Middle school teachers!
If you don’t know about Science News Explores (formerly Science News for Students), it’s time to find out. From a regular user:
Just wanted to write that as a middle school science teacher, I am extremely grateful for the on-line publication of “Science News for Students”. I use it all the time in teaching science literacy! I love the great variety of articles, the truly readable writing skill of the authors, the appropriate reading level, and the fact that the resource is FREE! Thank you so very much!! It makes a HUGE difference to my teaching and my students!
See below for features I’ve contributed. Every SNE feature has classroom questions that touch on science, social studies, and math. The site also has daily snapshots—overviews of recent scientific studies, such as this one in which researchers used Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone to learn what happens in our brains when we read, this one about how barn owls with white feathers stun their prey when the moon is full, and this one on what causes stinky B.O. You can find a complete list of my SNE stories here.
Concussion: More than ‘getting your bell rung’
Think a head injury isn’t a big deal? Think again. This common brain injury can cause serious – and lasting – damage. (Online. February 20, 2013)
Classroom discussion questions
Stem cells: The secret to change
Recent discoveries in cellular research might just pave the way to restore sight to the blind, repair damaged spinal cords, or even overcome genetic disease. (Online. April 10, 2013)
Classroom discussion questions
Some dirt won’t hurt
Not only is it okay to get dirty, it may even reduce risk of asthma and allergies. Find out why (and how to clean up properly after playing outdoors). (Online. July 17, 2013)
Classroom discussion questions
Caught in the act
How do species adapt to a changing environment? Scientists observe species in the process of evolving. (Online. December 11, 2013)
Classroom discussion questions
Why are bees vanishing?
Scientists find a combination of threats, from pesticides to climate change, may explain declining bee populations. (Online. January 10, 2014)
Classroom discussion questions
Saving the banana
Bananas are the world’s most popular fruit, but they might not be around for long without help from a hard-working team of scientists. (Online. August 28, 2014)
Classroom discussion questions
Learning rewires the brain
As we learn, our brains rewire. In the process, brain cells change shape and even fire backwards. (Online. September 2, 2014)
Classroom discussion questions
How people have been shaping the earth
Humans are now the biggest driving force shaping the planet. So much so that scientists are considering renaming our current time period to reflect that influence. (Online. October 17, 2014)
Classroom discussion questions
Nano air pollutants strike a blow to the brain
Scientists track super-small pollutants into the brain, where they can cause damage similar to that in people with Alzheimer’s disease. (Online. December 17, 2014)
Classroom discussion questions
Stress for Success
Stress doesn’t have to be a bad thing. Find out how psychologists help anxious teens put their worries to good use. (Online. March 20, 2015)
Classroom discussion questions
Tiny plastic, big problem
Scientists find that tiny pieces of plastic travel great distances and wind up inside marine animals, threatening the ocean’s ecosystems. (Online. April 10, 2015)
Classroom discussion questions
Big future for super small science
Heard of nanotechnology? Find out how scientists use nanotubes to overcome mechanical, environmental and optical obstacles. (Online. April 24, 2015)
Classroom discussion questions
Cool jobs: Finding new uses for nature’s poisons
Check out these cool jobs in science! These researchers use toxins from critters (including mites, frogs, and spiders) to fight pests and germs–all while keeping people safe. (Online. October 9, 2015)
Classroom discussion questions
The dirt on soil
What lies beneath your feet? Much, much more than you ever imagined. Get the dirt on soil and all of the important roles it plays in everything from food to floods to climate change. (Online. October 16, 2015)
Classroom discussion questions
When every face is a stranger’s face
You may find it easy to spot someone you know in a crowd, but for people with ‘face blindness’ every face looks the same: eyes, nose, mouth, ears. Learn more about this condition that affects as many as two in every 100 people. (Online. November 13, 2015)
Classroom discussion questions
Cool jobs: Getting in your head
Psychology isn’t just about lending a sympathetic ear. Come meet a trio of experimental psychologists who study the brain and behavior in everything from dogs to monkeys to people. Featuring some of my husband’s super-cool work on patience in primates! (Online. December 8, 2015)
Classroom discussion questions
Powered by poop and pee?
