Science Teaching Essentials

Science Teaching Essentials: Short Guides to Good Practice serves as a reference manual for science faculty as they set up a new course, consider how to teach the course, figure out how to assess their students fairly and efficiently, and review and revise course materials. This book consists of a series of short chapters that instructors can use as resources to address common teaching problems and adopt evidence-based pedagogies. By providing individual chapters that can be used independently as needed, this book provides faculty with a just-in-time teaching resource they can use to draft a new syllabus. This is a must-have resource for science, health science and engineering faculty, as well as graduate students and post-docs preparing for future faculty careers. Provides easily digested, practical, research-based information on how to teach Allows faculty to efficiently get up-to-speed on a given pedagogy or assessment method Addresses the full range of faculty experiences as they being to teach for the first time or want to reinvent how they teach

Grounded in the constructivist inquiry approach to science teaching and learning, Essentials of Science Classroom Assessment bridges science assessment research and practice, and connects science assessment and learning. This book will help students in science methods courses to develop essential skills in conducting science assessment to support student learning. The chapters parallel a typical structure of a science methods course, making the integration of this text into a science methods course seamless. Due to its practical and concise nature, this book is also ideal for practicing science teachers to use as a professional development resource.

"STEM Lesson Essentials moves beyond the rhetoric and provides knowledge, tools, models, and examples that make STEM a reality of teaching and learning in classrooms." -Rodger Bybee, Executive Director (Retired), Biological Sciences Curriculum Study Want to know how to implement authentic STEM teaching and learning into your classroom? STEM Lesson Essentials provides all the tools and strategies you'll need to design integrated, interdisciplinary STEM lessons and units that are relevant and exciting to your students. With clear definitions of both STEM and STEM literacy, the authors argue that STEM in itself is not a curriculum, but rather a way of organizing and delivering instruction by weaving the four disciplines together in intentional ways. Rather than adding two new subjects to the curriculum, the engineering and technology practices can instead be blended into existing math and science lessons in ways that engage students and help them master 21st century skills. STEM Lesson Essentials shows teachers how to begin the STEM integration journey with: five guiding principles for effective STEM instruction classroom examples of what these principles look like in action sample activities that put all four STEM fields into practice lesson planning templates for STEM units. Explicit connections are made among the STEM practices, including the Common Core Standards for Mathematical Practice and the Framework for K-12 Science Education, helping you easily recognize ways in which STEM lessons can engage students in multiple standards at the same time. With ideas that are practical and achievable in any classroom, STEM Lesson Essentials will give you the confidence and knowledge to weave engineering and technology concepts into your math and science curriculum. STEM teaching doesn't have to be hard. You just have to get started. Try it out with STEM Lesson Essentials, and watch student understanding, achievement, and motivation soar. Save with bundles! Purchase 15 copies and get 15% off with a Book Study Bundle.

The twenty-first century has brought with it considerable buzz surrounding the connections between science and literacy. Karen Worth and her colleagues have been at the center of this discussion for more than a decade, and they share their very practical ideas and insights. -Lori Fulton Author of Science Notebooks: Writing About Inquiry The voice of real teachers is loud and clear-the centerpiece of this very readable and profoundly helpful book. It will be extraordinarily helpful for anyone interested in using writing and talk to enhance the learning in a classroom where students have a direct experience with science as inquiry. -Harold Pratt Past NSTA president The case for cross-disciplinary collaboration is supported by moving testimonials from classroom teachers who joined the authors in their quest for a deeper understanding of the science-literacy connection. A must read for teachers in either domain. -Peter Dow Author of Outdoor Inquiries: Taking Science Investigations Outside the Classroom Essentials of Science and Literacyprovides classroom teachers with a wealth of classroom tested and research-based best practices designed to engage students. It addresses one of the major shortcomings in many classrooms, providing students with the time and opportunity to make sense and to communicate their understanding of the science investigation they are engaged in. -Mike Klentschy Author of Scaffolding Science Inquiry Through Lesson Design Karen Worth and her colleagues understand the link between science and literacy connection. Their book is filled with both practical strategies and thought-provoking ideas that invite you to explore how the literacy teaching you may already be doing can be used in science instruction to the benefit of learning and thinking in both domains. This highly readable and profoundly insightful book has three straightforward sections: Essentials, from the nature of scientific inquiry to the importance of teacher questions Talk, from creating a culture of talk to gathering ideas and making meaning Writing, from the anatomy of science notebooks to their implementation and to writing beyond the notebook. A study guide is also included, making Essentials of Science and Literacy ideal for book study with your PLC or preservice teachers. Let Essentials of Science and Literacy inspire you to see the natural fit between your inquiry science teaching and your balanced literacy instruction.

