Published units

The following units were designed with and implemented in science teachers classrooms before being published in NSTA journals. They focus on middle school, high school, and community college levels. For those that are not NSTA members, feel free to email us to request an author's copy of any of these articles.

Gray, R.E. & Rogan-Klyve, A. (2016). Investigating Axial Seamount: Using student-generated models to understand plate tectonics. Science Scope, 40(1), 22-34.

(available free from NSTA)

Relates to ESS2-A. Earth Materials and Systems

  • The planet’s systems interact over scales that range from microscopic to global in size, and they operate over fractions of a second to billions of years. These interactions have shaped Earth’s history and will determine its future.

MIDDLE SCHOOL Earth Science

Davis, A.. & Gray, R.E. (2018). Understanding earthquakes: Investigating the Sumatra-Andaman earthquake of 2004. The Science Teacher, 85(4), 40-47.

(available to NSTA members)

Relates to HS-ESS2: Earth's Systems

  • Analyze geoscience data to make the claim that one change to Earth's surface can create feedbacks that cause changes to other Earth systems. (HS-ESS2-2)

Middle School Earth Science

Campbell, T. & Neilson, D. (2016). Explaining ramps with models: Design strategies and a unit for engaging students in developing and using models. The Science Teacher. 83(5), 33-39.

(available to NSTA members)

Relates to HS-PS2: Forces and Motion

  • Analyze data to support the claim that Newton’s second law of motion describes the mathematical relationship among the net force on a macroscopic object, its mass, and its acceleration.

High School Physics

Askew, J. & Gray, R.E. (2017). The science of Little Boy: Investigating the chemistry behind the first use of a nuclear weapon in warfare. The Science Teacher, 84(8), 45-51.

(available to NSTA members)

Relates to PS1.C: Nuclear Processes

  • Nuclear processes, including fusion, fission, and radioactive decays of unstable nuclei, involve release or absorption of energy. The total number of neutrons plus protons does not change in any nuclear process. (HS-PS1-8)

HIGH SCHOOL Chemistry

Neilson, D. & Campbell, T. (2017, December). Modeling-based learning to explain friction phenomena. The Physics Teacher. 55(9), 570-574.

(available to AAPT members)

Relates to HS-PS2: Forces and Motion

  • Analyze data to support the claim that Newton’s second law of motion describes the mathematical relationship among the net force on a macroscopic object, its mass, and its acceleration.

High School Physics

Baze, C. & Gray, R.E. (2018). Modeling Tiktaalik: Using a model-based inquiry approach to engage community college students in the practices of science during an evolution unit. Journal of College Science Teaching, 47(4), 12-20.

(available for free from NSTA)


COMMUNITY COLLEGE Biology

Looking for elementary science resources? Here are related units from our colleagues at the Ambitious Science Teaching website!