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Glossary (Ideas organized by color+ arrows)

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Glossary (Ideas organized by color+ arrows)

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My rationale/evidence is embedded in each component but here are my eight ideas:
1. Current Events in Science
2. Inquiry Wondering Wall
3. Students Sharing Science Knowledge for Authentic Purposes + Audiences
4. Read Alouds to Support Interdisciplinary Work
5. Field Trips
6. Positioning Students as Scientists and Engineers
7. Cooking & Science
8. Science that Centers the Community

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My mom used to come into my kindergarten classroom every Friday and cook a new snack or meal with all of us in groups. Here is my new twist on it: Monthly, have a parent volunteer to come in to make a dish in school with students that has cultural significance to their family. This could be part of an ongoing integrated social studies and science project we do where the student whose family it is presents to the class what is culturally significant about the dish, and the other students (as a whole class while the dish is being made in small groups) work on discovering at least one science process that happens when making/cooking it. Here, we enable students to draw on their funds of knowledge and bring part of themselves into the classroom that is normally left at home. Bringing funds of knowledge into the classroom is an important way to be a culturally responsive educator (Ferlazzo).

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A Note on Language/Academic Vocabulary from Brown's Science in the City

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A Note on Language/Academic Vocabulary from Brown's Science in the City

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In Chapter 6, "The Hero Teacher," Brown explains how he makes science concepts accessible to students. He talks about the importance of using disaggregate instruction. There are four basic steps when lesson planning (p. 113).
1. Offer a pre-assessment - what do you students already know? (Ties to an asset based approach that utilizes what students already know and is also an important part of TPE 1)
2. Introduce science ideas in simple, everyday language. Don't overcomplicate it! This is an important step to ensure that students can relate the simple ideas to the more complex science terms.
3. Introduce the academic language
4. Provide multiple opportunities for students to use the new language. This read aloud would be a great place to reinforce newly learned language in context!

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A great, quick resource to exercise the wonder kids have about science and have them experience how scientists make information digestible for everyone to learn

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Open-and-go lessons that inspire kids to love science.

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Mystery Science offers open-and-go lessons that inspire kids to love science. The hook, visuals, and activity have all been prepared for you. Less prep, more learning.

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An informative graphic that describes the 5E model, a powerful practice to implement in order to position students as scientists + engineers!

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School Gardens | Youth Training Gardens | College Gardens | Nonprofit Garden Projects | Community Gardens | Demonstration and Restoration Projects | Affiliates & Supporters | Get Involved

Environmental Food Justice and Community orgs of the East Bay Zine by Ella Bhat, Chloe Olsen, Ty Shelton, Ashley Yue

Who We Are: BCGC is composed of diverse community garden members who share a common commitment to organic, urban agriculture and access to healthy food for all residents of Berkeley.

What We Do: By providing a forum for mutual support and the sharing of common resources, BCGC assists and protects existing gardens, facilitates the formation of new gardens, and advocates food security initiatives in our local schools and city.

Our Mission: BCGC actively seeks to create a more sustainable society by engaging in environmentally beneficial urban land stewardship, which includes urban agriculture, the preservation of open space, habitat restoration, and cultivating community. To broaden its impact and build alliances, BCGC partners with other organizations that share its goals. Land, air, water, and seeds are our commonwealth, which we have a right and duty to protect.

View the Berkeley Community Garden Handbook here.

Moving South Berkeley Forward (MSBF) is a youth-driven environmental, social justice project focused on community health and educational equity in South Berkeley, spearheaded by youth of color and the South Berkeley community. This project is a joint effort between the Berkeley Community Gardening Collaborative, UC Berkeley's Environmental Science, Policy & Management Department, Berkeley High School, and the community of South Berkeley.

We are working to transform the previous Santa Fe Right of Way (SFROW) railroad site into a green space and community garden through the environmental mentorship of Berkeley High students of color. Together, we are laying the foundation towards a long term goal of a greenway and youth garden.

