Plate Tectonics: Layered Earth Science Object Average User Rating: Science Objects are two hour on-line interactive inquiry-based content modules that help teachers better understand the science content they teach. This Science Object is the first of five Science Objects in the Plate Tectonics SciPack. It explores the...  [view full summary] Science Objects are two hour on-line interactive inquiry-based content modules that help teachers better understand the science content they teach. This Science Object is the first of five Science Objects in the Plate Tectonics SciPack. It explores the characteristics of the various layers of the Earth, using the way waves travel through the different layers to illustrate the differences in each layer. The interior of the earth is hot, under high pressure from gravitational pull, and more dense than its rocky outer crust. The earth is layered with a relatively thin crust; hot, deformable mantle; liquid outer core; and solid, metallic, and dense inner core. [hide full abstract] Member Price: Free Nonmember Price: Free Grade Level: Elementary School, Middle School, High School

Oceans Effect on Climate and Weather: Global Circulation Patterns Science Object Average User Rating: Science Objects are two hour on-line interactive inquiry-based content modules that help teachers better understand the science content they teach. This Science Object is the third of four Science Objects in the Ocean’s Effect on Weather and Climate SciPack....  [view full summary] Science Objects are two hour on-line interactive inquiry-based content modules that help teachers better understand the science content they teach. This Science Object is the third of four Science Objects in the Ocean’s Effect on Weather and Climate SciPack. It explores ocean circulation patterns and the effect oceans have on climate. Water in the oceans hold a lot of thermal energy (more than an equal amount of land). Throughout the ocean there is a global, interconnected circulation system that transfers this thermal energy across Earth. The shape of ocean basins and adjacent land masses influence the path of circulation. As ocean currents transfer thermal energy to various locations, the temperature of the atmosphere above the ocean is affected. For example, the condensation of water that has been evaporated from warm seas provides the energy for hurricanes and cyclones. When the pattern of thermal energy released into the atmosphere changes, global weather patterns are affected. An example of a large-scale change like this is the El Niño Southern Oscillation, which changes the pattern of thermal energy released into the atmosphere in the Pacific. [hide full abstract] Member Price: Free Nonmember Price: Free Grade Level: Elementary School, Middle School

Universe: The Sun as a Star Science Object Average User Rating: Science Objects are two hour on-line interactive inquiry-based content modules that help teachers better understand the science content they teach. This Science Object is the second of five Science Objects in the Universe SciPack. It provides an understanding...  [view full summary] Science Objects are two hour on-line interactive inquiry-based content modules that help teachers better understand the science content they teach. This Science Object is the second of five Science Objects in the Universe SciPack. It provides an understanding of how our Sun compares to other stars in the universe. Analyzing the light from other stars and comparing it with light from our Sun has allowed us to determine that our Sun is a medium-size star. The Sun appears brighter than the other stars because it is many, many times closer to us. It takes about 8 minutes for light to travel from the Sun to Earth, but more than four years for light to travel from the Sun out to the next nearest star. [hide full abstract] Member Price: Free Nonmember Price: Free Grade Level: Elementary School, Middle School, High School

The Story of Science: Einstein Adds a New Dimension By: Joy Hakim NSTA Press Book Average User Rating: Now, it’s time for your students to look over Albert Einstein’s shoulder as he develops a new kind of physics that points the way to more recent theories of particle physics and quantum mechanics. Joy Hakim will demonstrate how scientific thoughts today...  [view full summary] Now, it’s time for your students to look over Albert Einstein’s shoulder as he develops a new kind of physics that points the way to more recent theories of particle physics and quantum mechanics. Joy Hakim will demonstrate how scientific thoughts today are often written in the language of mathematics, such as E=mc2, and explains clearly what this means. Students will learn why relativity and quantum theory are perhaps the most important ideas in modern science, maybe of all time. This is the third book in the Story of Science series. The book is full-color throughout. [hide full abstract] Member Price: $18.36 Nonmember Price: $22.95 Grade Level: Elementary School, Middle School, High School

