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Inquiry-Based Instruction vs Traditional Teaching Approaches In order to better understand why inquiry works to engage and stimulate student learning, it is important to note how an inquiry approach to teaching differs from a traditional approach. View »
Ten Tips for Becoming a "Great" Science Teacher Whether you’re a new teacher or an experienced one, there are ways you can improve the classroom experience for your students and yourself. View »
Classroom Activities on a Budget Feeling the pinch from the current economy? Carolina understands. That’s why we’ve put together 8 fun, educational activities that won’t wreck your budget. View »
Creative Uses for Video Cameras in the Classroom Thinking about incorporating video into your lessons? Good thinking—video's built-in appeal to students and relatively low cost make it a natural addition to the classroom. View »
Make Your Lab Greener for Good! Despite Kermit's lament, it's really not hard to be green. In fact, it can save you money, reduce hazardous chemical use, and make your lab a safer, more pleasant environment for you and your students. View »
Tips for Creating a Great Science Lab To make sure the student laboratory experience is worthwhile, I offer tips below garnered from my 35 years of experience in teaching successful science labs. View »
Teacher 2 Teacher Tips If you have original teaching tips that can help other science educators, Carolina's Teacher 2 Teacher Tips is your way to pass them on to the world. View »
5 Steps to Teaching Inquiry in Your Science Classroom Worried about the inquiry lab requirement of the College Board's AP lab curriculum? Here are some great tips from an educator who's already done it. View »
Finding Funding Squeezing money out of the bare-bones science budgets in today's schools is tough. Before you send your students out to collect soda cans, let us show you where to look for help financing your classroom needs. View »
Transitioning from Direct Instruction to a Flipped Classroom Direct instruction and flipped learning are drastically different, so how do you smoothly transition from one to the other? In this guide, we give you practical strategies you can implement in your own classroom to set your students up for success. View »
Twenty Percent Time: Learning Science While Exploring Interests As a teacher, you know learning can be fun, and you want your students to know it too. By allowing students to explore their interests independently, you can open their eyes to a world of discovery and encourage passionate learning. Physics teacher Katie Lanier shares her tips. View »
Infographic: Flipped Learning 101 You want a classroom full of engaged, high-performing students. Have you tried flipping a class? It could give you the results you want. View »
Hands-On Learning that Truly Works—A Case Study A teacher trainer discovers a robust, workable solution to help teachers statewide establish science know-how in their students early on. View »
Case Study: Moving from Literacy to Fluency in STEM—A Recipe for Success A dedicated leader in national STEM education efforts turns to a trusted resource to help move students from literacy to fluency. View »
Incorporating Differentiated Instruction in Your AP Classroom Use technology to bring differentiated instruction to your AP classroom. View »
A Powerful Approach to Flipped Learning What do you get when you merge the effectiveness of flipped learning with the meaningful experiences and critical thinking supported by inquiry? Engaged students, and lessons that get results. See how science teacher Brian Bennett combines the flipped learning and inquiry methods for impactful learning. View »
End the Year with an Outdoor Classroom Everything’s better in the great outdoors. Celebrate the warmer weather and engage your students during the final stretch of the school year with these fun activities. View »
Inquiry Is Tough, but So Are You Guided inquiry is an effective technique, but some students find it frustrating. Chemistry teacher Marc Seigel shares strategies for tackling student complaints. View »
The NGSS Classroom–A Checklist for Administrators An administrator's guide for observing indicators of NGSS practices and 3D learning in the classroom. View »
Helping Students Navigate Experimental Design-Asking Questions AP Science: it’s all about ASKING the right questions! View »
Principal's Walk-Through Science Checklist These checklists guide principals in observing indicators of science and engineering practices that should be evident in science classrooms. View »
Analyzing and Evaluating Data: Engaging in Argument from Evidence Cover best practices for engaging in scientific argumentation with this resource. Includes links to relevant graphic organizers. View »
A Way to Think About Three-Dimensional Learning and NGSS This article offers details on shifting classroom practices toward the Next Generation Science Standards® (NGSS) and the three-dimensional learning that they prescribe. View »
Science and Engineering Practices Dimension 1 of the Next Generation Science Standards® (NGSS) is Science and Engineering Practices. This article explores the eight practices, summarizes some key points about each practice, and offers sample activities in which students may engage. View »
NGSS Dimension 1: Engaging in Argument from Evidence Explore the 6 skills students should master to adeptly and thoroughly engage in argumentation from evidence. View »
Asking Questions and Defining Problems Do your students have the skills and information they need to ask well-formulated and testable questions? View »
NGSS Dimension 1: Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Information Share with students the tenets of good scientific and technical writing, oral presentation skills, and graphic design. These tips highlight the skills necessary to communicate scientific information effectively. View »
