Desperately Seeking Goldenrod Paper


Donna Giachetti, Educational Innovationsby: Donna Giachetti

 In a February 2014 blog post we said goodbye to the last of our goldenrod paper supply, a beloved staple in many science teachers’ classrooms.

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What It Means to Be a Teacher


Donna Giachetti, Educational Innovationsby:  Donna Giachetti

If you’re reading this, chances are you’re a teacher.

If you spend more than an hour a day with kids—from 1 to 100 (in age and quantity)—chances are you’re a teacher.

If you’ve grinned at our Facebook comics or said “I need that!” while clicking through our website, chances are you’re a teacher.

But what is a teacher?

Here’s what the dictionary says:

Source: Merriam-Webster dictionary online

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At Halloween, Science Is Cooler than Ever


Donna Giachetti, Educational Innovationsby: Donna Giachetti

In the spring
a young man’s fancy
lightly turns to thoughts of love.”

 —Alfred, Lord Tennyson

Alfred may have a point, but these days our thoughts turn to darker, spookier things—zombies, ghouls, witches, monsters and ghosts (more about them later, scroll down to the end of the blog).

Why is autumn one of our favorite times of year?

Let us count the ways:

  •     A new school year…
  •    Cooler temperatures…
  •    Warm, cozy sweaters and boots…
  •    A procession of colorful fall foliage…

But best of all, there’s the anticipation of HALLOWEEN! What a wonderful time to be a mad scientist! Read the rest of this entry »


The Microscale Vacuum Apparatus


Tami O'Connor, Educational Innovationsby: Tami O’Connor

After the birth of my youngest child I decided to get a teaching position at a school closer to home. Until that point, I had only taught in the elementary grades. As it turned out, a seventh grade science position had opened up in the middle school in the next town, and, shortly after I filed my application, I was called in for an interview. Because it was already early June when the opening occurred, things moved along rather quickly.

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