Oceans Effect on Weather and Climate SciPack Average User Rating: SciPacks are 10 hour online learning experiences teachers can use to enhance their understanding of a particular scientific concept. Teachers access topics “on demand” from the Internet. Topics are based on science literacy goals in the national standards...  [view full summary] SciPacks are 10 hour online learning experiences teachers can use to enhance their understanding of a particular scientific concept. Teachers access topics “on demand” from the Internet. Topics are based on science literacy goals in the national standards and tied to state standards. Pedagogical Implications also address student misconceptions. Expert content help is available via email as well as a final assessment to demonstrate understanding of the SciPack content. The Ocean’s Effect on Weather and Climate SciPack explores concepts related to Earth’s weather and climate. The focus is on Standards and Benchmarks related to weather and climate, the water cycle, climate change, and the role of solar energy and its affect on the atmosphere and oceans. The unique role oceans play in defining Earth’s weather and climate patterns is also specifically addressed. [hide full abstract] Member Price: Free Nonmember Price: Free Grade Level: Elementary School, Middle School

Uncovering Student Ideas in Science, Volume 2: 25 More Formative Assessment Probes By: Page Keeley, Francis Eberle, and Joyce Tugel NSTA Press Book Average User Rating: If Hollywood filmed this sequel, the studio would call it “Probes II: More Battles Against Misunderstandings.” Like the blockbuster before it, Volume 2 will reveal the surprising misconceptions students bring to the classroom—so you can adjust your teaching...  [view full summary] If Hollywood filmed this sequel, the studio would call it “Probes II: More Battles Against Misunderstandings.” Like the blockbuster before it, Volume 2 will reveal the surprising misconceptions students bring to the classroom—so you can adjust your teaching to foster a sound understanding of science. The popular features from Volume 1 are all here. The field-tested probes are short, easy to administer, and ready to reproduce. Teacher materials explain science content and suggest grade-appropriate ways to present information. But Volume 2 covers more life science and Earth and space science probes. New topics include forms of matter, changes in matter, living things and life processes, rocks and landforms, the day/night cycle, and objects in the night sky. Volume 2 also suggests ways to embed the probes throughout your instruction, not just when starting a unit or topic. This new classroom tool will help you not only uncover students’ existing ideas, but also use that knowledge to improve your teaching and advance student understanding of science concepts. [hide full abstract] Member Price: $22.36 Nonmember Price: $27.95 Grade Level: Elementary School, Middle School, High School

More Picture-Perfect Science Lessons: Using Children’s Books to Guide Inquiry, K-4 By: Karen Ansberry and Emily Morgan NSTA Press Book Average User Rating: Teachers raved when NSTA Press published Picture-Perfect Science Lessons in 2005.* They loved its lively mix of kid-magnet books, Standards-based science content and ready-to-teach lessons. So what could be more perfect? More Picture-Perfect...  [view full summary] Teachers raved when NSTA Press published Picture-Perfect Science Lessons in 2005.* They loved its lively mix of kid-magnet books, Standards-based science content and ready-to-teach lessons. So what could be more perfect? More Picture-Perfect Science Lessons! This volume offers 15 new lessons that combine picture books and inquiry to develop students’ interest in science and reading. The sequel follows the winning formula that made the first book an NSTA best seller. The lessons, following the 5E instructional model developed by the Biological Sciences Curriculum Study (BSCS) cover a variety of science content—physical science, life science, and Earth and Space Science. They include reproducible student pages and assessments. They feature embedded reading-comprehension strategies. And they make students yearn to learn from such engaging fiction and nonfiction books as Diary of a Worm, Sunshine On My Shoulders, How Big is a Foot? and Leo Cockroach, Toy Tester. The authors know how important it is for time-starved teachers to integrate science and reading in a natural way and how students with reading troubles can use an extra nudge to get engaged in science texts. More Picture-Perfect Science Lessons is the perfect supplement to your science program—and the perfect way to help students develop a love of reading and learning about science. *Teachers weren’t the only ones raving! Picture-Perfect won the 2005 Distinguished Achievement Award for Teacher Resource Books from the Association of Educational Publishers. [hide full abstract] Member Price: $23.96 Nonmember Price: $29.95 Grade Level: Elementary School

