H i g h S c h o o l E d i t i o n
S e p t e m b e r 2 0 0 4
SCIENCE ON A SHOESTRING BUDGETIt's the beginning of the school year, you're excited about trying a new lesson, you approach your department head for funds, only to be told that the budget is already stretched to the limit. Does this scenario sound familiar? The challenges of this new school year are many, and budgets stretched to their limits are the reality. You have undoubtedly had to dip into your own funds for teaching materials, but is that the only solution? The answer is no. Read on for many suggestions, ideas, and means of securing funding, saving money, and doing science on a shoestring budget. Science on a Shoestring on the Net In this month's high school journal, The Science Teacher, NSTA members read "Earth System Science Project." The link to that article is: http://www.nsta.org/gateway&j=tst&n=49579 NSTA Teachers Grab Bag The Teachers' Grab Bag on the NSTA website lists many inexpensive or free items, such as trial versions of educational software and free videos. Click here to learn more: http://www.nsta.org/resourcesgrabbag Eisenhower National Clearinghouse One of the best ways to stretch limited science department budget dollars is through grants. Click here to learn more: http://www.enc.org/features/calendar/unit/0,1819,205,00.shtm?ls=eu NSTA Articles on Science on a Shoestring The following NSTA journal articles provide you with ideas for inexpensive science lessons. Click here to read more: http://science.nsta.org/enewsletter/2004-09/high_school.htm Books, Books, Books NSTA has put together a catalog of the latest NSTA Press books for the high school teacher. To view the catalog, click here: http://science.nsta.org/enewsletter/2004-09/highcatalog.pdf Professional Development The real crisis in school reform, writes Frederick Hess in Common Sense School Reform, is that so few of our schools are excellent, so many are mediocre, and yet we, the adults responsible, are content to tinker and theorize. Demands for radical change are often met by protestations of good intentions, pleas for patience, and an endless stream of ineffectual reforms. Read his "common sense agenda" for tough-minded accountability: http://www.wested.org/online_pubs/pp-04-02.pdf Global Science Teaching "Creationism is not taboo in classroom discussions in other Western countries. But generally the topic is fodder for religion classes. If teachers do discuss the idea in science class that God created all life on Earth, they stress that evolution is the theory almost universally accepted by scientists for explaining how humans came into being," writes Michelle Galley in Education Week. Read more on how other countries deal with the teaching of evolution: http://www.edweek.org/ew/ewstory.cfm?slug=20Evolution.h23 NSTA Opportunities Write for NSTA's Journals The Science Teacher (Grades 9–12) has issued a Call for Papers on specific topics. Click here to find out more: Share Your Good Ideas—Present a Session at an NSTA Convention Make plans now to share your expertise at an upcoming NSTA convention (2005-2006). Click here to find out how: http://science.nsta.org/enewsletter/2004-09/www.pdf Next Month's Theme: Food Science If your colleagues would like to subscribe to Science Class, please direct them to: http://www.nsta.org/newsletters. THE FINE PRINTThis
e-newsletter is brought to you by the National Science Teachers
Association
|