How can elementary school teachers--the proverbial jacks-of-all-trades--feel more confident in their knowledge of science and teach science more effectively? The Essentials of Science, K-6 aims to unleash every elementary educator's inner science teacher. Through a plethora of classroom examples, interviews with award-winning elementary science teachers and science education experts, and a wide-ranging look at recent research examining the state of science education, readers will learn * How to align curriculum to state standards using such practices as backward design. * How to use inquiry-based science to infuse meaning into class investigations and teach students problem-solving skills. * Strategies for engaging students and keeping the curriculum fresh. * Ways to increase English language learners' participation in and understanding of science. * How to use formative assessment techniques to determine what students know both before and during lessons. * How professional development can orient teachers to new content and to a deeper way of seeing the natural world. With the right practices, science teachers can make their students' journey into learning about the natural world both productive and enjoyable.The Essentials of Science, K-6 provides practical information to help teachers reflect on their own approaches to teaching science and make the transition from apprehension to self-assurance.

A straightforward look at how to begin addressing the "E" in STEM instruction in a way that's engaging, motivating, and linked to key content, standards, and 21st century skills.

Examines the goals of teaching inquiry-based techniques in science and uses sample lessons to illustrate ways to achieve those goals.

Teachers’ active online participation and engagement with students are critical factors to the success of online courses. Essentials of Online Teaching is a standards-based, straightforward guide to teaching online in higher education, high school and vocational training, or corporate learning environments. This brief but powerful book encourages immediate application of concepts with the help of real-world examples, technical insights, and professional advice. The guide includes: a practical approach informed by, but not about, relevant learning theories; clear models and examples from a wide variety of online courses; teachers’ reflections about their online practice; a checklist of standards to help guide teaching decisions; and an accompanying website (www.essentialsofonlineteaching.com) with additional resources. Essentials of Online Teaching addresses key instructional challenges in online teaching and presents the reader with practical solutions for each phase of a course—preparation, beginning, middle, and end.

AN ESSENTIAL RESOURCE FOR STUDENT AND TEACHER CLARITY With the ever-changing landscape of education, teachers and leaders often find themselves searching for clarity in a sea of standards, curriculum resources, and competing priorities. Clarity for Learning offers a simple and doable approach to developing clarity and sharing it with students. Are both teachers and students clear about what must be learned, why students are learning it, and how they can be successful? Are students able to determine their next steps in learning through quality feedback and assessment? Have teachers had the time and support to collaborate around clarity to ensure an aligned approach within your school system? This book offers five powerful practices that include: Gaining clarity Sharing clarity Feedback with clarity Assessing with clarity Collaborating with clarity In addition, the book is chock-full of examples from teachers and leaders across North America who have shared their journey, struggles, and successes to provide examples, exemplars, and models for readers to use to propel their own work forward. This is a don’t-miss resource!

Building on the success of a much-loved elementary text, Essentials of Middle and Secondary Social Studies focuses on the key issues central to the actual teaching of middle and high school social studies, including lesson planning and inclusive instructional strategies. Written in an engaging, conversational style, the text encourages teachers in their development as professionals and enables them to effectively use creative and active learning strategies in the everyday classroom. Features of the book include: • A full chapter on lesson plans designed to provide middle and secondary social studies teachers with classroom tested lesson plans. The chapter includes two classroom tested lessons for each social science discipline---U.S. History, World History, Geography, Government, Economics, Psychology, & Sociology. • A chapter on technology that is designed to better prepare middle and secondary social studies teachers to effectively teach social studies with technology. Attention is given to digital history, media literacy, teaching with film and music, and numerous other types of impactful technology. • Each teaching methodology and lesson plan discusses how the strategy can be used to meet the individual needs of diverse learners, including English Language Learners and exceptional education students. • A section in each chapter provides various resources for further development. The section includes articles, books, and web resources. • Each chapter includes an “Extension” activity offering readers with the opportunity to extend the learning experience with relevant and meaningful real-life scenarios. • “Focus activities” give readers the opportunity to prepare for the learning experience with relevant and meaningful scenarios. • Covers current topics such as NCSS Standards, Common Core State Standards, Technology, Media, Skills, Character Education, and Literacy.

