners of all ages are invited to participate in science by observing and collecting data on insects and plants right outside the door, in backyards and schoolyards. Please visit the website for this project at: https://bugsinourbackyard.org

I was recently reading the July/August 2026 issue of "Science Scope" a publication of the National Science Teaching Association. In this issue I read an article written by Patty McGinnis. She wrote an article entitled "HQIM in Practice." Over the last decade, U.S. researchers have linked high-quality instructional materials (HQIM) and positive student learning outcomes. Examples include: Open SciEd Amplify Science Smithsonian Science for the Classroom Inquiry Hub HMH Science Dimensions

I was recently reading the May/June, 2026 issue of "The Science Teacher," a publication of the National Science Teaching Association. In this issue I read an article written by Gregory MacDougall. He wrote an article entitled "Taking Students Outside: A Framework for Making Science Real." Gregory shared a four-part framework for outdoor science instruction: 1. Explore the school grounds with purpose. 2. Connect standards to outdoor phenomena. 3. Plan specific student actions using the science and engineering practices. 4. Extend learning through reflection and action.