Classroom Resources
As teachers, we communicate our understanding of science through the resources we select to teach our students. On these pages you will find a variety of sites and resources that can help you bring inquiry based, Nature of Science instruction into your classroom. You may even inspire your students to consider science careers by exploring their inquiries and connecting them to real scientists in these experiences.
Science Literature These books can be a great way to introduce science content and Nature of Science concepts to students. Research has shown that thoughtfully chosen teaching through picture books is an effective way to engage and support students K-12. |
Online Resources These sites provide tools to enhance science content in your classroom, connect students to real scientists, and more. Authentic inquiry falls within students' reach when we provide them with the reassures and tools to investigate like real scientists. |
Connecting Science and Careers This set of resources allows teachers to support students in understanding the many science careers within their reach. With the multitude of growing science fields in economies nationwide, connecting students’ interests to scientific fields has never been more important. |
Promoting the Understanding of What Science is Like:
Questions that support learning of key Nature of Science concepts
After any lecture, inquiry, or reading, you can ask a couple of questions that help students reflect on the nature of science. To create these questions, one might think about these ideas:
Questions that support learning of key Nature of Science concepts
After any lecture, inquiry, or reading, you can ask a couple of questions that help students reflect on the nature of science. To create these questions, one might think about these ideas:
- Open-ended, with “hedge” words that indicate there is not one “right” answer
- How might … How do you think … Why do you think …
- Tying the question to a specific NOS concept (or part of a concept)
- Scientific knowledge is made up of both observations and inferences. How were both observations and inferences important for our work today?
- In what ways do you think your background knowledge and experiences impacted your work today? How might they also impact the work of scientists?
- In what ways might society and culture impact science? Think about the ___ projects we’ve worked on this past month.
- How was evidence important for what we did today? How might it also be important for scientists?
- How did background knowledge impact your work? How might it also impact scientists’ work? Consider historical and contemporary science examples.
Resources: What is Science?
This website provides a rationale for why it is so essential to emphasize the Nature of Science in today’s classrooms, as well as lessons and instructional strategies that support NOS.
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This site contains many resources that help teachers explore their own understanding of science and how they might support their students’ understanding. Conceptual maps, images, articles, and more can help students develop their understanding of science and how it applies to various fields and practices.
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