A contribution to the ongoing debate about how to manage the growing risks of anthropogenic chemicals in the environment, Essentials of Toxic Chemical Risk weaves together coverage of the science that underlies toxic chemical risk assessment, the physiological and molecular bases of chemical toxicity, the process of assessing toxic chemical risk to human health and the environment, and the strategies employed in managing it. The book links toxic chemical risk to the real world of people and communities confronted with the vexing problem of how to deal with products that make their lives better but that also harbor a potential for harm. The book introduces the basics of toxicology from a risk assessment perspective, using a jargon-free, journalistic style that makes scientific concepts accessible to a wide audience without "dumbing down" the science. It covers the fate and transport of chemicals in the environment, dose-effect, animal toxicity testing, human epidemiology, the uptake, distribution, and elimination of toxic chemicals including first-order rate constants and calculations of body burdens, and the cellular basis of cancer and other diseases that can be caused by toxic chemicals. The book also introduces risk management and discusses the balance between precaution and socio-economic benefits, as embodied by the Toxic Substances Control Act, the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, and the European Union’s innovative REACH directive (Registration, Evaluation, Authorization, and Restriction of chemicals). Putting equal emphasis on the twin issues of risk assessment and risk management, the author has carefully selected topics that shed light on risk management decisions and cover ecotoxicolocy and organismic toxicology. The book provides a thorough introduction to the science of toxicology and to the policy debates and scientific uncertainties that make risk management a work in progress.

"First edition published by Pearson Education, Inc 1994"--T.p. verso.

Being taught by a great teacher is one of the great privileges of life. Teach Now! is an exciting new series that opens up the secrets of great teachers and, step-by-step, helps trainees to build the skills and confidence they need to become first-rate classroom practitioners. Teach Now! The Essentials of Teaching provides the fundamental knowledge for becoming a great teacher. Combining a grounded, modern rationale for learning and teaching with highly practical training approaches it covers everything you need to know from preparing for your teaching practice to getting your first job. Harnessing a range of simple, but powerful techniques, the book shows you how you can translate the Teachers’ Standards into your own classroom practice and provide the evidence that you have met them. It also demystifies what the best teachers know and do instinctively to create students who want to learn and get a buzz from developing new skills. The book is structured in clear sections which are then divided into short, easy-to-absorb units offering clear, straightforward advice on all aspects of teaching including: why teach? the application and recruitment process for training helping students’ achieve good progress planning, differentiation and assessment behaviour management using language effectively in the classroom managing parents’ evenings being an effective tutor how to have lunch! With talking points to encourage reflection and a wide range of examples to illustrate practice, Teach Now! The Essentials of Teaching provides expert guidance as you start your exciting and rewarding career as an outstanding teacher.

General Education Essentials "Full-time and part-time faculty in any discipline and at any size campus with any type of mission can pick up this volume and learn something that will help her or him improve teaching and learning.???"—From the Foreword by Terrel L. Rhodes, vice president for Curriculum, Quality, and Assessment, Association of American Colleges and Universities Every year, hundreds of small colleges, state schools, and large, research-oriented universities across the United States (and, increasingly, Europe and Asia) revisit their core and general education curricula, often moving toward more integrative models. And every year, faculty members who are highly skilled in narrowly defined fields ask two simple questions: "Why?" and "How is this going to affect me?" General Education Essentials seeks to answer these and other questions by providing a much-needed overview of and a rationale for the recent shift in general education curricular design, a sense of how this shift can affect a faculty member's teaching, and an understanding of how all of this might impact course and student assessment. Filled with examples from a variety of disciplines that will spark insights, General Education Essentials explores the techniques that can be used to ensure that students are gaining the skills they need to be perceptive scholars and productive citizens. "This is THE ONE BOOK for academics to get up to speed about reforming general education." —Jerry Gaff, senior scholar, Association of American Colleges and Universities

