Science is a fascinating subject, and with all there is to explore and all the hands-on activities there are to perform, it’s no wonder that it’s the favorite school subject for so many kids. When learning about science, though, students encounter a lot of unfamiliar and challenging vocabulary in their science books. Challenging vocabulary presents […]
Phenomena-based learning is one of the latest hot topics in education, specifically in science education. Our recently revised national science standards, the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS), recommend that “phenomena are an essential part of implementing the NGSS” and have information for teachers and publishers on accomplishing this goal. Curricular materials developed by publishers aligned […]
Retrieval PracticeWhen students present information they become an expert on the topic. In educational circles, this is called retrieval practice. Retrieval practice is an untapped learning strategy. We often think the final exam or the final project is just a way for a student to present their work for the sake of the grade. But […]
The Knowledge GapMany elementary science textbooks do not provide scientific vocabulary, leaving students without the foundational language of science to succeed in middle school, high school, and college science courses. This lack of scientific literacy in science textbooks creates a knowledge gap. Most textbook publishers focus on science concepts that do not teach science in […]
The greatest scientists and inventors in the history of the world, like Albert Einstein, Isaac Newton and Archimedes all started by asking questions. Most kids are used to having adults direct discoveries, which is why students have difficulty coming up with their own questions. So let’s change that! Here’s how to go from shy wallflower […]
Why did you leave academia to write science books for kids?Dr. Woodbury I grew up in a small town in New Mexico called Silver City. It’s a few 100 miles north of Texas and close to the Arizona border. I attended solid schools with good teachers and took all the advanced math and science classes […]
