Earth Science

The MEL project has developed a set of teaching resources to support the teaching of controversial and/or complex Earth and space science topics. Previously developed MEL teaching resources include those for climate change, earthquakes and fracking, wetlands use, and the formation of the moon. Current baMEL resources are under development for extreme weather, fossils and Earth's past, freshwater availability, and origins of the universe.

This column describes creating a classroom culture for engineering. Noting the importance of infiltration in the water cycle and in the supply of essential groundwater led the authors to develop an engineering activity in which students are challenged to build a stackable filter using the Earth process of infiltration as a model.

Kilpatrick, J., Marcum-Dietrich, N., Wallace, J., & Staudt, C. (2018). Engineering Encounters: Engineering a Model of the Earth as a Water Filter. Science and Children.

This column describes creating a classroom culture for engineering. Noting the importance of infiltration in the water cycle and in the supply of essential groundwater led the authors to develop an engineering activity in which students are challenged to build a stackable filter using the Earth process of infiltration as a model.

Kilpatrick, J., Marcum-Dietrich, N., Wallace, J., & Staudt, C. (2018). Engineering Encounters: Engineering a Model of the Earth as a Water Filter. Science and Children.

American Museum of Natural History. (2018). Writing a Scientific Explanation. Retrieved from https://www.amnh.org/explore/curriculum-collections/integrating-literac….

Disruptions in Ecosystems is a middle school curriculum unit with supporting teacher materials. The unit includes five chapters, each focused on a specific phenomenon related to ecosystem disruption, including questions around the reintroduction of wolves into Yellowstone and the invasion of zebra mussels in the Great Lakes and Hudson River.

Kastel, D. (2017, August 25). Classroom videos from disruptions in ecosystems unit [Blog post]. Retrieved from https://www.teachingchannel.org/blog/2017/08/25/ngss-from-theory-to-pra…

American Museum of Natural History. (2012, October 25). Master of Arts in Teaching Program at the Museum [Video File].

American Museum of Natural History. (2013, December 23). MAT Graduates Reflect on Pioneering Program [Video File].

Cascarano, C. & Koirala, S. [New York Times]. (2013, December 15). Teaching Science Teachers [Video File].

The traditional model for supervision of pre-service science teachers during the field experience within teacher preparation programs includes the appointment of a university supervisor who is often a retired teacher and/or adjunct faculty and a school-based co-operating teacher who rarely receives training from the university to be a mentor. This can lead to a disconnect between the university supervisor, co-operating teacher, and university, and a disjointed experience for the pre-service teachers.