Teaching Science
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Folk Wisdom
Part of enjoying your kids’ childhood is talking and making friends with their parents at school, games, or parties. You’re all in the same stage of parenting, so it’s a fun network to be in. Your kids belong and are happy, parents connect, and it doesn’t take long to realize there are many shared beliefs Continue reading
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The Science of Grass
Imagine a classroom full of bright faces eager to learn the science of growing plants. They’ve read books to learn about the parts of a plant, looked at photos of growing plants, written poems about plants, and interviewed their parents about gardens. The final step is to grow their own plants. Their teacher knows there Continue reading
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Columbus’s Mermaids
January doesn’t usually remind us about Christopher Columbus, but on January 9, 1493, he described seeing mermaids swim near the Dominican Republic. (See the History Channel’s “On this Day in History.”) However, Columbus was mistaken. What he saw were not mermaids swimming, but manatees. These animals are exceptionally lovely. Large and slow-moving mammals, manatees eat Continue reading
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Worms Conquer! Science Teaching For Us All
This year, Sam’s school hired a science specialist. Every Tuesday she rolls her supply-stocked cart from room to room and teaches the science content students must know by spring. Sam’s class’s 40-minute slot begins at 10:20. “I hate to admit it, but I’m relieved,” he said. “It’ll free me up to focus on my kids’ Continue reading
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