We want this community to have accessible health resources and a better future. The possibilities of the things we could be doing in this community is endless but we can't do these things without your help. Learn more here.

School Gardens

School gardens, on-site at elementary, middle and high schools, aim to integrate organic food production into the curricula and into the school lunch pro-grams. Children are introduced to food production, nutrition, composting, ecological awareness, and cooking and preparing the food they grow to share around the table. Most garden and cooking classes are supported by the Network for a Healthy California Program.

Berkeley Arts Magnet/Whittier Garden
1645 Milvia St. Contact: Marlee Blasenheim marleeblasenheim@berkeley.net
Berkeley Technology Academy Garden

2701 MLK, Jr. Way Contact: Matt Tsang mattsang@berkeley.net

Early Childhood Development Gardens
1460 Eight St.
1810 Hopkins St.
1939 Ward St.
Contact: Chris Nakao christophernakao@berkeley.net

Youth Training Gardens

Youth training gardens train and employ young people from high-risk neighborhoods. Mentors work closely with youth gardeners, sharing practical skills for future employment and enjoyment. BCGC recognizes that urban gardening offers lifelong learning that can help prevent substance abuse and violence. Moreover, food production is an ecological and sustainable means of economic development that addresses both hunger and hopelessness.

Strong Roots Community Garden
Sacramento Street and Woolsey
Contact: Shyaam Shabaka, sms2020@aol.com
or
Pastor Michael Smith, frostmic1@aol.com

College Gardens

Student Organic Garden Association
Corner of Walnut Street and Virginia Street
Contact: Garden Manager, studentorganicgarden@gmail.com

Nonprofit Garden Projects

EcoHouse Permaculture Demonstration Garden
1305 Hopkins Street
Contact: ecohouse@ecologycenter.org

California Habitats Indigenous Activists
Ohlone Greenway between Peralta and Gilman
Contact: Carole Bennett-Simons, caroleannbs@yahoo.com
or Dave Drummond, manzanita2@yahoo.com

Community Gardens

Community gardens make plots available to individuals, families, and groups for growing food, flowers, and herbs. Community gardeners use food to feed their families and share with neighbors.

Karl Linn Community Garden
Peralta Avenue and Hopkins Street
Contact: Mary Ross Lynch, maryrosslynch@gmail.com
or Karen Fracetto, kltktf@yahoo.com

BCGC Affiliates and Supporters

American Community Gardening Association, a national organization that promotes sustainabilty through all aspects of community gardening and greening of urban, rural, and suburban communities.
Contact: 1-877-ASK-ACGA

Center for Ecoliteracy, who, in collaboration with the Berkeley Unified School District, works to implement the School Lunch Initiative by linking family farms to schools and offering all students healthy, fresh, and organic meals.
Contact: Zenobia Barlow, 845-4595

Berkeley Partners for Parks, the City of Berkeley, and the Rails to Trails Conservancy to develop the Santa Fe Right of Way into pathways, community gardens, and other choices that are compatible with the neighborhood.

The Berkeley Health Department and Berkeley Unified School District's Nutrition Services, to make sure that our students get a lunch that is freshly cooked, mostly organic, and locally grown.

Resource and tool sharing contacts

Technical advice, troubleshooting, and design assistance

Compost and seeds to community, school, and nonprofit projects

Volunteer your time in our gardens

Donate or locate garden resources, such as: irrigation supplies, garden tools, construction tools, building supplies, seedlings, etc.

Donate money to BCGC. (Mail checks made payable to Ecology Center/BCGC: 2530 San Pablo Avenue, Berkeley, CA 94702)

Want to garden in Berkeley? We can help you find a plot! Call the community garden nearest you, or call us at 510-883-9096. We check messages once a week.
Berkeley Community Gardening Collaborative
c/o Ecology Center
2530 San Pablo Ave, Suite H
Berkeley, CA 94702
Contact: Corinne Haskins, 510-883-9096,corinnehaskins@yahoo.com
Updated: April 2022

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School Gardens | Youth Training Gardens | College Gardens | Nonprofit Garden Projects | Community Gardens | Demonstration and Restoration Projects | Affiliates & Supporters | Get Involved Environmental Food Justice and Community orgs of the East Bay Zine by Ella Bhat, Chloe Olsen, Ty Shelton, Ashley Yue Who We Are: BCGC is composed of diverse community garden members who share a common commitment to organic, urban agriculture and access to healthy food for all residents of Berkeley.

