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List of paper clip projects
Science

Five Fun Science Projects with Paper Clips

by Miguel Guhlin
written by Miguel Guhlin

With the right sized paper clip, anything is possible. That’s not only because of National Paper Clip Day, which happens on May 29 every year. It’s because many paper clips have certain attributes and properties that are science-friendly. Let’s explore some science-friendly paperclip activities!

Did You Know?

Invented in 1867, manufactured in its current form (a.k.a. “Gem clip”), the paper clip has come a long way. In 1940, during World War II, Oslo University (Norway) students relied on it as a non-violent symbol. “A symbol of resistance, unity, and national pride.” The students chose it because it “binds things together.”

Explore the National Paperclip Day Timeline

Attractive Paper Grippers

My favorite attribute of paper clips? They bind stuff together without damaging it. A staple is a permanent decision, but a paper clip gets the job done. I carry a paper clip with me everywhere I go, but there’s a lot more that I could use it for. Aside from holding papers together, it’s qualities make it versatile:

  • Paper clips are made from galvanized steel wire.
  • Their diameter is 0.9-1.3 mm.
  • Most paper clips weigh about 1 gram.
  • Due to high surface tension of water, paper clips can float on water surfaces.
  • They’re usually a silver/gray metallic color from the steel.
  • They’re made of hard metal but malleable and bendable into different shapes

What’s more, paper clips can be attracted to magnets. Even more cool, paper clips can exhibit magnetic hysteresis behavior. That’s a fancy way of saying, apply a magnet to a paper clip, and it becomes magnetized. And, let’s not forget, a box of paper clips is inexpensive, making it perfect for class projects.

Given these attributes, what science projects are possible?

Project #1: Paper Clip Floating Experiment

Introducing the Scientific Principle of Surface Tension. Water molecules create a strong cohesive force at the surface. This allows support of light objects like paper clips.

Did you see Sir Anthony Hopkins float a paper clip to make a compass in the movie “The Edge” (language warning)? Since I saw that scene, I have wanted to try this. The list of materials needed is low and easy to scrounge up:

  • Paper clips
  • Bowl of water
  • Tissue paper
  • Magnet

You can run a magnet about twenty times or so along the length of a straightened paper clip to magnetize it. Then, place it atop something that floats in water (like a piece of foam). After a few moments, it will align itself to magnetic North (source).

Project #2: Paper Clip Chain

Introducing the Scientific Principle of Magnetism. Paper clips can be magnetized by aligning their magnetic domains, and magnetic fields extend beyond magnets to attract/move paper clips.

You may remember that fancy term, magnetic hysteresis behavior, from earlier. As a young person, I found it cool and fun to do. Did you know that the record for longest paper clip chain was set in 2004 by sixty students at a Utah high school? The chain was 22.17 miles long, using over 15 million paper clips. Set a challenge for your students!

All you need are a few paper clips and magnets. The goal is to magnetize paper clips so that they connect.

You can get the activity going by following these steps. You can also refer to this free Teachers Pay Teachers (TPT) resource.

  1. Magnetize the paper clips.
  2. Touch the magnet to a paper clip, then touch a second paper clip with the first one.
  3. Repeat the process with each subsequent clip.
  4. See how many paper clips you can link together (and perhaps, graph the total number).

You can also test the strength of different magnets by counting how many paper clips they can pick up. Create a graph for each and see if results vary from student group to group.

List of paper clip projects
View Paper Clip Projects | Get a copy in Canva

Project #3: Paper Clip Circuits

Introducing the Scientific Principle of Electrical Conductivity. Metal paper clips act as conductors. These allow electron flow and complete a circuit with a battery and light bulb.

With metal paper clips, you can get your students learning about conductivity. To start making simple circuits, you’ll just need:

  • A battery
  • Paper clips
  • Small light bulb

You will also need some electricity conducting (or not) materials like plastic, rubber, aluminum foil, etc. Anything that you can use to test electrical conductivity. Here is a project on this from Science Buddies.

Project #4: Paper Clips and Water Displacement

Introducing the Scientific Principle of Water Displacement. When an object is immersed in water, it pushes water out of the way, causing the water level to rise. The volume of water displaced is equal to the volume of the submerged portion of the object. If the weight of the displaced water is greater than the weight of the object, the object will float. If the weight of the displaced water is less than the weight of the object, it will sink. This principle is known as Archimedes’ Principle.

You already know that you can float a paper clip on the surface of water with tension. Of course, water is holding the paper clip up, the same way water striders take advantage of it.

But you can also test to see how much paper clips might displace water in a glass or cup. See this science experiment for how to measure paper clips in a glass of water. The floating paper clip experiment website offers more resources.

Project #5: Paper Clip Structures

Introducing the Scientific Principle of Engineering Design. Concepts like structural integrity, stability, creative problem-solving are addressed.

While you can build something out of almost anything, paper clips are more fun. That’s because their metallic composition enables them to be bent and wrapped around each other. Check out this amazing creation:

Dall-E generated image

Creating a paper clip snub dodecahedron a unique and intricate project! To achieve this, you’ll need to follow a few steps to construct this complex polyhedron using paper clips. Here’s how you can go about it:

Materials Needed:

  • 120 paper clips (preferably new or straightened for uniformity).
  • Pliers for bending and adjusting the paper clips.
  • Optional: Rubber bands or small wire ties to temporarily hold junctions.

Steps to Construct a Paperclip Snub Dodecahedron:

Step 1: Understand the Structure

  • A snub dodecahedron is an Archimedean solid with 80 vertices, 150 edges, and 92 faces (12 regular pentagons and 80 equilateral triangles).
  • You’ll be creating this structure by linking paper clips to form each edge.

Step 2: Prepare the Paper Clips

  • Straighten all the paper clips. You can use pliers to help straighten and bend them as needed.
  • Each edge of the snub dodecahedron will be represented by one straightened paperclip.

Step 3: Construct the Basic Units

  • Pentagons: Connect 5 paper clips end-to-end to form a pentagon. Make 12 of these.
  • Triangles: Connect 3 paper clips end-to-end to form a triangle. You will need to make 80 triangles.

Step 4: Assemble the Faces

  • Begin by creating a small assembly of a few pentagons and triangles. Attach triangles around each pentagon. The triangles will share edges with each other and the pentagons.
  • Remember, each vertex connects three shapes: two triangles and one pentagon.

Step 5: Continue the Assembly

  • Gradually add more pentagons and triangles, ensuring that each connection is correct according to the snub dodecahedron’s geometry. It’s helpful to refer to a model or image of a snub dodecahedron for accuracy.
  • Use rubber bands or wire ties to hold the structure together if necessary.

Step 6: Final Adjustments

  • Once all the elements are connected, go through each junction and make sure every paperclip is securely fastened and properly shaped. Adjust with pliers as needed.
  • Remove any temporary rubber bands or ties if you used them.

