K12Science

I was recently reading the April 2, 2026, NSTA Blog, a publication of the National Science Teaching Association. In this blog I read an article written by Christine Anne Royce. She wrote an article entitled "A New Dawn on the Lunar Horizon: #WeAreGoing." On April 1, 2026, the Space Launch System engines ignited, lift off occurred, and Artemis II headed to the moon. It carried the first four humans to venture into the deep-space proving ground in over a half century.

I was recently reading the April 1, 2026 NSTA Blog, a publication of the National Science Teaching Association. In this blog I read an article written by Jill Nugent. She wrote an article entitled "Spark Curiosity This Spring." Citizen science refers to public participation in science. Opportunities for students to participate in authentic science practices can deepen their understanding of the world. One way to provide such opportunities is by incorporating citizen science experiences in the classroom and schoolyard during Citizen Science Month, this April. For more information about Citizen science, visit the following websites: https://scistarter.org/citizensciencemonth https://scistarter.org/citizen-science

I was recently reading the March 17, 2026 NSTA Blog, a publication of the National Science Teaching Association. In this blog I read an article written by Christine Anne Royce and Valerie Bennett. They wrote an article entitled "Discovering AI Gems." AI Gems are custom versions of Google Gemini that act as specialized AI assistants. Gems can serve as "thought partners" that remember your specific instructional frameworks, grade levels, and pedagogical goals so you don't have to retype them every time. You can find examples of Gems at: https://EduGems.ai

I was recently reading the November 24, 2025 NSTA Blog, a publication of the National Science Teaching Association. In this blog I read an article written by Jason Strohl. He wrote an article entitled "Embrace the Chaos: Advice for New Science Teachers." Jason interviewed Madeline Grygiel, a science instructional support teacher for the Richmond (Virginia) Public Schools. The article shares four keys to successful science teaching: 1. Redefine what science looks like 2. Connect lessons to the real world 3. Collaborate with fellow educators and professional organizations 4. Remember your "Why"

K12Science Podcast: What if AI Gets it Wrong? I was recently reading the February 18, 2026 NSTA Blog, a publication of the National Science Teaching Association. In this blog I read the section, "From Chalkboards to AI" written by Valerie Bennett and Christine Anne Royce. They wrote an article entitled "What if AI Gets it Wrong? Teaching Students to Detect Errors and Misleading Models." When teachers intentionally surface AI errors, students learn that: Authority does not equal accuracy. Confidence is not evidence. Scientific knowledge is always provisional. It may be best to integrate AI literacy with disciplinary practices rather than teaching is as a standalone skill.

I was recently reading the January - February 2026 issue of "Science and Children," a publication of the National Science Teaching Association. In this issue, I read the section, "Science 101" written by Matt Bobrowsky. He wrote an article entitled "What is Data, and Is Data Science Really Science?" In the article, Matt addresses three misconceptions about data science: 1. Data refers only to numbers. 2. Data tells the whole story. 3. It's computers, not people, who do data science.

I was recently reading the January - February 2026 issue of "Science Scope", a publication of the National Science Teaching Association. In this issue, I read the section, "Citizen Science" written by Jill Nugent. She wrote an article entitled "Data and Discovery from the Sea to the Science Classroom." Students can follow in the footsteps of Benjamin Franklin's study of ocean currents, by participating in the citizen science "Global Ocean Surface Ecosystem Alliance Project (GO-SEA)." You can learn more about the project at: https://goseascience.org

I was recently reading the November-December 2025 issue of "The Science Teacher", a publication of the National Science Teaching Association. In this issue, I read a featured article written Matthias Fisher, Cody Pritchard, Zhen Xu, and Joshua Rosenberg. They wrote an article entitled, "Finding Your Way into Data Science Education as a Science Teacher." This is the third podcast in a series of three podcasts on the topics of Data, Data Science, and Data Science Education. In this article, the authors aimed to support science teachers without backgrounds in data science. by addressing three major challenges: 1. The lack of training to teach data science. 2. The difficulty of designing relevant and engaging data science lessons. 3. The challenge of teaching data science with limited technological resources. In this podcast I address challenge #3 - the challenge of teaching data science with limited technological resources.