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This touching tribute to stars, space, and science celebrates how a small act of compassion can flourish into a life full of meaning and wonder.

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This story highlights a Black girl, though in all honesty, this book could be about a kid of any race. It’s important, though, to have books that represent women and especially women of color pursuing STEM fields, such as astronomy, because of the large discrepancies of diversity and access in these fields. (We are trying to disrupt the stereotype that only white men in lab coats belong in STEM professions.) I could use this book as part of a larger unit on either measuring distances in math or as a segue into talking about the Black women in the book, Hidden Figures, to center other women of color who have made an impact in math/astronomy.

This book also has key academic vocabulary, such as
Supernova: supernovas are the explosions where stars die

Flare: Ask students, “what might your face look like if you saw a bright flare?”

Neutron stars: Neutron stars are one of two ways stars die - neutron stars are very dense and heavy.

Black holes: If stars are big enough, they might become black holes when they die, which are areas in space where no light can escape

Intertwining literature and science into one is an important part of all science classrooms!

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Welcome to Anna's Science + Social Justice Classroom!

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Welcome to Anna's Science + Social Justice Classroom!

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Here I present 8 ideas for how I will create a rich, social justice oriented classroom grounded in well researched pedagogical practices. My goal is for my students to see themselves as scientists and engineers, to witness diverse scientists and engineers in action, to be critical thinkers and problem solvers, to bring their rich funds of knowledge into the classroom space, and to share and care about the wonderings of their peers. Elementary school is the time to show students all of the possibilities that science holds for them and our future, and I can't wait to play a role in bringing that spark to them!

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Spätzle - my favorite German dish at Gaumenkitzel in Berkeley, CA

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50 Stem Activities To Help Kids Think Outside the Box - here is a link that provides information about where to start with bring science and engineering to life

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6. Positioning Students as Scientists and Engineers

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6. Positioning Students as Scientists and Engineers

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I was never positioned as a scientist or an engineer in my elementary classroom and that changed the way I saw STEM fields. I want to change this narrative in my classroom and ensure my students see themselves as both scientists and engineers by having them make discoveries and models, having them design experiments and test theories, and having them think about solutions to real world problems that they care about. Making science relatable is a key way to bring culturally responsive teaching into the science classroom.

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These days, STEM learning is more important than ever. Science, technology, engineering, and math are the keys to many modern careers, so a good grounding in them from an early age is a must. The best STEM activities are hands-on, leading kids to cool innovations and real-world applications. Here are some of our favorites, with challenges that will really get kids thinking about how STEM plays a part in their everyday lives.

1. Participate in the St. Jude EPIC Challenge

St. Jude's EPIC Challenge gives students a chance to create real-world impact for other kids currently facing cancer. EPIC stands for Experimenting, Prototyping, Inventing, and Creating. Participants come up with innovative ways to help St. Jude kids, following through from concept to creation. Past winners have created comfortable pillows, buddy blankets, and more. Learn about the EPIC Challenge and find out how to join here.

Plus, get a free copy of our engineering and design poster we created together with St. Jude right here.

2. Add STEM bins to your classroom

You can use STEM activities in a wide variety of ways with these cool bins. Incorporate them into literacy centers, create a makerspace, and offer early finishers fun enrichment ideas. Learn how to create and use STEM bins.

3. Conduct an egg drop

This is one of those classic STEM activities every kid should try at least once. Kids can do it at any age, with different materials and heights to mix it up.

Learn more: Buggy and Buddy

4. Engineer a drinking straw roller coaster

This is such a fun way to encourage engineering skills! All you need are basic supplies like drinking straws, tape, and scissors.