Project Earth Science: Meteorology By: P. Sean Smith and Brent A. Ford NSTA Press Book Average User Rating: The forecast for learning meteorology is bright! With nineteen hands-on activities, ten readings, and a thorough resource guide, Project Earth Science: Meteorology brings the atmosphere right into the classroom. Designed for small budgets,...  [view full summary] The forecast for learning meteorology is bright! With nineteen hands-on activities, ten readings, and a thorough resource guide, Project Earth Science: Meteorology brings the atmosphere right into the classroom. Designed for small budgets, Meteorology is teacher-written and classroom-tested, with ready-to-use, self-directed activities. These activities require students to make clouds and hail; build weather maps; and understand the causes of smog, ozone depletion, and acid rain. Whether it’s exploring basic principles or following real-world examples, your students will agree—discovering how weather works was never this much fun! [hide full abstract] Member Price: $23.16 Nonmember Price: $28.95 Grade Level: Middle School, High School

Air, Water, and Weather: Stop Faking It! Finally Understanding Science So You Can Teach It By: William C. Robertson, Ph.D. NSTA Press Book Average User Rating: Thunderstruck by storm fronts? Perplexed about air pressure? Hazy on how weather works? If you’ve always been shaky on the science behind such phenomena, Air, Water, and Weather is designed to help you develop a deep understanding of the basics so you...  [view full summary] Thunderstruck by storm fronts? Perplexed about air pressure? Hazy on how weather works? If you’ve always been shaky on the science behind such phenomena, Air, Water, and Weather is designed to help you develop a deep understanding of the basics so you can teach without fear. Best-selling author Bill Robertson acts as your friendly guide, bringing both wisdom and wit to the study of weather. He starts with basic properties of air and water. You’ll learn about pressure, the Coriolis force, the Bernoulli Effect, density, and explanations of why hot air doesn’t rise all by itself and why heating air doesn’t necessarily cause it to expand. These concepts form a foundation for explanations of weather patterns, including the jet stream, storm fronts, and the formation of tornadoes and hurricanes. Air, Water, and Weather is the sixth book in the award-winning Stop Faking It! series published by NSTA Press. It offers all the features readers have come to love: accurate explanations, irreverent drawings, and activities that use easy-to-find materials. As usual, Robertson avoids memorization for its own sake—no need to commit cloud types to memory!—and makes learning a mostly sunny experience. [hide full abstract] Member Price: $17.56 Nonmember Price: $21.95 Grade Level: Elementary School, Middle School

Dig In! Hands-On Soil Investigtions By: NSTA Press, Natural Resources Conservation Service, and USDA NSTA Press Book Average User Rating: Give students the dirt on soil with a practical book that brings new meaning to the term "hands-on." Using these 12 activities and two original stories as guides, kids will soon be up to their elbows in the study of soil formation, habitats and land use,...  [view full summary] Give students the dirt on soil with a practical book that brings new meaning to the term "hands-on." Using these 12 activities and two original stories as guides, kids will soon be up to their elbows in the study of soil formation, habitats and land use, animals that depend on soil, plants that grow in soil, soil science, and soil conservation. Each teacher-tested lesson plan offers helpful background, assessment methods, and suggestions for further exploration. This book also contains SciLinks--Internet links, housed on an NSTA web site, that we promise to keep up-to-date and relevant to your teaching for as long as the book stays in print! [hide full abstract] Member Price: $17.56 Nonmember Price: $21.95 Grade Level: Elementary School