Educator Guides

Use articles from the January issue of Science News to review components of respiration and photosynthesis while students investigate what impact megafire smoke may have on California nut trees and have students explore how a Dune-inspired spacesuit may filter urine into drinkable water.

Incorporate articles from the December 14 & 28 Science News issue to introduce the importance of functional groups using the pigments aldehyde and carboxyl psittacofulvin found in parrots and to discuss how chemical analysis can support conclusions made about the metabolism of vampire bats.

Review the major components of the immune system then have students investigate lifecycles of pathogens and the possibility of polar bear exposure to them and discuss the ethics of experimental design using a rat training study with articles from the November 20 issue of Science News.

Use a carnivorous plant enzyme and an enzyme from a symbiotic fungal friend to introduce catalysts to your students before having them investigate their own example and potential applications and show popular “liquid cat” in-home experiments to teach about experimental design.

Begin a unit on natural selection using the northern sea robin before having students create their own species with adaptations specific to a unique habitat and introduce a new type of gamma ray electromagnetic radiation found from lightning with articles from the November 2 issue of Science News.

Incorporate articles from the October 19 issue of Science News to begin a unit on energy transfer by having students compare how convective cells of gas on the surface of a distant star are like a lava lamp and discuss how an experimental failure led to a surprising discovery of photoluminescent bat toes.

Check out recent articles from the October 5 issue of Science News to have students investigate a recent study of backflipping springtails, calculate the velocity and acceleration of springtail flips, and design their own Olympic event with another impressive arthropod. Use the comprehension lesson plan to have students learn how mayo served as a model for nuclear […]

Use shooting stars as an example phenomenon to explain how phenomena are studied using the Science and Engineering Practices and have students evaluate the claim, evidence and reasoning for why hydraulic engineering may have helped ancient Egyptians build the pyramids using these lesson plans tied to articles from the September 7 & 21 issue of […]

Use news articles from the August 24 Science News issue to discuss a new possible element and learn how elements get onto the periodic table and practice what happens during transcription and translation while learning about recently analyzed woolly mammoth DNA.

Integrate recent articles from the May 4 & 18 issue of Science News to have students discuss how graphs can promote misinformation and learn about unconventional approaches to tattooing while answering experimental design questions.

Use two articles from the April 20 issue of Science News to have students think critically about methods of training AI that can teach them how to influence human behavior and have students conduct observations of an animal and reflect on what they can learn about animal behavior.

Have students explore an archive of 3D scans of vertebrate anatomy and form a scientific question and learn how scientists could use trees to help detect high-energy neutrinos using these lesson plans paired to articles from the April 6 issue of Science News.