Learn more: Straw Roller Coaster/Frugal Fun For Boys and Girls

5. Simulate an earthquake

The ground under our feet may feel solid, but an earthquake changes that pretty quickly. Use Jello to simulate the earth's crust, then see if you can build an earthquake-proof structure.

Learn more: Teaching Science

6. Stand up to a hurricane

In a hurricane zone, houses must be able to stand up to strong winds and possible flooding. Can your students design houses that make it safer to live in these dangerous areas?

Learn more: Carly and Adam

7. Create a new plant or animal

Kids will really get into this project, indulging their creativity as they invent a plant or animal that's never been seen before. They'll need to be able to explain the biology behind it all, though, making this an in-depth project you can tailor to any class.

Learn more: I Love 2 Teach

8. Design a helping hand

This is a great group science project. Students hone their design and engineering skills to make a working model of a hand.

Learn more: Model Hand/Science Buddies

9. Understand the impact of non-renewable resources

Discuss the differences between renewable and non-renewable resources, then have your class form "companies" to "mine" non-renewable resources. As they compete, they'll see how quickly the resources are used. It's a great tie-in to energy conservation discussions.

Learn more: The Owl Teacher

10. Devise an amazing marble maze

Marble mazes are one of students' favorite STEM activities! You can provide supplies like straws and paper plates for their project. Or let them use their imaginations and create marble mazes from any materials they can think of.

Learn more: Marble Maze/Raising Lifelong Learners

11. Fly clothespin airplanes

Ask students what they think the airplane of the future might look like. Then, provide them with clothespins and wood craft sticks, and challenge them to build a new kind of airplane. Bonus points if it can actually fly!

Learn more: STEAMsational/Clothespin Airplane

12. Play catch with a catapult

This take on a classic science project challenges young engineers to build a catapult from basic materials. The twist? They also must create a "receiver" to catch the soaring object on the other end.

Learn more: Catapult Challenge/Science Buddies

13. Bounce on a trampoline

Kids love bouncing on trampolines, but can they build one themselves? Find out with this totally fun STEM challenge.

Learn more: Teach Student Savvy

14. Build a solar oven

Learn about the value of solar energy by building an oven that cooks food without electricity. Enjoy your tasty treats while discussing ways we can harness the energy of the sun and why alternative energy sources are important.

Learn more: Desert Chica

15. Build a snack machine

Incorporate everything students learn about simple machines into one project when you challenge them to build a snack machine! Using basic supplies, they'll need to design and construct a machine that delivers snacks from one location to another.

Learn more: Snack Machine/Left Brain Craft Brain

16. Recycle newspaper into an engineering challenge

It's amazing how a stack of newspapers can spark such creative engineering. Challenge students to build the tallest tower, support a book, or even build a chair using only newspaper and tape!

Learn more: STEM Activities for Kids

17. Design a biosphere

This project really brings out kids' creativity and helps them understand that everything in a biosphere is really part of one big whole. You'll be overwhelmed by what they come up with!

Learn more: Laney Lee

18. See the effects of an oil spill

Learn why an oil spill is so devastating for wildlife and the ecosystem with this hands-on activity. Kids experiment to find the best way to clean up oil floating on water and rescue the animals affected by the spill.

Learn more: Kitchen Counter Chronicles

19. Assemble a steady-hand game

This is such a fun way to learn about circuits! It also brings in a bit of creativity, adding the "A" to STEAM.

Learn more: Steady Hand Game/Left Brain Craft Brain

20. Craft a cell phone stand

Your science students will be thrilled when you let them use their phones in class! Challenge them to use their engineering skills and a small selection of items to design and build a cell phone stand.

Learn more: Science Buddies/Engineer Cell Phone Stand

21. Engineer a craft stick bridge

Here's another one of those classic STEM activities that really challenge kids to use their skills. Build a bridge with popsicle sticks and push pins, and find out which design can bear the most weight.

