United StatesNSTA Recommends – Interdisciplinary Connections
Grades 9-12
The following are excerpts from NTSA Recommends book reviews.
Craters!by William K. Hartmann with Joe Cain
Reviewed by C. Shannon C'de Baca – Science Department Chair
Craters! is a joint project between NSTA, the Planetary Society, and NASA. It provides a wonderful blend of some familiar labs (optics) and a central theme from planetology (impact studies), which is well suited for secondary classes. This well-designed, teacher-friendly resource illustrates great teaching methods.
Earth science teachers will find Craters! a great source of activities, and physics teachers will welcome these explorations as a way to bring abstract ideas “down to Earth.” I would also recommend Craters! to any methods instructor as an example of what an excellent interdisciplinary science unit should look like.
Global Issues Population Growth: An Instruction Manual in Integrated Science
by John W. Jewett, Jr. and Stefanie A. Saccoman
Reviewed by C. Charles Jervis – Science Teacher
I was somewhat taken aback when I first picked up this binder of materials. There is an amazing diversity of material in it. From activities as simple as dropping a cup full of water with a hole punched in it, to extracting DNA from plant tissues, to building magnetic induction braking devices, the range of demonstrations and activities is enormous. Students using this resource will study everything from the atomic and molecular levels (hydrogen bonds and organic molecules) on up to the global level (transportation and space science), and in between they’ll look at social issues such as how the media portray sexual relationships between humans.
What links such a diverse range of materials? The title tells it all. Population growth has a global perspective. The causes and effects of population growth are of great interest to ecologists, environmentalists, health scientists, and others. The relationships among large populations and nutrition, resource use, transportation, and technology in general need to be understood to be able to plan global and local resource use. All of these issues indicate that a full appreciation of the complexities of population growth requires an interdisciplinary approach.
Provided by the National Science Teachers Association.
Asian-Pacific-American Heritage Month
May is Asian-Pacific-American Heritage Month! Don't overlook this opportunity to study and enjoy activities about the history and culture of Asian-Pacific American communities.
The recent rash of tornadoes in Oklahoma, which killed at least two dozen people, may have your students wondering why such natural disasters occur, how they may be affected by them, and what they can do to help. Use these resources to teach the geography of Oklahoma and the Southwestern United States, to explain tornadoes, and to discuss the resulting crises with your class.
Top 10 Galleries
Explore our most popular Top 10 galleries, from Top 10 Behavior Management Tips for the Classroom and Top 10 Classroom Organization Tips from Veteran Teachers to Top 10 Free (& Cheap) Rewards for Students and Top 10 Things Every Teacher Needs in the Classroom. We'll help you get organized and prepared for every classroom situation, holiday, and more! Check out all of our galleries today.
May Calendar of Events
May is full of holidays and events that you can incorporate into your standard curriculum. Our Educators' Calendar outlines activities for each event, including: Backyard Games Week (5/23-29) and Memorial Day (5/27). Plus, celebrate Asian-Pacific-American Heritage Month, Clean Air Month, and Physical Fitness & Sports Month all May long!
Common Core Lessons & Resources
Is your school district adopting the Common Core? Work these new standards into your curriculum with our reading, writing, speaking, social studies, and math lessons and activities. Each piece of content incorporates the Common Core State Standards into the activity or lesson.