Tips:

  • Be patient and meticulous. Constructing a geometric model with paper clips can be challenging due to their flexibility and tendency to slip.
  • Work on a flat surface and possibly have a diagram of a snub dodecahedron to reference the structure as you build.

In the world of education, where innovation meets inspiration, the humble paper clip emerges as a versatile tool for scientific exploration. From magnetism to electrical conductivity, paper clips offer endless opportunities for engaging experiments and creative projects. National Paper Clip Day may come once a year, but the wonders of paper clip science know no bounds. So, grab your paper clips and join us as we delve into a realm where curiosity knows no limits, and learning knows no bounds. Let’s clip together a brighter future, one experiment at a time.

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ScienceSTEM/STEAM

Blast Off into Learning: Celebrate National Astronaut Day!

by Peggy Reimers
written by Peggy Reimers

Buckle up and prepare for liftoff, because on May 5, we’re celebrating National Astronaut Day! National Astronaut Day is dedicated to honoring the brave men and women who have ventured beyond our atmosphere, pushing the boundaries of human exploration.

What Is National Astronaut Day?

This special day commemorates the historic moment in 1961 when Alan Shepard became the first American to journey into space aboard the Freedom 7 capsule. While his suborbital flight only lasted 15 minutes and reached an altitude of 116 miles, it marked a giant leap for humanity and ignited a passion for space exploration that continues to this day.

National Astronaut Day is more than just a celebration of past achievements. It’s a fantastic opportunity to inspire your students and spark their curiosity about the universe. Imagine the excitement you can cultivate by using this day to explore the lives and accomplishments of these modern-day heroes. Do remember, this day falls on a Sunday in 2024, so plan accordingly.

I have designed three resources for this space-tacular day. Don’t forget to check out the section at the end for even more stellar ideas and materials curated from the vast reaches of the web!

Activity #1: Astronaut Firsts 

Presentation about astronauts
Presentation link | Template link

I personally never can remember what John Glenn and Neil Armstrong did first! So just in case you get your astronauts mixed up like I do, you need this Canva presentation. The slide deck has 12 astronauts which includes their photo, achievement, and date of the event. Use it for a jumping point to talk about notable astronauts or perhaps students can choose an astronaut and explore additional details about the astronaut’s life, extraordinary space-feat, and their contributions to space exploration.

Activity #2: Things We Have Because of Space Travel

Trivia game for kids for National Astronaut Day on inventions we have thanks to space exploration.
Presentation link

Space travel has been instrumental in providing all kinds of inventions and technologies that make life easier for humans on Earth. Do you know what we have and use today thanks to space exploration? Test your knowledge with this 12-question quiz! Play it as a class, in teams, or partner students up. Each question offers three multiple-choice answers that might just stump you and your students. How many can you figure out?

Activity #3: Space Syllacrostic Puzzle

Access the Syllacrostic Puzzle

I’m excited to share another syllacrostic puzzle! This is the fourth syllacrostic I’ve made since I first tried my hand at a Thanksgiving theme a couple of years ago. This 18-word syllacrostic puzzle is space-themed. Remember teachers you can always email me for the answers at preimers@tcea.org .

Just in case you are unfamiliar with this type of puzzle, here are the basics. A syllacrostic puzzle has 15 to 20 words to solve. You use the given pool of syllables to help you find the answers. The activity also has the following information as clues for each word:

  1. A related word or phrase
  2. The number of syllables in the word
  3. The number of letters for each word

Additional Astronaut Day Resources

Hopefully, these resources, mixed with a sprinkle of your own creativity, can transform your classroom into a launchpad for space exploration!  May your students be inspired by the bravery and achievements of astronauts, and ignite their own passion for the wonders of the universe. Happy National Astronaut Day!

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Earth Day is the perfect time to inspire students with activities, lessons, and projects about caring for the earth.
Earth DayScienceSTEM/STEAM

Earth Day Ideas to Inspire Young Eco-Heroes

by Emily Horn
written by Emily Horn

Earth Day, observed annually on April 22, is a global day dedicated to environmental protection and sustainability. Originating in 1970, it has grown into a worldwide movement, emphasizing the importance of collective action in preserving our planet. For educators, Earth Day provides a unique opportunity to inspire students with the values of environmental stewardship, integrating educational activities that emphasize the importance of caring for our planet. Here are several ways K-12 schools can celebrate Earth Day and instill a sense of environmental responsibility.

1. Start with an Earth Day assembly.

Kick off Earth Day with a school-wide assembly that highlights the importance of the day. Invite guest speakers, such as local environmentalists, scientists, or activists, to share their insights on environmental protection and sustainability. This can be an inspiring way to start the day, making students more receptive to the activities planned. You can have classes share projects they are working on for Earth Day. Consider playing trivia or sharing quizzes from EarthDay.org to spread awareness on certain issues. You can also announce a school-wide clean-up day to beautify the community and instill a sense of responsibility and teamwork.

2. Organize environmental workshops and projects.

Plan workshops and projects that focus on various environmental themes, such as recycling, composting, water conservation, and renewable energy. Tailor these workshops to different age groups, ensuring the content is age-appropriate and engaging. Hands-on activities, such as building a compost bin or creating art from recycled materials, can make these lessons more impactful. There are many cities with nonprofits, associations, and organizations (like Keep Austin Beautiful) with missions for providing environmental education programming, events, and resources to the community. You can also contact universities near you to see if they offer programming or would like to collaborate on a workshop or project.

3. Plant trees and create gardens.

Tree planting is a quintessential Earth Day activity that can have a lasting impact on the environment. If space allows, create a school garden or a green space where students can plant trees, flowers, and even vegetables. This not only beautifies the school environment but also serves as a practical lesson in botany and ecology. You can also join One Tree Planted’s T.R.E.E.S. School Program or apply for free trees for Earth Day 2025 through Neighborhood Forest. Kids Gardening also shares a multitude of tips and resources for planning a school garden program. The Nature Conservancy provides lessons on how to build a school garden step-by-step along with other gardening lessons.

4. Host an Earth Day Fair!

An Earth Day fair can showcase students’ projects on environmental topics, such as climate change, wildlife conservation, and sustainable living. This can include poster presentations, models, and even digital projects. Involve the local community by inviting parents and other community members to view and discuss the projects, fostering a larger community of environmental stewards. Science Buddies offers “Nine Steps to Plan Your Virtual Science Fair” that can be easily transferred to an Earth Day Fair if you’d prefer to go digital with your event!

5. Incorporate environmental lessons and activities in your classroom.

While Earth Day is a great time to focus on environmental education, integrating these topics into the curriculum throughout the year can reinforce the importance of sustainability. Subjects like science, geography, and even literature can include lessons on environmental protection, conservation, and the effects of climate change. Here are several additional resources for Earth Day you can use on April 22 or any day:

Celebrating Earth Day in K-12 schools is more than just a one-day event; it’s an opportunity to sow the seeds of environmental stewardship in young minds. By engaging students in activities that emphasize the importance of caring for the planet, educators can inspire a new generation of environmental protectors. From hands-on projects like tree planting and clean-ups to incorporating environmental education into the curriculum, there are countless ways to make Earth Day meaningful for students. By fostering an appreciation for the natural world and the importance of sustainable practices, schools can play a pivotal role in ensuring a healthier planet for future generations.