I was recently reading the November-December 2025 issue of "The Science Teacher", a publication of the National Science Teaching Association. In this issue, I read a featured article written Matthias Fisher, Cody Pritchard, Zhen Xu, and Joshua Rosenberg. They wrote an article entitled, "Finding Your Way into Data Science Education as a Science Teacher." This is the second podcast in a series of three podcasts on the topics of Data, Data Science, and Data Science Education. In this article, the authors aimed to support science teachers without backgrounds in data science. by addressing three major challenges: 1. The lack of training to teach data science. 2. The difficulty of designing relevant and engaging data science lessons. 3. The challenge of teaching data science with limited technological resources. In this podcast I address challenge #2 - the difficulty of designing relevant and engaging data science lessons.

I was recently reading the November-December 2025 issue of "The Science Teacher", a publication of the National Science Teaching Association. In this issue, I read a featured article written Matthias Fisher, Cody Pritchard, Zhen Xu, and Joshua Rosenberg. They wrote an article entitled, "Finding Your Way into Data Science Education as a Science Teacher." This is the first podcast of three podcasts on the topics of Data, Data Science, and Data Science Education. In this article, the authors aimed to support science teachers without backgrounds in data science. by addressing three major challenges: 1. The lack of training to teach data science. 2. The difficulty of designing relevant and engaging data science lessons. 3. The challenge of teaching data science with limited technological resources. In this podcast I address challenge #1.

I was recently reading the November-December 2025 issue of "The Science Teacher", a publication of the National Science Teaching Association. In this issue, I read the section, "Career of the Month" written by Luba Vangelova. She wrote an article entitled, "Museum-Based Educator Tammy Cook-Endres." Museum-based science educators encourage curiosity and hands-on learning about science. Depending on their areas of expertise, they may work with children, adults, or people of all ages. The field of museum education is most suitable for people who have some teaching experience, enjoy working with people, and can inspire a love of science.

I was recently reading the November-December 2025 issue of "Science and Children", a publication of the National Science Teaching Association. In this issue, I read the section, "Science 101" written by Matt Bobrowsky. He wrote an article entitled, "Q: How Can I Make Science Investigations More Creative?" Many teachers do not like science fairs, but there are many ways to have a science festival that avoids most of the issues that impact students, teachers, and families. A science fair can be redesignedj to be less stressful and more genuinely educational by shifting the focus from competition to learning.

I was recently reading the November-December 2025 issue of "Science Scope", a publication of the National Science Teaching Association. In this issue, I read the section, "Scope on the Skies" written by Bob Riddle. He wrote an article entitled, "Is Anyone Home?" We have always been curious about life beyond Earth, but we still do not have a definitive answer about that life beyond Earth. In a "big picture" sense, what we learn because of our curiosity, our intelligence, and certainly our technology offers us a chance to shape our future and, as educators, to increase our student's curiosity and appreciation for the magnitude of the universe and the possibilities of life beyond Earth.

I was recently reading the November-December 2025 issue of "Science Scope", a publication of the National Science Teaching Association. In this issue, I read the section, "Citizen Science" written by Jill Nugent. She wrote an article entitled, "Meet the Microbiome." The human microbiome refers to the microorganisms that live on and in the human body. Colony B is a citizen science project that invites learners to engage in science and contribute to what is known about the human microbiome. Colony B was designed by researchers at McGill University, and it involves sorting and analyzing microbiome data that were gathered as part of the American Gut Project. To learn more about this citizen science project, visit their website at: https://scistarter.org/education/colony-b-homeschool

I was recently reading the November-December 2025 issue of "The Science Teacher", a publication of the National Science Teaching Association. In this issue, I read the section, "Editor's Corner written by Brooke A. Whitworth. She wrote an article entitled, "The Enduring Impact of Science Education: Why We Persist." Despite the challenges of teaching, science teaching is not just important work, but essential work. Our students, our communities, and our future need dedicated science educators now more than ever. That is why we continue to teach and why we persist.

I was recently reading the November-December 2025 issue of "Science and Children", a publication of the National Science Teaching Association. In this issue, I read the section, "Editor's Note" written by Elizabeth Barrett-Zahn. She wrote an article entitled, "Making Space for Creativity." Now more than ever, the ability to think creatively has become most essential. Creative thinking through a discerning lens pushes students to think abstractly, consider diverse perspectives, and embrace unconventional approaches.