• Education Week to Host Live Debate Between Campaign Education Advisors
• Under "No Child" Law, Even Solid Schools Falter, Reports New York Times
• Toshiba/NSTA ExploraVision Awards Web Seminar Series
• Focus on Energy at Conference on Science Education in Cincinnati, Dec. 4–6
• NSF Seeks Nominations for Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching
• New From NSTA Press®: Climate Change From Pole to Pole

Education Week to Host Live Debate Between Campaign Education Advisors

On Tuesday, October 21, from 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm ET, Education Week will be hosting a live debate from Teachers College, Columbia University, between Linda Darling-Hammond, education adviser to Democratic nominee Barack Obama, and Lisa Graham Keegan, education adviser to Republican nominee John McCain.

The event is being exclusively webcast by edweek.org. For more information go to www.edweek.org

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Under "No Child" Law, Even Solid Schools Falter, Reports New York Times

An October 13 article in the New York Times by reporter Sam Dillon focuses on the state of California’s efforts to increase student proficiency under No Child Left Behind by 11 percentage points this year. “Across the nation, far more schools failed to meet the federal law’s testing targets than in any previous year, according to new state-by-state data. And in California and some other states, the problem traces in part to the fact that officials chose to require only minimal gains in the first years after the law passed and then very rapid annual gains later. One researcher likens it to the balloon payments that can sink homebuyers.”

• Read the New York Times article (requires free registration)

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Join us on Thursday, October 23, and Wednesday, November 5, for the first two of a series of web seminars focusing on the Toshiba/NSTA ExploraVision Awards program. Now in its 17th year, ExploraVision encourages K–12 students of all interest, skill, and ability levels to create and explore a vision of future technology by combining their imaginations with the tools of science. Each Web Seminar will include information and resources that will help K-12 teachers get their students involved and succeed in the ExploraVision program. Presenters are ExploraVision Ambassadors, teachers who have sponsored regional and national winning teams and have had success in motivating and guiding multiple student teams in the past several years. During these live web seminars, presenters will share their ExploraVision experiences and answer questions live from participants. Register today!

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Teachers and administrators can take advantage of the best in professional development in science education, including every grade band, every discipline, from preservice to experienced principal or administrator. NSTA has planned for topnotch speakers to inform and inspire. Our workshops will tackle classroom strategies-inquiry, assessment, integration of science into reading and math, and more. Symposia, full day programs, short courses and workshops are designed to answer the questions you have voiced.

Consider what you can learn:

• Sustaining Our Rising Global Energy Demands: Featured presentation by Danielle Merfeld (Director, Solar Technology Platform, GE Global Research Center)
• What Is Public Science Literacy and How Do We Get There from Here? Featured presentation by David Herring(Communications Program Director, NOAA)
• Life in a Square: An Environmental Inquiry Project for Elementary Students: This six-week project can be implemented in any classroom with minimal resources.
• Increasing Student Involvement in the Physical Science Classroom: Quick lessons you can use tomorrow.
• Insulin: A Molecular Story about the Gene, the Protein, the Physiology, and Diabetes: For high school teachers who want to learn to tell a molecular story.
• Physics Day, Chemistry Day, Physical Science/Earth Science Day, and Biology Day: Concentrate on your discipline for a full day of programs and workshops.
• Short courses: Intensive ticketed three-hour workshops:
• Exploring Wind Energy
• A Synergistic Relationship: Science Inquiry and Language Arts Increase Student Understanding
• Biocomplexity as a Theme for Middle School Science
• Exploring Sources of Renewable/Nonrenewable Energy
• Exhibitor Hall and exhibitor workshops: Jump in, test the newest equipment and teaching materials, bring home giveaways, meet your colleagues, and share your passion.

Earn one graduate credit for 12 hours of program attendance through Xavier University.
Visit the Cincinnati conference web pages for details and to register.

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NSF Seeks Nominations for Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching

The National Science Foundation (NSF) is now accepting nominations online for the 2009 Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST). This year the PAEMST will recognize outstanding secondary (grades 7–12) mathematics and science teachers for their contributions to improving teaching and learning (the PAEMST for elementary teachers will be held in 2010). The application deadline is May 1, 2009.

NSF administers the Presidential Awards on behalf of The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. Awards are given to mathematics and science teachers from each of the 50 states and four U.S. jurisdictions.

• Learn more about the PAEMST award and how nominate a teacher

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New from NSTA Press®: Climate Change From Pole to Pole

Teachers will consider Climate Change From Pole to Pole more than relevant to this critical issue. Written for high school teachers, the text provides case studies and background information on how to teach the science of climate change, along with six field-tested activities that give students the opportunity to solve real-life scientific problems using guiding questions, graphs and data tables, short reading assignments, and independent research. Divided into Part I: the Science of Climate Change and Part II: Climate Change Case Studies, the 10 chapters offer comprehensive material that will help students become more literate on the topic and more broadly, be able to view the topic of climate change to demonstrate the nature of science. With photographs to illustrate, teacher’s notes and pages, activity overviews and conclusions, and frequently asked questions, this is a book not to pass up. NSTA members can buy the book for $23.96. Visit the NSTA Science Store for more details and to order.

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And Don’t Forget…

Visit our member services web page to ensure that NSTA has your current contact information.

Visit the NSTA Science Store for an outstanding array of bestselling books and teaching resources. Receive 30% off the price of the October featured book, Help! I'm Teaching Middle School Science.

NSTA is offering more Web Seminars through the autumn months. Visit the website for more information about these upcoming professional development opportunities.