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Four Solar Eclipse Themed Activities: Digital Breakout, All About the Sun Game, Creative Myth Writing, and Stop Motion.
Science

Four Solar Eclipse-Themed Activities

by Peggy Reimers
written by Peggy Reimers

Hopefully, you have marked your calendars for April 8, 2024, when the total solar eclipse will take place. The Great North American Eclipse, as it has been dubbed by some, will span Texas and 12 other states, granting them the experience of totality. Here in Texas, the path will cut diagonally across the entire state from Val Verde County (southwest Texas) to Red River County (northeast Texas). The Lone Star State is in full preparation mode and hopefully, this article will give you ideas to enhance your celebration of this natural phenomenon.

1. The 2024 Solar Eclipse Breakout

Eclipse Digital Breakout Header

Are you ready to embark on a celestial mission and unlock the mysteries of the eclipse? The 2024 Solar Eclipse Breakout awaits your brilliance! This breakout adventure will test your problem-solving skills, teamwork, and knowledge of the cosmos.

Prepare to:

  • Navigate through a web of information: Unravel clues and hidden messages carefully concealed within the site’s content.
  • Tackle challenging puzzles: Put your critical thinking and collaboration skills to work as you unlock four digital puzzles: 5 Shape Lock, 5 Number Lock, 7 Letter Lock, and 4 Color Lock.
  • Submit your answers through a user-friendly Google Form: Each solved puzzle brings you closer to the ultimate goal— a breakout.

Teachers, remember if you need answers, email preimers@tcea.org! 

2. Write Solar Eclipse Myths

Example of a myth written about a solar eclipse.

A myth is a special kind of story that people told long ago to explain things they didn’t understand, like how the world was created or why certain phenomena happen. Several cultures had myths that helped them understand the mysteries of the world. They would imagine powerful gods, magical creatures, and brave heroes in these stories. And you know what? Weather phenomena like hurricanes and earthquakes could have their own stories, too! Imagine ancient storytellers trying to make sense of big storms or the ground shaking. For example, the ancient Greeks had myths to explain various aspects of the natural world, including weather phenomena. For instance, they believed that Zeus, the king of the gods, controlled thunder and lightning. The thunderstorms were thought to be caused by Zeus wielding his mighty thunderbolt. 

Teachers, have your students unleash their inner myth-making skills. Students can create their own story to explain why a solar eclipse occurs! You could also have them illustrate their story. For an added AI twist, use tools like Padlet or Canva to generate illustrations that complement their stories.

3. It’s All About the Sun

"It's All About the Sun" activity showcasing hints for answers that include the word "sun."

I am currently on a roll with a brand new type of game where you have to correctly complete a phrase with a certain commonality.  For “It’s All About the Sun,” each clue provides a hint related to a word or phrase including the word “sun.” If you are having a viewing party for family or friends, or if you want an activity for a faculty meeting, this is more geared for adults. 

Edit This Activity
View This Activity

4. Eclipse Stop Motion Animation

Solar Eclipse Stop Motion Template in Google Slides

Stop motion animation is more than just a fun activity. It’s a versatile tool in my educational tool belt! And, guess what? Eclipses are perfect subjects for stop motion! Here’s why:

  • Create, not consume: Stop motion encourages students to actively explore the science behind the eclipse, fostering a deeper understanding than simply watching a video.
  • Deep engagement: The process of planning, creating, and animating the eclipse keeps students actively involved in the learning process.
  • Digital skills development: Stop motion projects hone crucial digital literacy skills like problem-solving, storytelling, and technology use.
  • No physical materials needed: With just a smartphone, tablet, or computer, students can create engaging animations with Google Slides. No additional materials needed.

So, unleash the power of stop motion animation and let students explore the captivating world of eclipses in a whole new way!

Seven Easy Steps to Create a Stop-Motion-Effect Presentation

  1. Start a new Google Slides presentation or make a copy of my template to get started. 
  2. Set up your first slide with the moon, sun, and your background.
  3. Duplicate the slide.
  4. Make a change to the position of the moon. (I used one click of the up and left arrow to move the moon.)
  5. Duplicate new slide.
  6. Make another change to the position of the moon. 
  7. Repeat steps 3-6 until your moon blocks the sun!

Once your slide deck is created, you could use a screen capturing tool to record the animation of the slide deck. Start your recording by showing the presentation and then holding down your left arrow button. 

Another option is this simple hack using the feature in Google Slides called, “Publish to the Web.” It has a few steps but is easy enough to do.

  1. Open your eclipse Slide Deck.
  2. Under the File menu, open Share, and then Publish to Web.
  3. Click the option to “Start Slideshow as soon as the player loads.”
  4. Click the yellow box to Publish, and then Ok.
  5. Copy the newly created URL. 
  6. Open up a new window and paste the URL into your browser.
  7. In the URL, change the number 3000 to 150. This will greatly increase the speed of the auto advancement of the slides.
  8. Copy this new URL, and share is with the world! It will play your Google Slides presentation.

Two examples of eclipse stop motion animations:

A space background of stars frames the intersection of the sun and moon in a solar eclipse stop motion animation.
See an Example Stop Motion by Peggy R.
A landscape with trees and flowers frames the intersection of the sun and moon in a solar eclipse stop motion animation.
See an Example Stop Motion by Peggy P.
Note: Thank you to the Bastrop ISD G/T teacher and my friend, Peggy Perkins, for this stop motion eclipse rendition.

Whether you’re looking for a brain-teasing breakout challenge, the chance to explore the world of myths, a fun game for your gathering, or a creative stop-motion animation project, I hope you’ve found an activity you can use. If you’re looking for even more information on the eclipse, check out my colleague, Miguel Guhlin’s article, Solar Eclipse Activities, Resources, and Safety Information.

Remember, safety is paramount during an eclipse. Never look directly at the sun without proper eye protection, even during partial phases. Enjoy the eclipse responsibly!

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An infographic with K-5 Editable Science TEKS Spreadsheets shown.
ScienceTEKS

The NEW K-5 Science TEKS and Free, Editable Spreadsheets

by Emily Horn
written by Emily Horn

I’m back again with more info on Texas teachers’ most beloved topic: the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS). This time, we’ll look at some information on the new K-5 Science TEKS. How new are they? So new, they’ll be implemented next school year. You may have seen my posts about the K-5 ELAR TEKS (which contains information on how the TEKS are reviewed and revised) and the K-5 math TEKS. But today, we have long-awaited and highly anticipated editable spreadsheets with the new science TEKS and coordinating “I Can” statements for grades K-5. Who’s excited? Just me? Ok.

