Blend Science Lessons and Children’s Literature
Kathy Renfrew, The Science Lady, is launching a new science blog at MiddleWeb. In her first entry she shares some favorite selections from the National Science Teacher Association's Outstanding Books...
View ArticleGetting Our Students Excited About Science
What can science teachers do in the first weeks of school to get students intrigued, energized, and focused on science studies all year long? Using an NGSS framework, veteran middle grades teacher and...
View ArticleHands-On Science in Real World Classrooms
When science coach Kathy Renfrew agreed to fill in as a fourth grade science teacher, she got a centerfield view of the challenges faced by middle grades teachers in self-contained classrooms as they...
View ArticleIdeas to Integrate the NGSS Science Practices
As educators work to improve science education, one message is clear, says coach Kathy Renfrew. "Science practices bring science concepts to life for students." Renfrew offers ideas that can help...
View ArticleScience Is Too Important to Sacrifice for Test Prep
System leaders may say preparation for end-of-year testing is now built into everyday teaching, but science coach Kathy Renfrew still witnesses a "test prep culture" in her middle grades work. What can...
View ArticleMaking “Science Talk” a Natural Part of Learning
Collaborative talk is imperative to sense-making in science as students investigate complex concepts, think deeply about their discoveries, and then build the explanations that provide evidence of...
View ArticleClose Reading in Science Deepens Understanding
Classroom studies should emulate what is happening in the real world of scientists, says NBCT Kathy Renfrew. This means students are not only questioning, investigating, talking and writing – they are...
View ArticleExplore Great NGSS Lessons This Summer
Teaching the "NGSS Way" is challenging, admits science specialist Kathy Renfrew, but unlike 2013 when the New Generation Science Standards were first released, teachers can now find plenty of high...
View ArticleKindness and Equity in Our Science Classrooms
Science classrooms, with all their teamwork, are great places to help students learn to “choose kindness,” says teacher and NGSS consultant Kathy Renfrew. At the same time, we must ensure equity,...
View ArticleFind the Bright Spots: A Virtual STEAM Story
Science consultant Kathy Renfrew hopes we can shift our attention away from “remediation” by building on the bright spots we’ve experienced during pandemic teaching. She shares the story of a STEAM...
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