Science

“I’m working with our app, Leafsnap,” the scientist said.

I hesitated before joining her. Visiting the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History for a before-hours event, I had wandered into the room hoping the butterfly pavilion would be open early. (It wasn’t.) Instead, I found a lone scientist working with her iPhone and a few plants.

“Leafsnap is a free app based on facial recognition software,” she elaborated, gesturing to her phone. “You take a picture of a leaf, and it tells you what kind of plant it is.”

I stopped. It did what?

As we enter the summer season, we must begin to look ahead to the next academic year. As with every school year, 2013-2014 will present educators and administrators with new students, new challenges, and new opportunities. In particular, K-12 educators will have at their disposal guidelines for enhancing and deepening their science curricula -- the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS).

Teachers are often asked the following question, "What makes someone a scientist?" Students in all grades ask this question a lot. Although there is no one clean answer, we hope to provide a little clarity for our teacher friends out there.

Being a scientist means being curious, passionate, and resourceful. Being a scientist means using evidence to make claims. It's a way of thinking. It's a mindset, but where does this scientific mindset come from? Is there a special combination of internal ingredients necessary for one to develop a scientific mindset?

The tragedy brought about by natural disasters will leave your students with a lot of questions. Even students not directly affected by a damaging storm may find images of a twister and its aftermath scary.

Citizen science projects engage members of the public in scientific research. With the Next Generation Science Standards' emphasis on science and engineering practices, these projects provide an ideal way to involve students in the process of scientific investigation. An abundance of mobile apps makes participation in citizen science projects easier than ever and allows data entry in the field. Here is a selection of apps that we found particularly useful for engaging students.

Evolutionary relationships and phylogeny can be a confusing topic even for some college students, so how do K-12 science teachers navigate this sometimes frustrating topic and find the resources to help them share this important knowledge with their students? 

I was talking with some of the teachers during the Biodiversity Academy week here in Washington D.C. about software programs or online resources that would be appropriate for middle school or elementary audiences.  Here are a few online resources I found that may be helpful in those settings:

Dr. Robyn M. Gillies is a professor in the School of Education at The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia. For over 20 years, she has researched the effects of cooperative learning on students' learning in science, mathematics, and social science content areas at the elementary and secondary levels. She has researched inquiry-based science in the classroom and has published her findings in many international journals, including the International Journal of Educational Research, Pedagogies: An International Journal, and Teaching Education. The extent of Dr.

Love Valentine's Day? Love science? Then we have you covered! Check out our Valentine's Day Science Pinterest board for an assortment of Valentine's Day themed science activities, experiments, jokes, cards, and more.

Why is the Black Sea black?

The sea was first named by the ancient Greeks who called it "Inhospitable Sea." The sea got this reputation because it was difficult to navigate, and hostile tribes inhabited its shores. Later, after the successful development of the coast by Greek colonists, the sea was renamed "Hospitable Sea." 

The Black Sea has a depth of over 150 meters, and its waters are filled with hydrogen sulfide for almost two kilometers. Therefore, in the deepest layers of its water there are no living things except sulfur bacteria.

Do you know where the red-eyed tree frog calls home? Play our newest game based on animal habitats to learn! Explore the desert, coral reef, jungle, and marsh to discover where many animals live by matching each animal to their correct habitat!

Also, check out our infographic below to see an example of what you can expect to learn while playing HABITATS!