What Are the TEKS?

In short, the TEKS are the curricular standards adopted by the Texas State Board of Education. These standards outline what students should know and be able to do in each content area for each grade level. State-mandated tests are aligned with these standards to measure student achievement and skills acquisition.

About the Science TEKS

In 2021, the SBOE approved the new K-12 Science TEKS, which will be implemented in the 2024-2025 school year. Here are some top things to know (from the 2021 Science TEKS introduction) and a few notable differences between the 2017 Science TEKS and the updated 2021 TEKS:

1. Within the Science TEKS introductions for each grade level, there is a brief overview of the concepts covered. This is helpful for understanding the overarching science content covered in each grade and how prior knowledge is built upon year after year in vertical alignment.

2. Previously, the science standards focused on 1) scientific investigation and reasoning, 2) matter and energy, 3) force, motion, and energy, 4) earth and space, and 5) organisms and environments. However, these were not formally called “strands.” The new TEKS content officially has five “strands.” The only change is that 2017’s “scientific investigation and reasoning” was updated to “scientific and engineering practices” in 2021. Here are the current strands for the Science TEKS:

  • Scientific and engineering practices.
  • Matter and its properties.
  • Force, motion, and energy.
  • Earth and space.
  • Organisms and environment.

3. The updated TEKS intro goes further to explain scientific inquiry and describe and define the three methods of investigation that should be employed:

  • Descriptive: This has no hypothesis, answers a research question, and involves collecting and recording data without comparing.
  • Correlative and comparative: These have a hypothesis, predict a relationship, involve collecting and recording data, comparing results, etc.
  • Experimental: Similar to comparative, this involves testing a hypothesis by comparing “a treatment with a control.”

4. As part of the scientific and engineering practices, the new TEKS introduction defines scientific practices and engineering practices. Additionally, like the 2017 Science TEKS, there is a minimum percentage of instructional time recommended for each grade level to spend integrating scientific and engineering practices. The suggested percentages for each grade level did not change between the 2017 and 2021 Science TEKS.

5. The 2021 Science TEKS introduction kept the same definition of science from the National Academy of Sciences but expanded upon it. The new TEKS acknowledge that science is changing, stating that students should be aware that some phenomena aren’t currently able to be tested, so some questions may go unanswered.

6. Additionally, the new Science TEKS intro clearly defines scientific observations, inferences, hypotheses, and scientific theories, whereas the 2017 introduction did not.

7. Another new addition to the 2021 TEKS is the inclusion of a statement on “science and social ethics.” This statement basically says that science has ethics for conducting research. Students should know the difference between scientific ethics and broader ethics involving science.

8. Like the 2017 introduction, the 2021 TEKS includes a section on “recurring themes and concepts.” However, the 2021 version is more robust, further defining structure and function, systems, models, patterns, change, and constancy.

9. As in the 2017 version, within the standards, “such as” is used to illustrate examples, whereas “including” alludes to content that must be mastered.

Helpful TEKS Documents

Science TEKS Freebies from TCEA

Ok. That’s done! Now let’s get to the freebies. Click the links to make a copy of the editable TEKS spreadsheets for your grade level(s). Each spreadsheet has a tab with the TEKS and a tab with correlating “I can” statements. Is there something else TEKS-related that would be helpful? If so, let me know in the comments or send me an email (ehorn@tcea.org). I’d love to hear from you!

A blue, gold, and white infographic with the title "Free and Editable Science TEKS Grades K-5 Spreadsheets:
K Science TEKS Spreadsheet image
Click to make a copy of the Kindergarten Science TEKS and “I Can” Statement Spreadsheet
Grade 1 Science TEKS Spreadsheet
Click to make a copy of the Grade 1 Science TEKS and “I Can” Statement Spreadsheet
Grade 2 Science TEKS Spreadsheet
Click to make a copy of the Grade 2 Science TEKS and “I Can” Statement Spreadsheet
Grade 3 Science TEKS Spreadsheet
Click to make a copy of the Grade 3 Science TEKS and “I Can” Statement Spreadsheet
Grade 4 Science TEKS Spreadsheet
Click to make a copy of the Grade 4 Science TEKS and “I Can” Statement Spreadsheet
Click to make a copy of the Grade 5 Science TEKS and “I Can” Statement Spreadsheet

Additional STAAR and TEKS Articles You May Find Useful

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a young woman with test tubes
Science

Science Activities for Critical Thinking

by Miguel Guhlin
written by Miguel Guhlin

Are you ready for exciting science activities? Science and engineering are puzzles. They’re like adventures. You need curiosity to dive into details. As NGSS says, it’s all about getting into the heart of things.

…students cannot fully understand scientific and engineering ideas without engaging in the practices of inquiry and the discourses by which such ideas are developed and refined. At the same time, they cannot learn or show competence in practices except in the context of specific content. (NRC Framework, 2012, p. 218)

To understand science, you need to dive in. Roll up your sleeves! Get your hands dirty with activities. So, let’s start now! Here are some of my favorite science activities for critical thinking.

Why Teach Critical Thinking?

Wondering about the importance of teaching critical thinking through analysis, engineering, and exploration? It helps students:

  1. Understand Better: Grasp topics more easily.
  2. Solve Problems: Improve at tackling challenges and making wise decisions.
  3. Think Independently: Develop self-thinking, understanding, and openness to new ideas.
  4. Communicate Effectively: Enhance speaking skills through collaborative science.
  5. Prepare for the Future: Get ready for life’s challenges.

Each reason is crucial. Together, they highlight the need for teaching critical thinking. It profoundly impacts learners. Now, let’s explore those activities.

Activity #1: Fact Strainer Exercise

Need fast activities for your daughter? Check out Julie Bogart’s “Raising Critical Thinkers. A Parent’s Guide to Growing Wise Kids in the Digital Age.” It’s full of challenges for parents and students.

An example? The “Fact Strainer” exercise in Chapter 2. Kids sift facts from stories. They find facts in news articles about the same event. They highlight where these facts appear, like at the beginning, middle, or end. Then, they list the facts on paper in the order they found them.

Discuss why facts are placed where they are. What was the author’s goal? The exercise teaches spotting facts first. It helps ignore the writer’s bias. Bogart’s book has even more ideas along these lines.

Activity #2: Science Buddies Activities

Imagine having a buddy who’s always up for some cool science experiments. Science Buddies has a treasure trove of fun activities. These will make you say, “Whoa, I didn’t know science could be this awesome!” Featured activities include:

Activity #3: Education Possible

Education Possible has a great list of Fun and Engaging Science Activities for middle school students. They prove science can be exciting! In this collection, you will find activities like making volcanoes erupt, chemical reactions, and how to create rainbow colors. With these science activities, you are in for a blast (not the explosive kind, of course!). These are split up into life science, physical science. miscellaneous, and more.

