Clik here to view.
Smithsonian Science Education Center Launches Weather Lab
Visualizing Weather Formed by Ocean Currents and Air MassesHave you ever wondered how weather forms? You can see the effects of weather when it’s snowing or a storm rolls through, but it’s difficult to...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The Art of Scientific Books
You may know that the Smithsonian Natural History Museum contains the Hope Diamond. You may not be aware of one of the museum’s other gems, the Cullman Library. The Cullman library is part of...
View ArticleClik here to view.
SSEC Hosted Educators from Japan
On April 29, 2015, the Smithsonian Science Education Center (SSEC) had the honor and pleasure to host 14 visiting educators from Japan as part of the 2015 Japan-U.S. Teacher Exchange Program for...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Literacy Doesn’t Just Mean Reading
When I took on the challenge to integrate literacy into new SSEC products, I immediately started thinking about how we would develop reading materials for young learners. That seemed logical…literacy...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Good Thinking! A new approach to professional development for science educators
Findings from science education research rarely make their way into classroom practice. As I’ve discussed before on the PLOS Sci-Ed blog, there are a lot of entrenched barriers that continue to...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Reaching New Horizons: We’re Going to Pluto!
Featuring Dr. Alan Stern Poor Pluto is finally getting a visit! To the disappointment of stargazers everywhere, the icy space rock, only 1/6 the size of Earth, was downgraded to a “dwarf planet” in...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Meet a NASA Space Scientist
Dr. Jennifer Stern is a Space Scientist at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland. Katya Vines, a Science Curriculum Developer at the Smithsonian Science Education Center, recently...
View ArticleClik here to view.
It’s a Bird, It’s a Plane, It’s a Bad Biology Pun!
If you have ever closely studied members of the phylum Echinodermata, you might ponder, “How can I tell a male sea cucumber from a female?” In this case, you would be prudent to accept the wisdom of...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Your Daily Dose of Disturbing: The Dementor Wasp
Watch this video. WATCH. IT. If you’re anything like me, it will leave you will your mouth hanging open, slightly unsettled, at one of nature’s most incredible, disconcerting, skin-crawling species:...
View ArticleClik here to view.
When Science Isn’t Fun
Whenever I’m engaged in small talk at a conference, soiree, or any other miscellaneous function where people talk about what they do (in Washington DC, that happens to be all functions, everywhere),...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Behind-the-Scenes of the New Horizons Pluto Flyby
Click the CC button to enable captionsHow Thinking Like a Kindergartener Landed Me at Johns-Hopkins After my sophomore year of college, I became infected with a passionate curiosity and optimism....
View ArticleClik here to view.
Taking the First Step – Colorado Strategic Planning Institute
“The first step towards getting somewhere is to decide that you are not going to stay where you are.” – J.P. MorganHello, my name is Tami McDonald. I am the Colorado Regional Coordinator for the...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Why Do Mosquito Bites Itch? The Science of Summer
Brain freeze, sunburns, and bug bites – welcome to summer! While summer in the Northern Hemisphere often conjures up images of swimming pools and beach umbrellas, it also comes with a few pains. While...
View ArticleClik here to view.
It’s a bird, it’s a plane… It’s Energy’s Innovations!
The second Smithsonian Science Education Academy for Teachers (SSEAT) of the summer came to a successful close once again in the middle of July. The focus of this academy was Energy’s Innovations and...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Blue Crab Engineering: A Biomimicry Project for All Ages
Sometimes, a blue crab and a handful of Popsicle sticks can teach you more than a textbook. This June at our Science Education Academy for Teachers on biodiversity, educators from across America...
View ArticleClik here to view.
What I Did on my Summer Vacation
Inspired by our friends at FableVision, we decided to highlight what we did for the summer. Summer is a very busy time for the Smithsonian Science Education Center. This summer, we brought you Good...
View ArticleClik here to view.
How Do Scientists Study Mars? An Interview with Dr. Jim Zimbelman
Click the “CC” button to enable captions. At 140 million miles from Earth, Mars isn’t exactly a stone’s throw away – in fact, it takes about nine months (and several billion dollars) to reach the Red...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Earthworms, Volcanoes, and What It Means To Be a Scientist
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...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Leafsnap Turns Students into Hands-On Botanists
Photographing a leaf with the Leafsnap app“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...
View ArticleClik here to view.
7 Animals That Were Made for Halloween
Ghost bats, witch fish – it seems like animals all over the world are permanently dressed up for Halloween! Thanks to the Encyclopedia of Life, supported by the Smithsonian, we found seven of these...
View Article