Learn more: Build a Bridge/Scholastic

22. Forage and build a bird nest

Birds build incredibly intricate nests from materials they find in the wild. Take a nature walk to gather materials, then see if you can build a sturdy, comfy nest of your own!

Learn more: Kids Craft Room

23. Drop parachutes to test air resistance

Use the scientific method to test different types of material and see which makes the most effective parachute. Your students also learn more about the physics behind air resistance.

Learn more: Education.com

24. Find the most waterproof roof

Calling all future engineers! Build a house from LEGO, then experiment to see what type of roof prevents water from leaking inside.

Learn more: Waterproof Roof/Science Sparks

25. Build a better umbrella

Challenge students to engineer the best possible umbrella from various household supplies. Encourage them to plan, draw blueprints, and test their creations using the scientific method.

Learn more: Better Umbrella/Raising Lifelong Learners

26. Go green with recycled paper

We talk a lot about recycling and sustainability these days, so show kids how it's done! Recycle old worksheets or other papers using screen and picture frames. Then, ask kids to brainstorm ways to use the recycled paper.

Learn more: Undercover Classroom

27. Brew up your own slime

Chances are good your students already love making and playing with slime. Turn the fun into an experiment by changing the ingredients to create slime with a variety of properties-from magnetic to glow-in-the-dark!

Learn more: Slime Design/Science Buddies

28. Create a taxonomy system

Students can step into Linnaeus' shoes by creating their own system of taxonomy using a handful of different dried beans. This is a fun science project to do in groups, so students can see the differences between each group's system.

Learn more: Our Journey Westward

29. Find out which liquid is best for growing seeds

As you learn about the life cycle of plants, explore how water supports plants' growth. Plant seeds and water them with a variety of liquids to see which sprout first and grow best.

Learn more: Lessons 4 Little Ones

30. Find the best soap bubble solution

It's easy to mix your own soap bubble solution with just a few ingredients. Let kids experiment to find the best proportion of ingredients to blow the longest-lasting bubbles with this fun outside science activity.

Learn more: Soap Bubbles/Science Buddies

31. Blow the biggest bubbles you can

Add a few simple ingredients to dish soap solution to create the largest bubbles you've ever seen! Kids learn about surface tension as they engineer these bubble-blowing wands.

Learn more: Scholastic/Dish Soap Bubbles

32. Help monarch butterflies

You may have heard that monarch butterflies are struggling to keep their population alive. Join the fight to save these beautiful bugs by planting your own butterfly garden, monitoring monarch populations, and more. Get all the info you need at the link.

Learn more: Monarch Watch

33. See water pollution in action

Learn about the challenges of cleaning up polluted water sources like rivers and lakes with this interesting outdoor science activity. Pair it with a visit to a local water treatment plant to expand the lesson.

Learn more: Water Pollution/JDaniel4's Mom

34. Test your local water quality

Once you've "cleaned up" your water, try testing it to see how clean it really is! Then head out to test other types of water. Kids will be fascinated to discover what's in the water in their local streams, ponds, and puddles. Student water testing kits are readily available online.

Learn more: The Homeschool Scientist

35. Explore with an edible Mars Rover

Learn about the conditions on Mars and the tasks the Mars Rover will need to complete. Then, give kids supplies to build their own. (Add to the challenge by making them "buy" the supplies and stick to a budget, just like NASA!).

Learn more: Library Makers

36. Baked potato science

This edible science project is a nutritious way to explore the scientific method in action. Experiment with a variety of methods for baking potatoes-microwaving, using a traditional oven, wrapping them in foil, using baking pins, etc.-testing hypotheses to discover which works best.

Learn more: Potato Science/Left Brain Craft Brain

37. Waterproof a boot

Ask kids to select various materials and tape them over the free boot printable. Then, test their hypotheses to see which ones work best.

Learn more: Waterproof a Boot/Science Sparks

38. Determine the best way to melt ice

Conventional wisdom says we sprinkle salt on ice to melt it faster. But why? Is that really the best method? Try this science experiment and find out.