Activity #4: 55 Clever 7th Grade Science Fair Projects and Classroom Experiments

Think your students are too young? These projects work for any grade. You might become a star science fair facilitator. Here are my top ten favorite activities from this article:

  1. Balloon-Powered Car: Build a balloon-driven car. Test its speed.
  2. Geodesic Dome: Use newspaper and tape to construct a sturdy dome.
  3. Solar Oven: Create an oven that cooks with the sun. Learn about energy.
  4. Spherify Drinks: Turn drinks into tiny balls. A chemistry experiment.
  5. Purify Water with Charcoal: See how charcoal filters water.
  6. Wave Machine: Make a simple machine to understand waves.
  7. Water Clock: Build an ancient-style clock. Watch how it measures time.
  8. DIY Barometer: Construct a barometer. Predict weather changes.
  9. Hydraulic Power: Explore hydraulics. Create your hydraulic device.
  10. Grow and Experiment with Crystals: Learn about crystals. Grow them yourself.

Given those cool activities, which would you try first?

Activity #5: Little Bins for Little Hands Science Experiments

Get ready to find wonders with everyday items. Additional science activities on this site feature chemistry, earth sciences, physics, and STEM. You and your students can create amazing things. From their website, here’s a supermarket supply list:

Mason jars, plastic bottles, baking soda, salt, vinegar, zip-top bags, rubber bands, glue, hydrogen peroxide, food coloring (optional), and other common items. These make science easy for everyone.

Using such materials brings science closer to students. Involve your whole school in collecting these supplies.

But wait, there’s more!

Explore over 60 science activities and videos! It’s like a science museum in your hands. Don’t miss this chance to turn learning into an adventure! Which activity will you try out first?

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Title "20+ Science Books for Girls" on top of various book covers.
ReadingScience

20+ Science Books for Middle and High School Girls

by Miguel Guhlin
written by Miguel Guhlin

Looking for science books for your daughter? Want to encourage critical thinking and thinking like a scientist? If so, let’s look at some recommendations from middle school science teachers. I’ll also add a few of my own selections from what I read with my daughter and, looking back, what I might add to the list.

What Is Critical Thinking?

One of my favorite authors is Louis L’Amour. He says in my favorite book of his, The Walking Drum:

“You are your own best teacher. My advice is to question all things. Seek for answers, and when you find what seems to be an answer, question that, too.”

Critical thinking is quite important, and this isn’t a bad way to think of it. Critical thinking is…

  • a set of skills and habits of mind,
  • a way to define a problem, identify assumptions, and analyze ideas
  • also an approach to reasoning in a critical manner
  • listing different possible causes
  • creating plausible solutions
  • evaluating the correctness of each using logical reasoning.
  • the ability to make creative connections between ideas from different disciplines (source)

Here is a great explanation of how to think like a scientist:

Kindling a Love of Reading

“Open a book, and you’ll never know where you end up.” It paraphrases a quote I read poring through Louis L’Amour’s Western stories. I’d stop at the library and pick up a “two-week” bag of books. In a few days, I’d return them all, finished. Every library I walked into was my church, every bookshelf, a pew. To pass on my love of reading, I would read to my daughter when she was younger. Years have passed, and we’re now both avid readers. Reading with your child is one of the best ways to grow a love of reading! My favorites to read to her at the time were a series of Did You Know? children’s books. Today, you can find a wide variety of Did You Know? science books online. Here are a few to explore:

Books that Use Science to Solve Problems

Introduce your daughter to Halley Harper, Science Girl Extraordinaire series of books. These five books feature a nine year old girl who uses science to solve problems. Topics range from the Laws of Motion to chemistry, fossils, nature, and outer space.

Science Books for Girls

Let’s look at 20+ nonfiction books to explore on the chemistry and physics shelf. These are primarily for middle and high schoolers. Explore them in more depth using the links provided.

  1. A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson
  2. Bomb (Graphic Novel): The Race to Build–and Steal–the World’s Most Dangerous Weapon by Steve Sheinkin and Nick Bertozzi
  3. Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer
  4. Empire of Ants: The Hidden Worlds and Extraordinary Lives of Earth’s Tiny Conquerors by Susanne Foitzik (Author), Olaf Fritsche (Author), Ayça Türkoglu (Translator)
  5. Headstrong: 52 Women Who Changed Science and the World by Rachel Swaby
  6. Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly
  7. Lab Girl Hope Jahren
  8. Marie Curie and Her Daughters: The Private Lives of Science’s First Family by Shelley Emling
  9. Parasite Rex: Inside the Bizarre World of Nature’s Most Dangerous Creatures by Carl Zimmer
  10. The Radium Girls by Kate Moore
  11. Science Comic series of 28 books by Maris Wicks, MK Reed, and many others
  12. “Surely You’re Joking, Mr. Feynman!”: Adventures of a Curious Character by Richard P. Feynman
  13. The Disappearing Spoon by Sam Kean
  14. The Glass Universe: How the Ladies of the Harvard Observatory Took the Measure of the Stars by Dave Sobel
  15. The Jazz of Physics by Stephon Alexander
  16. The Violinists Thumb: And Other Lost Tales of Love, War, and Genius, as Written by Our Genetic Code by Sam Kean
  17. What Einstein Told His Cook: Kitchen Science Explained by Robert L. Wolke
  18. What Einstein Told His Cook 2: The Sequel: Further Adventures in Kitchen Science by Robert L. Wolke
  19. Women in Science: 50 Fearless Pioneers Who Changed the World by Rachel Ignotofsky
  20. Women in White Coats by Olivia Campbell
  21. The Science of Science: A Guide to Thinking Like a Scientist by Crystal C. Li
  22. Think for Yourself: The Ultimate Guide to Critical Thinking in an Age of Information Overload and Misinformation by Andrea Debbink (author) and Aaron Meshon (illustrator)
  23. How to Think Like a Scientist by Stephen P. Kramer (author), Felicia Bond (illustrator)

Want more titles? Check out this curated list of STEM novels. Additionally, there are many fiction titles worth exploring that will pique interest. One of my favorites, for example, is Reynolds and Reynolds’ Going Places. You can get a taste for the spirit of the book in the video below:

So, what will you start with? I hope you’ve found some science book selections from the list that have piqued your interest and sparked some inspiration. Do you have other books to add? Let us know your favorites in the comments.

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Teaching with Fake News and Pseudoscience
Content AreasEnglish Language Arts Reading (ELAR)Science

Examples for Teaching with Fake News and Pseudoscience

by Miguel Guhlin
written by Miguel Guhlin

Are you watching students and colleagues make claims based on potentially unverified information they’ve encountered? How can we balance all the information we receive from various outlets with a solid, decision-making process? Let’s explore some sources you can use to teach middle school students the importance of fact-checking and critical thinking. You’ll also discover an exciting new product, The Silph Booster, guaranteed to solve any child’s school cognition problems.