Imagine riding on a bus powered by the stuff you flush down the toilet. One such bus actually exists. It’s just one possible use of human waste as a renewable source of energy. (Online. February 5, 2016)
Classroom discussion questions
‘Mindfulness’ defuses stress in classrooms and teaching
Teachers, this one’s for you. Early studies show that mindfulness training can reduce stress and improve teaching performance, while also helping students learn. (Online. March 29, 2016)
What is IQ—and how much does it matter?
You may have heard of IQ or taken a IQ test. But what does your IQ score tell you about your ability to succeed? Maybe not as much as you think. (Online. October 13, 2016)
Classroom discussion questions
What makes a pretty face?
Beauty is only skin deep, or so the saying goes. And yet we have a hard time ignoring a pretty face. Why is that, and what is it that makes a face beautiful? Oddly enough, it has to do with being average.(Online. December 5, 2016)
Classroom discussion questions
Tattoos: The good, the bad and the bumpy
Some people treat skin like a canvas, “painting” it with tattoos. That permanent ink can cause allergic reactions, or it can boost the immune system. But beware: many inks aren’t meant to be used on the human body. (Online. May 11, 2017)
Classroom discussion questions
Think you’re not biased? Think again
Everyone has biases against other groups of people: blacks, women, and the obese for a start. But those biases can be changed. The first step? Recognizing that you have them. (Online. June 22, 2017)
Classroom discussion questions
Night lights have a dark side
Bright lights at night create light pollution, which alters animal behavior (including our own) and may even lead to diseases like cancer. The good news? It’s the easiest kind of pollution to control. (Online. July 27, 2017)
Classroom discussion questions
Mindfulness in eating pays the body big dividends
Savoring each bite of a meal helps us slow down when we eat, which improves the experience and makes smaller amounts of food more enjoyable. It can also lead to better health. (Online. August 17, 2017)
Classroom discussion questions
Social media: What’s not to like?
Social media interactions can help boost self-esteem for tweens and teens.But they can also contribute to ‘drama’ and even foster depression. Part 1 of Social Media story. (Online. October 12, 2017)
Classroom discussion questions
The power of ‘like’
‘Liking’ an online post is an easy way to show approval, but even a single ‘like’ can change the kinds of information people see and even affect their behavior. Part 2 of Social Media story. (Online. October 17, 2017)
Classroom discussion questions
Increasingly, chocolate-makers turn to science
Chocolate is more than just a sweet treat: It contains nutrients and other plant chemicals that may boost health. Scientists are working to grow stronger, healthier trees and make cocoa that’s rich in health-boosting chemicals. (Online. February 8, 2018)
Classroom discussion questions
Athletes’ head injuries can provoke surprisingly long-lasting harm
New research on concussions suggests that the brain may remain injured for months, even years, after a head injury. And long-term damage can occur even without a concussion. (Online. February 15, 2018)
Classroom discussion questions
Here’s what puts teen drivers at greatest risk of a crash
Teen drivers are more likely to get into car crashes than adult drivers. Inexperience and lack of attention to what’s happening on the road play a role in those youthful accidents. (Online. October 11, 2018)
Classroom discussion questions
What part of us knows right from wrong?