Learn more: The Chaos and the Clutter

39. Don't melt the ice

We spend a lot of time in winter trying to get rid of ice, but what about when you don't want the ice to melt? Experiment with different forms of insulation to see which keeps ice frozen the longest.

Learn more: Ice Insulation/Frugal Fun for Boys and Girls

40. Build a straw house

Grab a box of straws and a package of pipe cleaners. Then task kids with designing and building their dream house, using only those two items.

Learn more: Deceptively Educational

41. Design a balloon-powered car

Explore the laws of motion and encourage creativity when you challenge students to design, build, and test their own balloon-powered cars. Bonus: Use only recycled materials to make this project green!

Learn more: Balloon-Powered Cars/Science Buddies

42. Learn map skills by designing an amusement park

For this cross-curricular activity, students investigate the parts of a map by creating an amusement park. After they create their map, they do a detailed drawing and write about one of their ride designs. Then they design an all-access park pass. So many STEM activities in one! Find out more about it here.

43. Reach for the ceiling

Round up all your building blocks and try this whole-class project. What will students need to do to be able to construct a tower that reaches all the way to the ceiling?

Learn more: Mama Smiles

44. Cast a tall shadow

Here's another tower-building challenge, but this one's all about shadows! Kids will experiment with the height of their tower and the angle of their flashlight to see how tall of a shadow they're able to cast.

Learn more: No Time for Flashcards

45. Devise a recycled toy bot

These adorable toy bots are made from pool noodles and recycled electric toothbrushes. So clever! Kids will have fun designing their own, plus they can tweak this idea to make other fun wiggling toys.

Learn more: Artsy Momma

46. Link up the longest paper chain

This incredibly simple STEM activity really gets kids thinking. The challenge? Create the longest possible paper chain using a single piece of paper. So simple and so effective.

Learn more: Paper Chain Challenge/Frugal Fun For Boys and Girls

47. Find out what you can make from a plastic bag

Plastic bags are one of the most ubiquitous items on the planet these days, and they're difficult to recycle. Give each student a plastic bag and ask them to create something new and useful. ( These ideas from Artsy Craftsy Mom offer some inspiration.)

48. Start a school robotics team

Coding is one of the most valuable STEM activities you can include in your classroom plans. Set up a school robotics club and inspire kids to embrace their newfound skills! Learn how to set up your own club here.

49. Embrace the Hour of Code

The Hour of Code program was designed as a way to get all teachers to try just one hour of teaching and learning coding with their students. Originally, the Hour of Code event was held in December, but you can organize yours any time. Then, continue to learn using the huge amount of resources on Hour of Code's website.

50. Give kids a Maker Cart and a pile of cardboard

You don't need a whole lot of fancy supplies to create a STEM Cart or makerspace. Scissors, tape, glue, wood craft sticks, straws-basic items like these combined with a stack of cardboard can inspire kids to all sorts of amazing creations! See how these STEM activities work here.

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50 Stem Activities To Help Kids Think Outside the Box

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Hands-on science is one of the best ways to get kids thinking creatively. These STEM activities are perfect for upper elementary students.

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In the article "Ten Culturally Responsive Teaching Strategies for the Science Classroom," Ferlazzo discusses how important it is for science research to focus on "culturally relevant elements in the students’ local or broader community." The example they provide is if a particular disease is afflicting the community, the teacher could have the class really dig into the 'why' of it (likely related to environmental racism) and really understand the science of it so that students can be resources to help support affected community members.

This also doesn't have to be just about a problem facing the community, but rather it could be an opportunity to support a local organization that is doing great science work in the school's neighborhood. Perhaps it is a community garden or a food bank. Whatever it is, students can be involved in helping discover, craft, and sharing factual information that can help support that organization. Brochures can be made to integrate writing into it as well and perhaps this starts off an engineering design project. Part of being a scientist is sharing what one learns and what better way to teach students the importance and power in sharing information than by helping gain support for a local community organization.