“We think we follow evidence to a conclusion. In reality, we come to our beliefs in irrational ways, then work backwards to find evidence to rationalize the belief. Pseudoscience is the promotion of a non-scientific theory. It is motivated by wishful thinking, existing beliefs, or identity.”

Melanie Trecek-King

Asking Tough Questions

Teachers and librarians may very well ask tough questions like these:

  • How should professionals address the issues of fake news, pseudoscience, propaganda, and/or biased research?
  • What happens when state organizations push biased information?
  • What are the best ways to use digital tools to support critical thinking today?
  • What are the requisite critical thinking skills that consumers and creators need?

These are tough questions that educators wrestle with. One possibility is changing how you think of it. Pseudoscience is a “by-product of normal science,” and this video is a bit of an eye-opener on the BENEFITS of pseudoscience.

Defining Fake News and Pseudoscience

Fake news is made-up information that’s given the appearance of real, legitimate news. Pseudoscience is fabricated and made to look like real science information. But both are designed to fool you or make you accept something that’s false as truth (adapted from source). How can we teach about this in grades 5-8? And, how might we even encourage the analysis of the design of pseudoscience? Before we get to that, let’s revisit an old bit of pseudoscience you may be familiar with.

Take a moment to watch this video about fake news (or this one). Share your responses to the questions in the comments.

Using Easy-to-Disprove Stories to Teach Critical Thinking

Many start teaching students about fake information using easy-to-disprove stories. For example, the tree octopus site has long served as an example of pseudoscience.

The Pacific Northwest tree octopus is an Internet hoax created in 1998 by Lyle Zapato. This fictitious endangered species of cephalopod was purportedly able to live both on land and in water. It was said to live in the Olympic National Forest and nearby rivers, spawning in water where its eggs are laid. Its major predator was reported to be the Sasquatch. The Pacific Northwest tree octopus website is among a number of sites commonly used in Internet literacy classes in schools, although it was not created for that purpose. (source)

Back in the 1990s, this bit of lore was old. It’s pseudoscience, even if old, that stirs a chuckle or two. I remember sharing it at “Intro to the Internet” workshops for teachers. Back then, it was about encouraging people to look twice, analyzing the website, before trusting what they found. It soon evolved into a funny way to introduce students to silly, fake facts. Finding out what’s actually true or not with more realistic information is a lot harder. Let’s take a look at some other story examples you can use for teaching.

Check out this lesson plan…

Here’s a middle school lesson plan aligned to NGSS standards. Students explore the characteristics of science and pseudoscience.

“You have to disentangle the details. You have to hold up every one independently, and ask, ‘How do we know this detail? Where are all these details coming from? Where did that specific detail come from?”

Eliezar Yudkowsky

Example #1: Saving Critical Cash Crops

Did you know you can harvest spaghetti noodles? Watch this video and consider the story of spaghetti cultivation and harvest.

This is a delightful tale about how spaghetti noodles find their way to your plate. Want a more up-to-date example? Explore how climate change is impacting farming. Heavy rains are jeopardizing this cotton candy farm, blue strawberries, and marshmallow fruit trees. Have students brainstorm solutions to save these cash crops.

“Most people, in fact, will not take trouble in finding out the truth, but are much more inclined to accept the first story they hear.”

Thucydides

Example #2: Sea Monsters and Whales in the Great Lakes

Explore the enchanting yarn of the Nantucket Sea Monster. Or see how many people have observed whales in the Great Lakes.

It’s incredible to see videos like this one, right? More pictures are available.

“Each year we report the movements of the whales on Lake Superior. The reports are sightings sent by residents and visitors along the North Shore of Lake Superior. If you spot whale activity, let us know by filling out the form on the right! We accept photos, too.”

“What can be asserted without evidence can also be dismissed without evidence.

Christopher Hitchens (a.k.a. “Hitchen’s Razor”)

Example #3: Pig Hero Rescues Baby Goat

It’s not every day you see amazing pig rescues. Once you watch this, you realize how powerful a video is to capture just-in-time acts of heroism.

This video provides some more insights into the creation of the goat rescue. What do you think?

Fake News Isn’t New

Amazing enough, fake news isn’t a recent affliction. You can watch this video to learn more about fake news in the 18th century. This video features a particularly interesting maternal claim. Watch the video to learn more.

Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.

Carl Sagan (a.k.a. “Sagan’s standard”)

Example #4: Mike the Headless Chicken

Can you imagine a chicken living without its head? If you aren’t familiar with this bit of lore, you’ll want to check it out.

On September 10, 1945, farmer Lloyd Olsen of Fruita, Colorado, was planning to eat supper with his mother-in-law. He was sent out to the yard by his wife to bring back a chicken. Olsen chose a five-and-a-half-month-old Wyandotte chicken named Mike.

Mike, the chicken was still able to balance on a perch and walk clumsily. He attempted to preen, peck for food, and crow, though with limited success.

We are trying to prove ourselves wrong as quickly as possible, because only in that way can we find progress.

richard feynman

Example #5: Nut Milking

Find out the truth behind that almond, cashew, and pistachio milk you’ve been buying at the store. In this three-minute documentary, you and your students will be startled. You’ll learn what it takes to milk nuts, not unlike cows.

It is morally as bad not to care whether a thing is true or not, so long as it makes you feel good, as it is not to care how you got your money as long as you have got it.

Edmund way teale, circle of the seasons (1950)

A Few Books on the Subject

Want to beef up your knowledge on the subject of fake news and pseudoscience? Check out these books to broaden your perspective and deepen your knowledge. You will also find some more examples of stories you and your students can analyze.

Here are some specific books that feature examples of lies:

Want more resources? Explore this Wakelet by high school teacher, Julie Drewry. She does a wonderful job wrapping up stories and ideas, some of which I’ve included in this blog entry.

Give Fakey a Try

You will find interesting scenarios, some of which may highlight toxic practices in education and/or work place. Be sure to preview the scenarios to see if they are appropriate for your situation. Play the game.

Mistrust arguments from authority. In science, there are no forbidden questions, no matters too sensitive or delicate to be probed, no sacred truths.

Carl Sagan

Make Up Your Own Fake News and Pseudoscience

Wouldn’t it be a hoot to create your own fake news and pseudoscience for teaching purposes? I know it is because I’ve written fake news articles about family, friends, and colleagues. Although read by a limited audience, I still remember the time I wrote one about a principal. Ahem, well, no need to go into details. If you need some inspiration, clickbait and April Fool’s jokes are great sources for ideas.