Developing and Using Models Use this scientific model checklist to guide students through constructing and refining a scientific model. View »
NGSS Dimension 1: Constructing Explanations Use this overview and model to help students categorize and organize data and information to develop an explanation or theory. View »
What Are Phenomena? In nature, phenomena are considered observable events we can use science to explain or predict. They're also learning opportunities. We offer tips on how phenomena can guide your teaching. View »
Grant Writing: How to Get the Funds and Resources You Need In the wake of the Great Recession, many educators are locating and writing grants. Get tips and advice on how to go about it. View »
Gathering, Visualizing, and Interpreting Data AP® science exams require students to perform calculations and to visualize and interpret data. We can help you make data collection and analysis a key part of your students’ classroom experience. View »
Science Standards: Then and Now Explore the differences between the National Education Science Standards and the NGSS. View »
Student Artifacts and 3-Dimensional Learning Do you collect artifacts of learning from your students? Artifacts are a key element in 3-dimensional instruction. Explore example artifacts. View »
Scientific and Engineering Practices and Crosscutting Concepts The 3-dimensional instructional model includes 8 scientific and engineering practices and 7 crosscutting concepts. View »
Innovative STEM Funding Program Engages Local Community See how one educator uses creative funding to provide her district's students with quality STEM materials. View »
3-Dimensional Learning and the NGSS: A Side-by-Side Comparison Did you know the NGSS are based on the research and work of the National Research Council (NRC) of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine? Get the details. View »
Explore the Three Dimensions of Learning This guide offers a breakdown of the three dimensions of learning--scientific and engineering practices, crosscutting concepts, and disciplinary core ideas. View »
Your Guide to Achieving Three Dimensional Learning Download our FREE e-book for use with the new science standards. This free handy guide can give you a better understanding of three-dimensional learning and how to implement it in your NGSS classroom. View »
Dissection Artifacts for Three-Dimensional Instruction Dissection is a powerful tool for student engagement and interest. Use it to investigate the crosscutting concepts of cause and effect, structure and function, and systems and system models. Learn more. View »
Dissection, the NGSS, and Three-Dimensional Instruction Are you looking for tips on aligning dissection labs with the NGSS? We’re here to help with resources, webinars, lab kits, and supplies. View »
How to Teach the Crosscutting Concepts with Wisconsin Fast Plants Lessons taught with Wisconsin Fast Plants engage students with natural phenomena, and they are some of the easiest to design with crosscutting concepts as the foundation. Learn how. View »
5 Reasons to Commit to Three-Dimensional Instruction Three-dimensional learning involves hands-on, minds-on practices—the same behaviors that scientists engage in as part of their daily work routines. Get tips on creating an environment of collaboration and discovery. View »
10 Tips for Implementing NGSS Implementing NGSS? Follow these tips to put you on the path to three-dimensional success. View »
Discover Carolina’s NGSS Digital Resource Bundles Each NGSS Digital Resource Bundle provides 1-year access to a yearlong set of labs that builds toward NGSS performance expectations. The bundles contain time-saving digital resources (no physical materials) for labs that use phenomena to support NGSS and three-dimensional instruction. View »
3-D Learning Solutions for Summer School Explore summer learning solutions from the Smithsonian and Carolina. View »
Using Wisconsin Fast Plants® to Teach DCIs in the NGSS This series of articles examines the scaffolding of life science standards relating to plant science using Wisconsin Fast Plants as a model organism. View »
Using Fast Plants® to Teach LS1: Molecules and Organisms: Structures and Processes This article focuses on using Fast Plants to teach the first major grouping of life science DCIs: From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes. View »
Using Fast Plants® to Teach LS2: Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics This article focuses on using Fast Plants to teach the second major grouping of life science DCIs: Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics. View »
Using Fast Plants® to Teach LS3: Heredity: Inheritance and Variation of Traits View »
Carolina Kits 3D™ Labs Skyrocket Student Interest and Learning with Phenomena-Based Investigations Science teachers are turning to investigative labs with object-driven phenomena to gain student interest and understanding. Learn more in this case study. View »
BioBuilder Synthetic Biology Kits: Collaboration Brings Advanced STEM Labs to High Schoolers This is the amazing story of how one Tennessee high school is bursting with excited young scientists—thanks to an innovative collaboration. View »
Redefining Terms for Remote Science Learning This is the first in a series of three articles that address remote science teaching and learning. View »
Providing Effective Remote Hands-On Science Education This is the second in a series of three articles that address remote science teaching and learning. This article considers methods for effective remote hands-on science learning. View »
Advantages of Teaching Science Standards from a Distance This is the third in a series of three articles that address remote science teaching and learning. This article examines advantages of teaching science standards remotely. View »