What does Terrific Science do?
We promote and provide experiences that emphasize these key elements of science learning:
Developing understanding with claims and evidence
Scientists ask questions, investigate systems, develop methods, and collect data. Then, they use information gathered through these actions to formulate claims that can be substantiated by their findings. Scientists must be willing to refine their original claims as new evidence becomes available. Students need opportunities to build these skills and experience this process in total. Through experience, the scientific method becomes more than a memorized list, but rather a working system that is an integral part of their lives.
Interested? Terrific Science professional development workshops will help you develop students' understanding with claims and evidence.
Models and model-making
Models are essential tools for students as they develop understanding of abstract concepts. Good models, by definition, have predictive power that enables scientists (and students) to focus attention on the underlying causes of the observed phenomenon and on possible changes in behavior that will result from changes in the system. Research suggests that students best gain science understanding through expressing their own mental models that have resulted from interactions with science phenomena by creating diagrams, equations, graphs, or physical constructions.
Interested? Terrific Science professional development workshops will help you develop students' understanding through models and model-making.
Student engagement
The inventive and influential mathematician and cosmologist Sir Hermann Bondi (1919–2005) said, “A scientist is someone whose curiosity survives education’s assault on it.” As science educators, we aspire to provide learning experiences for our students that change the message to “A scientist is someone whose curiosity is nurtured by education’s impact on it.”
Incorporating Toys and Everyday Materials: While effective inquiry-oriented, hands-on science can take many forms, toys and everyday materials play an important and fun role in the science classroom. Toys are inherently motivational and interactive and simultaneously involve both students and teachers in the fun and mental aspects of science.
Engaging Students with Humor and Storytelling: Someone once said that a good teacher is one-third heart, one-third head, and one-third ham. These traits certainly help teachers create connections to chemistry that are relevant to students’ lives and popular culture, especially doing so though humor and storytelling.
Interested? Terrific Science professional development workshops will help you engage students through toys, stories, and humor.
Who benefits from Terrific Science?
Join thousands of educators whose science teaching has become more vibrant, relevant, and meaningful for learners of all ages.
Schools, districts, other education agencies
Schools, districts, or educational agencies (including Head Start) that want to provide top-quality, standards-based science professional development for their teachers, administrators, students, or parents.
Early childhood directors
Early childhood directors need science resource books and science professional development for staff members that meets National Association for the Education of Young Children guidelines. Terrific Science offers the three-book Big Science for Small Hands series—Squishy, Squashy Sponges, Marvelous Moving Things, and Curious Crayons, plus hands-on workshops for your staff to prepare them to effectively engage students with the learning experiences in these books.
Youth directors, museum educators
Girl Scout, Boy Scout, 4-H program specialists and camp directors need to provide meaningful informal education programs for girls and boys, especially with content to reach the challenging tween and teen ages. Science and children's museum program specialists need exciting learning ideas to attract families to the facility.
Business leaders
Corporate outreach programs need to prepare volunteers to bring innovative and accurate science learning to the community. Coordinators of small business that want to fulfill their community commitments or conduct outreach for their employees, teachers, or the general public.
Home school networks and parent groups
Home school networks and parent groups need to support parent-educators in teaching chemistry and physics topics that may be challenging or unfamiliar.