Source: Connect the Dots: Pimple Personality Test in Weekly World News, 1999

Seven Steps to Creating Pseudoscience

To construct your own pseudoscience, Robert T. Carroll has some suggestions. With those for inspiration, I’ve boiled them down to seven steps:

  1. Make big promises about the scientific proof for something that most people fear (e.g. death, pain) or desire (e.g. money, health, long life).
  2. Use a lot of jargon and hedge your promises with words like “may help.”
  3. Reference conspiracies that try to keep the truth from the public.
  4. Claim you have discovered a secret scientists are unaware of.
  5. Make stuff up and include testimonials from famous people with big names.
  6. Charge for your product.
  7. Wear a lab coat and call yourself a doctor.

How could we put these suggestions to good use?

The Silph Booster, Now Available

Want a quick example that takes real news and science but twists it into pseudoscience? Let’s see…did you know about this new booster to your health, the Silph Booster? It’s especially effective given its long history from ancient times. The original plant on which this solution was based was lost. But it has been recently rediscovered!

Ancient silver coin from Cyrene depicting a stalk of silphium (source: Wikipedia)
The “miracle” plant Silphium consumed by Ancient Greeks, Romans, and Egyptians, which was thought to have become extinct two thousand years ago, has recently been rediscovered in Turkey by a professor, who thinks he’s found a botanical survivor (source).

advertisement for Silph Booster
Author provided image created with Canva

Are your students having problems getting along in school? Are their grades in core content areas slipping? That may be due to commensal septimedia, a condition recently discovered in grades 5-12. It is the direct result of social media usage and exposure to digital media in schools.

While students may endure it for years without visible effect, it can manifest to bad result. To address it, you will need a powerful herb popular in classical Greek and Roman times. The herb is silphium, and it is now available as a dietary supplement, ingestible as a capsule. Five capsules a day, three at breakfast and two at dinner, will have an immediate salutary effect. Scientists at a prestigious nonprofit education organization have conducted ground-breaking, longitudinal research. The curative impact of the Silph Booster cannot be overstated.

This miracle plant supplement has been kept secret for thousands of years. Fortunately, scientists in the lab at TCEA Science Institute of Technology made a breakthrough that allows us to bring it to you in four easy payments of $35 each for a bottle of 100 capsules. Call 1-800-282-8232 and ask for Chief Researcher, Miguel Guhlin, for details. The Silph Booster is currently only available for youngsters under parental supervision. A stronger formula for K-16 educators is under development. Order now. Government agencies, like the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), want to keep America dumb, so they are fighting to stop production in the United States. For a limited time, you can order the European version of the booster, which features a stronger formula.

Critical Thinking Is Unnatural, Yet Necessary

“We have to keep reminding ourselves that critical thinking is an unnatural act,” says Carroll. And, I can’t disagree. Every time I find myself falling for pseudoscience, or failing to ask tough questions, I sigh. Like reading, critical thinking is something you practice to get better at. Two quick acknowledgments:

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Where to Find Science Videos
ScienceSTEM/STEAM

Five Video Sources for Science Teachers

by Miguel Guhlin
written by Miguel Guhlin

Are you looking for short videos to use as bell ringer activities in science class? Or maybe you’re wanting to integrate videos into your lessons? Discover a roundup of video sources you won’t want to miss. But before I introduce those, let’s look at some strategies you can pair with videos to get students thinking.

Strategies to Use with Videos

Add Questions

Use tools like Vibby, EduPuzzle, and PlayPosIt to slice up videos or ask all types of questions. In the case of the latter two tools, you can insert questions into strategic places in the video.

Create Guided Notes

Create guided notes for a video or for your lesson. You can also have students rely on outlining and summarizing strategies such as Cornell Note-taking.

Think-Puzzle-Explore

Use a thinking tool like Think-Puzzle-Explore with Wakelet. Elements of the approach include:

  • What do you think you know about this topic?
  • What questions or puzzles do you have?
  • How can you explore this topic? (Source: Visible Thinking)
Concept Mapping

Semantic, word, or concept maps are easy to make with paper and pencil. But today, you can find a variety of digital tools to support semantic map-making. Use yED Live, Bubbl.us, CMAP Cloud Tools, Diagrams.net, Microsoft OneNote, and/or Google Drawing.

EduProtocols

You can also use an EduProtocol to encourage sharing. ArianaK Hern suggests a “Research EduProtocol.” Here are some other EduProtocols to consider:

Eduprotocols chart listing 6 different eduprotocols.
EduProtocols chart created by the author.

Now, let’s focus on science-related video sources to fuel learning in the science classroom.

Video Source #1: Twig Science Reporter

“Check out Twig Science Reporter. They release science news videos on Thursday featuring three different topics in less than five minutes. My students can’t wait for Friday when I show the video,” says Becky Deehr.

You may recall TCEA’s Twig Create: A Tool for Science Reflections article. In this article, I share a Google Doc template for a reflection model to use when watching videos from Twig.

Twig Science Reporter offers free K-8 science video news every week. You can sign up at no cost for video delivery to your email inbox via their website.

You can also check out their YouTube channel, where they feature videos on a wide variety of topics. Subscribe to their shorts, too!

Additionally, they have videos in Spanish/Español. Here’s one:

Video Source #2: PBS Deep Look

Often overlooked, PBS Deep Look offers a host of short video clips you can use. For example, who might win a fight between a cockroach and a hydraulic press?

PBS Deep Look can provide some insight:

Do cockroaches, those daring, disgusting disease vectors, have anything at all to offer us? Scientists think so. They compressed American roaches with a hydraulic press, subjecting them to the force of 900 times their body weight. Don’t worry (or do): They survived! How exactly do they do it?

You will find video clips ranging from three to five minutes. The range of videos includes a wealth of amazing topics. And, of course, there’s a YouTube channel. You might also explore PBS NOVA, which offers long videos that you can excerpt for students.

Video Source #3: Scholastic’s StudyJam

Boasting over two hundred “jams” (a.k.a. videos), you can access lots of content through Scholastic’s StudyJam. Most popular jams include topics like:

StudyJams features a science and math section. Specific jams combine videos, an option to sing karaoke, and a self-assessment tool. Here’s one example focused on Plants with Seeds.

Study Jams Plants with Seeds video
Screenshot by author: Study Jams, Plants with Seeds

Video Source #4: Dr. B Science

These YouTube-hosted videos focus on a variety of science topics. Besides videos, you will find practice questions for the videos. Dr. B Science offers a curated collection of videos. These videos appear on YouTube, so the real benefit is in the curation. Key groupings of curated videos include:

Be sure to explore the YouTube channel for Dr. B Science. You will find a variety of videos. Each seeks to “break down big science concepts into smaller, bite-sized bits.”

The Dr. B Science website also offers resources for sale in their teacher section. Teachers who want to avoid Teachers Pay Teachers and invest in Dr. B Science may find some gems.

Video Source #5: TED Ed

Need a wide range of videos? Explore TED Ed videos for science and technology. They offer a straightforward approach and include lesson ideas. Their process for students follows:

  • Watch
  • Think
  • Dig Deeper
  • Discuss

Give it a try with this video on the types of meat:

Ted Ed offers their videos via YouTube, so they are accessible on many devices. For those in restricted environments, you might want to read about these simple video tricks.

