A Guide to Teaching Elementary Science

Nationally and internationally, educators now understand the critical importance of STEM subjects--science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Today, the job of the classroom science teacher demands finding effective ways to meet current curricula standards and prepare students for a future in which a working knowledge of science and technology will dominate. But standards and goals don‘t mean a thing unless we: -- grab students‘ attention; -- capture and deepen children‘s natural curiosity; -- create an exciting learning environment that engages the learner; and -- make science come alive inside and outside the classroom setting. This book: helps teachers develop curricula compatible with the Next Generation Science Standards and the Common Core Standards; provides easy-to-implement steps for setting up a science classroom, plus strategies for using all available resources to assemble needed teaching materials; offers detailed sample lesson plans in each STEM subject, adaptable to age and ability and ed to embrace the needs of all learners; and presents bonus information about organizing field trips and managing science fairs. Without question, effective science curricula can help students develop critical thinking skills and a lifelong passion for science. ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Yvette Greenspan received her doctorate degree in science education and has developed science curriculum at all levels. A career spent in teaching elementary students in an urban community, she now instructs college students, sharing her love for the teaching and learning of science. She considers it essential to encourage today‘s students to be active learners and to concentrate on STEM topics that will help prepare them for the real world.