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This is something that would be introduced the first week of school in my classroom. It would be a wall where students at any time could write a wondering about something that they saw while out in the world or at home or on the news, etc. For upper grades, I would put a requirement that every student post at least one wondering each trimester. Each month, I would look at the wall and ask several students to respond to their classmates. Then, we would have a structured community circle activity where students share what they discovered and have a dialogue about it. Maybe a new wondering is then added to the board or a student who didn't research it has something more to add to it. Maybe it will kickstart an inquiry project or unit. The opportunities are endless. The important piece I want to emphasize here is that I want the wall to have purpose and be part of a routine we have in the classroom. We never stop wondering (and that is one of the superpowers of science that Brown notes in Chapter 7) and bringing that into the classroom in a structured way supports our students to keep wondering, because, this way, it will be talked about and researched instead of forgotten.

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Field Trips are an incredible, interactive, and unique way to expose students to new types of science knowledge. Brown states in Chapter 7, "Students love science when they can experience it. As I travel the country and visit science centers, aquariums, zoos, and science museums, I can enjoy the laughter and smiles as young people experience science firsthand" (p. 127). A couple times of year I can plan for bigger science field trips, such as a day at the Lawrence Hall of Science or UC Berkeley Botanical Garden (when I was in elementary school, I went to the Griffith Observatory in LA and the tide pools). But walking field trips to parks or the marina are also (free) but rich opportunities to explore nature and do science outside!

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4. Read Alouds to Support Interdisciplinary Work

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4. Read Alouds to Support Interdisciplinary Work

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In my classroom, I hope to send the message that even though some subjects are learned at set times during the school day, they are never actually separate. I want my students to know that life is interdisciplinary, and read alouds are one powerful way to demonstrate this. Read alouds that highlight science concepts, events or important figures can do multiple things: they can provide one way to highlight diverse scientists; they can provide academic vocabulary in a meaningful context; and they can promote a contextualized entry point for students to learn about science.

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Therefore, in my science and social justice classroom, I want to have an opening routine that is about a science current event. It could be a short article I unpack with my students, a video we watch together, an article they journal about, a short podcast we listen to and they draw a reaction to, etc! The current science event could be related to current science content, an important issue in the realm of environmental justice, or an inquiry a student has brought up that they were interested in.

There are several great websites/platforms to choose from:
Time for Kids science section
NPR Science News
Science News Explores
Brains On Podcast

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Nature Near You (Part 1) - This is one of the videos I helped create during my time as Chapter Director of Sprout Up at Cal Poly SLO last year.

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3. Students Sharing Science Knowledge for Authentic Purposes + Audiences

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3. Students Sharing Science Knowledge for Authentic Purposes + Audiences

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In Chapter 7, Brown discusses the power in students making meaning of science concepts in a way that allows them to transfer their newly developed knowledge to real audiences. In his discussion of an interactive digital textbook, he highlights how students can make short videos about concepts that can be shown to future students. He notes that "when students become producers of the content, the text can share an artistic and cultural flair" (p. 133). This is a far more meaningful assessment than a traditional test and ensures that students have a solid understanding of the material they are presenting. It doesn't have to be a video either. It could be a podcast or a recorded skit. Whatever medium the students choose and decide to have fun with.

As a beginning teacher, this might not be something that happens every unit, but it is something to pilot for at least one unit. This also meets UDL principles of multiple means of action & expression and encourages multimodal learning, which is a win-win in my book.

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1. Current Events in Science: A Weekly Opening Routine

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1. Current Events in Science: A Weekly Opening Routine

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When Brown discusses what strengths our current science curriculum provides, he points to the WONDER that is inherent in science. In Chapter 7, he writes, "We have wonder on our side. It is the great equalizer" (p. 127).
I could not agree more. Science is amazing, and amazing science is happening every day in the world, yet it is hardly ever discussed in schools. A select few events will be discussed, such as major solar eclipses or pandemics (unfortunately), but on the whole, school science seems distant to what is actually going on in the world. There are discoveries being made, coral reefs being saved, environmental bills being passed (or not passed), new space exploration, and so much more.