Bonus: Extra Video Sources

Looking for more science videos? Here are a few other places where you’ll find free and paid science video options.

Double Bonus: Social Media Science Videos

Another amazing source of science videos includes social media outlets. Check out this roundup of videos on Instagram. It features videos from ScienceAlert, ScienceChannel, Discovery, and NASA.

@mrs.b.tv

Engage students from day 1 with this simple science experiment! @Microsoft Education #MSFTEDUPartner #scienceexperiment #stem #backtoschool

♬ original sound – Mrs. B TV

Or, you can skip straight to the TikTok science videos. You’ll meet folks like Mrs. B TV, a science teacher from North Carolina, and Mr. Wolkenfeld, a retired teacher who adds guitar accompaniment to The Scientific Method.

So, are you ready to explore these science video resources and incorporate them into your classroom? Which one will you start with, and what strategy will you pair with it? If you have resources you know and love that aren’t on the list, share them with us in the comments.

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4 Reading Comprehension Strategies of CSR: Preview, Click & Clunk, Get the Gist, and Wrap up. Adaptable for any grade level.
Common Core State StandardsContent AreasEnglish Language Arts Reading (ELAR)HistoryReadingScienceSocial StudiesTEKS

The Four Reading Comprehension Strategies of Collaborative Strategic Reading (CSR)

by Emily Horn
written by Emily Horn

What is CSR?

CSR is a cooperative learning approach that can be used in any grade level and with students of varied reading levels and abilities. It’s meant to primarily boost reading comprehension when it comes to expository and nonfiction texts, like for science and social studies. However, it can be used for narrative texts as well. CSR is an evidence-based approach where students work through the text together in small groups using four reading comprehension strategies before, during, and after reading:

  1. Preview (before reading)
  2. Click and Clunk (during reading)
  3. Get the Gist (during reading)
  4. Wrap It Up (after reading)
Explanations of 4 Reading Strategies of CSR from IRIS Center
Screenshot by the author: The Iris Center, Overview of the CSR Reading Strategies

Getting Started with CSR

It’s important to note that before students begin using the CSR process in a group, they will need to learn and practice the four strategies on their own. Using a Gradual Release of Responsibility approach, you can introduce each reading comprehension strategy in a separate mini-lesson, modeling it for the class. Then, students can practice the strategy with a partner or in a small group. Once they’ve got the strategy with guided support, they can begin to practice it on their own until they are ready to use the strategy cooperatively.

Materials Needed for CSR:

  • Learning Log: A graphic organizer where students make notes throughout the process.
  • Cue Cards: Prompts for the different roles in the groups to use.
  • Clunk Cards: Four “fix-up” strategies for students to use if they reach a roadblock.
  • Timer (optional)

Here are some great free CSR materials, complete with cue cards, clunk cards, and a learning log, available for download from IRIS Center at Vanderbilt University. Also, they provide role cards with explanations for each student’s role in the group.

IRIS Center Leader Cue Card for CSR tasks
Screenshot by the author: Example Leader Cue Cards from IRIS Center’s Free Materials for CSR

Student Roles:

Each group member is given a specific role, so all students in the group are responsible for a task. Potential student roles (depending on group sizes) are:

  • Leader
  • Gist Expert
  • Announcer
  • Timekeeper
  • Clunk Expert
  • Encourager
  • Reporter

Let’s take a more in-depth look at the four reading comprehension strategies that make up this approach!

The Four Reading Comprehension Strategies

1. Preview

Preview section of the CSR Learning Log
Example Preview section of the CSR Learning Log created by the author (provided at the end of the article).

During the text preview, students work together for a short period to look at important text features like headings, subheadings, bolded words, charts, graphs, images, etc. The purpose of the preview is to activate students’ prior knowledge and get them to ask questions, make predictions, and boost their curiosity on the topic. During this time, the teacher can walk around and ask each group about their observations, predictions, and questions regarding the text. Helpful prompts for students (that can be included in a learning log graphic organizer) might be:

  • What knowledge do you already have on this topic?
  • What do you expect or hope to learn?
  • What questions do you have on this topic?

IRIS Center suggests giving students 12 minutes for this reading comprehension strategy. Once they’ve shared with the group and completed the “Preview” section of the learning log, it’s time to share with the class.

2. Click and Clunk

CSR Clunks & Gists Strategy - Learning Log
Example Clunks and Gists section of the CSR Learning Log created by the author (provided at the end of the article).

During this part of CSR, students begin reading a section of the text and monitoring their comprehension. This means students are using metacognition (thinking about thinking) to check their understanding as they move through the text. “Clicks” are parts of the text that the readers understand. “Clunks” are aspects of the text that readers find to be roadblocks to understanding, like unknown words or concepts.

Monitoring comprehension builds confidence and independence when it comes to reading. Working on this in a group can push students who may not usually stop to explore “clunks” to do so, resulting in increased reading comprehension. After reading a pre-determined section (a paragraph, a few paragraphs, or a page, for example), the students go over clicks and clunks. After identifying the “clunks”, the Clunk Expert can guide the group in the following reading comprehension strategies:

  • Reread the sentence with the clunk and look for key ideas to help you figure out the word. Think about what makes sense.
  • Reread the sentences before and after the clunk, looking for clues.
  • Look for a prefix, root word, or suffix that might help.
  • Break the word apart and look for smaller words that you know.
“Toward a Humanistic Instruction: Collaborative Strategic Reading Approach and EFL Learners’ Reading Comprehension”

3. Get the Gist

After previewing the text, identifying clicks and clunks, and working through clunks, students begin to identify the main ideas of the predetermined sections of text together to demonstrate reading comprehension. This is a summarizing activity that gets students to restate what they read in their own words (IRIS Center suggests 10 or fewer words) without getting too detailed. CALIReads suggests students follow three steps:

  1. Name the who or the what.
  2. Tell the most important thing about the who or the what.
  3. Say it in about 10 words.

Get the Gist is a great retelling reading comprehension strategy that allows students to recall important information from the text and summarize it, which solidifies their learning.

4. Wrap Up

Wrap Up section of the CSR Learning Log
Example Wrap Up section of the CSR Learning Log created by the author (provided at the end of the article).

In this final step, students work with their group to come up with questions and correlating answers about the reading. They can think about “who, what, where, when, why, and how,” and they can speculate as to what questions a teacher might ask about the text. If needed, question stems can help prompt students to form deeper questions. After noting questions in their learning logs, they share them with their group and answer the questions together, writing down and reviewing what they learned.

CSR Learning Log Editable Template
Created by the author: Access the editable template.

This cooperative learning approach to content-based reading can boost comprehension of everything from textbook chapters to nonfiction articles and more. Can you picture using CSR in your classroom? If you introduce these strategies to your students, let us know how it goes! We’d love to hear about your results.

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