Pinocchio had Jiminy Cricket instead of a conscience, but the rest of us have an internal sense of right and wrong. Where does that sense come from and why do we have it? (Online. March 21, 2019)
Classroom discussion questions
Ocean energy could be the wave of the future
Scientists are harvesting the power of waves to generate clean, renewable energy. Find out how this new technology is making a splash. (Online. May 30, 2019)
Classroom discussion questions
Don’t snooze on getting enough sleep
Sleep boosts mood, regulates weight, and even helps you learn. If you’re not getting enough you’re probably feeling the effects. But be careful not to nap too much! (Online. September 19, 2019)
Classroom discussion questions
The color of body fat might affect how trim people are
Brown, beige, white? Not all body fat is the same. In fact, brown and beige fat burn calories, instead of storing them. Learn about these different types of fat, why they do what they do, and how adding beige fat could become a key to good health. (Online. October 10, 2019)
Classroom discussion questions
Zapping the brain may make it work right again
Medicine can help people with a variety of brain disorders, but it doesn’t work for everyone. What do people do when they can’t find relief? Some are turning to deep brain stimulation. Zapping the brain can provide relief from otherwise insufferable symptoms. (Online. March 26, 2020)
Classroom discussion questions
Conservation is going to the dogs
Detection dogs are the newest tool in the conservation toolbox. These high-energy, ball-crazy dogs seek out scents that help biologists study otherwise hard-to-find critters, plants, and even diseases. Learn more about these conservation canines and how they’re helping ecosystems around the world. (Online. April 2, 2020)
Classroom discussion questions
Soggy coastal soils? Here’s why ecologists love them
Coastal wetlands are more than just a bunch of wet land. They’re critical habitats for plants and animals–and they provide essential protection against storm surges and rising sea levels. (Online. September 17, 2020)
Classroom discussion questions
Around the world, birds are in crisis
The world’s birds are in serious trouble, with an estimated three billion gone missing in the United States, alone. Scientists are on the case, learning what’s harming birds and figuring out how to help them. (Online. December 3, 2020)
Classroom discussion questions
Teen depression linked to how the brain processes rewards
Depression is far more than just feeling sad. Many people with depression feel empty, which may be due to changes in the brain. The good news: teens with depression can prevent life-long brain changes if they get help. (Online. March 18, 2021)
Classroom discussion questions
Rhinos, camels, and bone-crushing dogs once roamed Nebraska
Ashfall Fossil Beds State Park in the rolling hills of northern Nebraska reveal an ancient world that looks a lot like today’s African savanna. New methods of research allow scientists to peek through the ash before digging, so they know where to target their efforts. (Online. May 13, 2021)
Classroom discussion questions
Rewilding returns lost species to strengthen ecosystems
Scientists are turning to animals to help them restore ecosystems. Returning species to areas where they once lived can restore ecosystem health, slow climate change, improve water quality, protect against wildfires, and more. (Online. January 6, 2022)
Classroom discussion questions
We all imagine being friends with celebrities. Is that a bad thing?
One-sided bonds, called “parasocial relationships” can foster acceptance of others and help boost self-esteem. But beware, they also make you more susceptible to some advertising. (Online. January 20, 2022)
Classroom discussion questions
Addiction can develop when reward-seeking changes a teen’s brain
Reward-seeking leads to changes in teen brains. Over time, the rewards disappear even as a craving for them grows, but stress to regain those rewards can drive many teens to use again and again. (Online. February 10, 2022)
Classroom discussion questions
Warning! Nicotine poses special risk to teens
Even a single dose of nicotine during early teen years can change the way the brain is wired and start a life-long cycle of nicotine use and addiction. (Online. May 19, 2022)
Classroom discussion questions
Persuasion can be used to change hearts and minds
Persuasion can be used for good — or ill — to change how people feel. To protect yourself against undue persuasion, pay attention. (Online. September 1, 2022)
Classroom discussion questions
Forensic scientists are gaining and edge on crime
New developments have boosted the ability of forensic scientists to puzzle out what happened at a crime scene, allowing them to recover invisible fingerprints and ID people from tiny bits of bone, tissue, or just a few cells’ worth of DNA. (Online. December 22, 2022)
Classroom discussion questions
Neanderthals were a lot like our human ancestors
Think calling someone a Neanderthal is an insult? Think again. New evidence shows they lived in groups, used fire to make tools, made sophisticated cords (ropes), and even had health care. (Online. January 19, 2023)
Classroom discussion questions