What are "essential questions," and how do they differ from other kinds of questions? What's so great about them? Why should you design and use essential questions in your classroom? Essential questions (EQs) help target standards as you organize curriculum content into coherent units that yield focused and thoughtful learning. In the classroom, EQs are used to stimulate students' discussions and promote a deeper understanding of the content. Whether you are an Understanding by Design (UbD) devotee or are searching for ways to address standards—local or Common Core State Standards—in an engaging way, Jay McTighe and Grant Wiggins provide practical guidance on how to design, initiate, and embed inquiry-based teaching and learning in your classroom. Offering dozens of examples, the authors explore the usefulness of EQs in all K-12 content areas, including skill-based areas such as math, PE, language instruction, and arts education. As an important element of their backward design approach to designing curriculum, instruction, and assessment, the authors *Give a comprehensive explanation of why EQs are so important; *Explore seven defining characteristics of EQs; *Distinguish between topical and overarching questions and their uses; *Outline the rationale for using EQs as the focal point in creating units of study; and *Show how to create effective EQs, working from sources including standards, desired understandings, and student misconceptions. Using essential questions can be challenging—for both teachers and students—and this book provides guidance through practical and proven processes, as well as suggested "response strategies" to encourage student engagement. Finally, you will learn how to create a culture of inquiry so that all members of the educational community—students, teachers, and administrators—benefit from the increased rigor and deepened understanding that emerge when essential questions become a guiding force for learners of all ages.

The Essentials of Data Science: Knowledge Discovery Using R presents the concepts of data science through a hands-on approach using free and open source software. It systematically drives an accessible journey through data analysis and machine learning to discover and share knowledge from data. Building on over thirty years’ experience in teaching and practising data science, the author encourages a programming-by-example approach to ensure students and practitioners attune to the practise of data science while building their data skills. Proven frameworks are provided as reusable templates. Real world case studies then provide insight for the data scientist to swiftly adapt the templates to new tasks and datasets. The book begins by introducing data science. It then reviews R’s capabilities for analysing data by writing computer programs. These programs are developed and explained step by step. From analysing and visualising data, the framework moves on to tried and tested machine learning techniques for predictive modelling and knowledge discovery. Literate programming and a consistent style are a focus throughout the book.

For everybody teaching chemistry or becoming a chemistry teacher, the authors provide a practice-oriented overview with numerous examples from current chemical education, including experiments, models and exercises as well as relevant results from research on learning and teaching. With their proven concept, the authors cover classical topics of chemical education as well as modern topics such as every-day-life chemistry, student’s misconceptions, the use of media or the challenges of motivation. This is the completely revised and updated English edition of a highly successful German title.

Essentials for Blended Learning: A Standards-Based Guide provides a practical, streamlined approach for creating effective learning experiences by blending online activities and the best of face-to-face teaching. This guide is: Easy to use: Clear, jargon-free writing; illustrations; and references to online resources help readers understand concepts. Streamlined: A simple but effective design process focuses on creating manageable activities for the right environment. Practical: Real-world examples from different subject areas help teachers understand principles in context. Contemporary: The variety of modern, connected technologies covered in the guide addresses a range of teaching challenges. Forward-Looking: The approach bridges the gap between formal classroom learning and informal lifelong learning. Standards-based: Guidelines and standards are based on current research in the field, relevant learning theories, and practitioner experiences. Effective blended learning requires significant rethinking of teaching practices and a fundamental redesign of course structure. Essentials for Blended Learning: A Standards-Based Guide simplifies these difficult challenges without neglecting important opportunities to transform teaching. This guide is suitable for teachers in any content area. Please visit www.essentialsforblended.com for additional resources.

This book focuses on how to effectively integrate the teaching and learning of visual and media literacies in K-12 and higher education. Not only does it address and review the elements and principles of visual design but also identifies, discusses and describes the value of media in learning diverse and challenging content across disciplines. Finally, this book provides a balanced treatment of how visual and media literacies support deep content learning, student engagement, critical thinking, creativity, problem solving, and production.