News and feature articles from all fields of science

The science of snowflakes - Maruša Bradač The phrase “no two snowflakes are alike” was first coined by Wilson "Snowflake" Bentley (1865-1931). He admired the snowflakes and wrote: "Under the microscope, I found that snowflakes were miracles of beauty; and it seemed a shame that this beauty should not be seen and appreciated by others. Every crystal was a masterpiece of design and no one design was ever repeated...When a snowflake melted, that design was forever lost. Just that much beauty was gone, without leaving any record behind.”You can explore more about his life here. Freedom Homeschooling Virtual field trips allow children to visit places around the world without ever leaving their homes. Through virtual field trips, they can visit other states, countries across the globe, and even other planets. This allows children to experience places they wouldn’t get to see otherwise. Virtual field trips are also great for when you can’t get out due to illness or can’t afford to travel. Here are several free resources your family can use to take virtual field trips. Free Virtual Field Trips

Google Science Journal & Vernier Sensor (2020) With Google Science Journal, your students can organize their ideas into projects, make predictions, take notes, collect data in multiple trials, and then annotate results. Simply connect a compatible Go Direct sensor to begin wirelessly streaming data to your Android™ device. Google Science Journal requires Graphical Analysis 4 installed to use Vernier Go Direct® sensors. Features Collect and graph time-based dataConnect multiple sensorsExamine pointsFind the min, max, and meanAdd annotationsUpload an image of the experimentRecord observations and summarize results in NotesUse the accessibility feature to illustrate data with soundExport data as a CSV file

STEM Resources for Teachers Connecting with the millennial generation, our current K-12 students, means a new way to teach and introduce material. Tech savvy Millennials love learning that is individually adapted to them with just enough detail that is needed at that particular moment in time. While very motivated and goal-oriented, Millennials want to learn in a team-oriented environment. Teaching to these students should use methods that connects to their needs while also meeting set educational standards. The Roots & Legacy of 9/11 Many who experienced life in the United States both before and after the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, would agree that “9/11 changed everything.” The cultural, political, and social impacts felt as a result of the largest terrorist attack to ever occur on American soil were, indeed, sweeping. Though each person has experienced these changes in different ways, in many respects, the United States hasn’t been the same since the attacks, and it is fair to say we may never be the same again. This website explores the many ways in which the events of 9/11 have impacted the United States. Although the goal of this site is to explore the aftermath of the attacks, rather than the attacks themselves, the 9/11 Memorial Museum has a minute-by-minute interactive timeline that helps to shed more light on the execution of the attacks. In addition, the "In their words . . ." section that opens the topics below does explore several first-hand narrative accounts of the day itself.

UDL Science Notebook: Building Teacher Skills Project Name Project Description embedded teacher supports for instruction and student feedback, investigation samples, plans and activities; explanatory videos, and science concept and vocabulary supports a blended professional development and coaching model needs/readiness assessment rubric PLC guides will be created through an agile design based research process Timeline

The Best Science Sites Of 2019 – Part One It’s time for another “Best” list! I’m adding this post to ALL MID-YEAR “BEST OF 2019” LISTS IN ONE PLACE! You can see all previous editions of this Science list, along with other Science-related “Best” lists, here (Best list son Planets & Space are here). Let me know what I’m missing…: I’m adding this video to The Best Resources For Learning About Rube Goldberg Machines: uHandy Microscope Review for Teachers (2019) UHandy can be powerful in a variety of settings. Individual kids can use this digital microscope to explore their own passions. Premade sample cards are provided already loaded with spices, a down feather, or glitter. These examples can get kids excited about other items they might want to examine around the house or neighborhood. In the classroom, microscopes allow for those amazing "aha" moments like examining salt and seeing its underlying structure.

10 videos to watch to discuss climate change with students Shutterstock TED-Ed Innovative Educator, Kim Preshoff, based in Williamsville, NY, has been an environmental teacher for over 30 years. Here, Preshoff shares a list of TED-Ed Lessons and TED Talks to watch and discuss with students. How Many Countries in the World Now that is a question that's somewhat difficult to answer, as there is no one right answer. Many sources offer different answers, and depending on the source, there are 189, 191, 192, 193, 194, 195 or 196 independent countries in the world today. NOTE: On Saturday, July 9, 2011, southern Sudan declared itself the independent country of South Sudan. This is the culmination of a six-year process that ended a long, brutal civil war that caused the deaths of millions.

How to Use Video in Science Projects (feat. Adobe Spark) Video is a powerful medium. Students can talk about their learning, capture moments, and share their ideas with the world! Ready to take a new spin on your typical science projects? I can’t wait to share some science project ideas with you that are customizable for any age group! 40 Best Sixth Grade Science Experiments, Projects, and Activities Kids of every age love hands-on science! Teachers do, too, because the learning is a lot more meaningful when students see concepts in action. This roundup of sixth grade science experiments and activities has a little something for everyone–from biology and ecology to physics and chemistry.