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My eBook “Think Like a Scientist: Understanding Weather & Climate” is now available through NSTA Press. Learn more about this and other NSTA ebooks for the K-5 classroom here.
Tag Archives: NGSS
Using PhET Simulations to Explore the Cause and Effect Relationship between Forces and Motion
One of my goals this year is to develop a third grade forces and motion curriculum with a team of Burlington elementary teachers. While this work is only in its infancy I am optimistic then at least one of the … Continue reading
Modeling Celestial Motions and Next Generation Professional Development
The video, “Private Universe” showcasing Harvard graduates stumbling over the reasons for the seasons has thousands of views on YouTube and has been shared countless other times in science-ed classrooms. The sometimes laughable explanation are enough to make any space science educator … Continue reading
Developing an Understanding of Light Energy through PhET Models
“Light moves in the form of waves” and is “reflected, refracted, and absorbed” are all traditional statements of light energy that become staples of assessment for student understanding. But whether students can apply this understanding is a big question. The NGSS … Continue reading
Posted in 3-5, Classroom Activities, Digital Tools, Professional Reflections
Tagged Grades 3-5, light, NGSS, PhET simulation, physical science, technology
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Implementing Elementary Science Standards: The Burlington Approach
With the next generation of Science, Technology, and Engineering standards for Massachusetts adopted this past week by the MA Board of Education, a great deal of buzz was in the Grandview ballroom in Burlington, the site of Cambridge College’s … Continue reading
Posted in Curriculum, NGSS, Professional Reflections
Tagged curriculum development, NGSS
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Unsure Where to Begin with New Science Standards? Try these “Crib Sheets”
This past week I met with a classroom teacher passionate about science, so much so that she had written her growth goals around making changes to better align with the draft performance expectations of Massachusetts’ updated science standards. With her new … Continue reading
Discovering NGSS: A Facilitator’s Experience
I’ve been spending a lot of time of late examining boxed “NGSS ready” curriculums that might serve as the backbone to my district’s elementary curriculum-in-development. The sales experiences have often left me with more questions than answers about what me and … Continue reading
Mapping Burlington’s Next Generation of Science Curriculum
Even the untrained eye can look across the NGSS elementary science standards, (and the adapted version Massachusetts) to see that there are several connections between what have traditionally been taught as separate disciplines of Earth, Life, and Physical Science. To … Continue reading
NSTA 2015 “MusselmanScience” Workshops
This year I’ll be participating in two workshops at the 2015 NSTA National Conference in Chicago. On Saturday, from 9:30 to 10:30 join me and many of my fellow NGSS@NSTA curators at the NGSS Share-a-Thon. With over 30 presenters sharing … Continue reading
Posted in NGSS, Professional Development
Tagged earth systems, Grades 3-5, NGSS, NSTA
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Learning Everyday in Burlington
Cross posted on Assistant Superintendent, Patrick Larkin’s blog, “Learning Everyday in Burlington Public Schools.“ Last year marked an abrupt change in course on my career path in education. After five years teaching Earth and Space Science at the middle school … Continue reading
The "New" Emphasis on Practice
If you really want to understand the intentions of the Next Generation Science Standards, look no further than its published predecessor, the NRC’s “Framework for K-12 Science Education: Practices, Crosscutting Concepts, and Core Ideas.” Inside the front 100 pages of … Continue reading
