This book empowers teens by tapping into their interests and imaginations through opportunities to design unique science projects. Intriguing hands-on projects are closely tied to the Next Generation Science Standards. Fun projects like growing hydroponic plants and attention-grabbing topics like slime and electromagnetic trains draw students into active learning. Curiosity-sparking sidebars include high-interest topics like space exploration and satellites. Through project-based learning students develop strategies for testing, analyzing data, and using critical thinking. Readers learn to present their discoveries with peer presentations. The author, a degreed chemical engineer and professional project manager, voices genuine enthusiasm for science projects.

Controlled investigations, the classic sort of science experiment that involved controlled and dependent variables, have been the source of much scientific knowledge over the years. Learners will engage with science through controlled investigations using Project-Based Learning, or PBL, a student-centered pedagogy that involves active and inquiry-based learning. Each project asks student groups to consider an essential question to form a hypothesis and use technology, research, and experimentation to prove or disprove the hypothesis. Sidebars give learners context for what they're learning in each chapter, and a comprehensive list of useful, PBL-friendly tools is provided for reference.

Taking a cue from notable scientists such as Charles Darwin and Jane Goodall, project-based learning in field investigations invites students to explore science outside the classroom. One way to inspire readers' excitement and curiosity about science is to empower them with the tools to find real-world answers to big questions. A field investigation is a scientific research process that involves a systematic collection of data from the environment that contributes to a better understanding of science concepts in the natural world. Twelve hands-on projects with subjects correlate to the Next Generation Science Standards, including field investigations in physics, life sciences, and engineering design.

Engaging in secondary research investigations allows students to actively explore far-reaching, real-world issues without specialized equipment or spending decades generating usable data. This resource's projects establish a step-by-step process to support the design and completion of research investigations in many scientific disciplines. Students will organize, analyze, and draw conclusions from raw scientific data while researching timely, relevant topics of personal interest. With tips on how to evaluate potential bias, organize and sustain a prolonged research project, and communicate scientific findings, this book prepares students to excel in advanced coursework, and also help launch them into the world as scientifically literate, conscientious global citizens.

Researchers, historians, and philosophers of science have debated the nature of scientific research in education for more than 100 years. Recent enthusiasm for "evidence-based" policy and practice in educationâ€"now codified in the federal law that authorizes the bulk of elementary and secondary education programsâ€"have brought a new sense of urgency to understanding the ways in which the basic tenets of science manifest in the study of teaching, learning, and schooling. Scientific Research in Education describes the similarities and differences between scientific inquiry in education and scientific inquiry in other fields and disciplines and provides a number of examples to illustrate these ideas. Its main argument is that all scientific endeavors share a common set of principles, and that each fieldâ€"including education researchâ€"develops a specialization that accounts for the particulars of what is being studied. The book also provides suggestions for how the federal government can best support high-quality scientific research in education.

"Students learn by doing. Science investigation and engineering design provide an opportunity for students to do. When students engage in science investigation and engineering design, they are able to engage deeply with phenomena as they ask questions, collect and analyze data, generate and utilize evidence, and develop models to support explanations and solutions. Research studies demonstrate that deeper engagement leads to stronger conceptual understandings of science content than what is demonstrated through more traditional, memorization-intensive approaches. Investigations provide the evidence student need to construct explanations for the causes of phenomena. Constructing understanding by actively engaging in investigation and design also creates meaningful and memorable learning experiences for all students. These experiences pique students' curiosity and lead to greater interest and identity in science"--Preface.

Science, engineering, and technology permeate nearly every facet of modern life and hold the key to solving many of humanity's most pressing current and future challenges. The United States' position in the global economy is declining, in part because U.S. workers lack fundamental knowledge in these fields. To address the critical issues of U.S. competitiveness and to better prepare the workforce, A Framework for K-12 Science Education proposes a new approach to K-12 science education that will capture students' interest and provide them with the necessary foundational knowledge in the field. A Framework for K-12 Science Education outlines a broad set of expectations for students in science and engineering in grades K-12. These expectations will inform the development of new standards for K-12 science education and, subsequently, revisions to curriculum, instruction, assessment, and professional development for educators. This book identifies three dimensions that convey the core ideas and practices around which science and engineering education in these grades should be built. These three dimensions are: crosscutting concepts that unify the study of science through their common application across science and engineering; scientific and engineering practices; and disciplinary core ideas in the physical sciences, life sciences, and earth and space sciences and for engineering, technology, and the applications of science. The overarching goal is for all high school graduates to have sufficient knowledge of science and engineering to engage in public discussions on science-related issues, be careful consumers of scientific and technical information, and enter the careers of their choice. A Framework for K-12 Science Education is the first step in a process that can inform state-level decisions and achieve a research-grounded basis for improving science instruction and learning across the country. The book will guide standards developers, teachers, curriculum designers, assessment developers, state and district science administrators, and educators who teach science in informal environments.