It’s Time For Science

It’s Time for Science, and it’s time to discuss the importance of activating prior knowledge and a multimodal approach to science education through establishing noticing, wondering, and connections routines! Tom talks to Dr. Joel Donna, a professor of teacher education, about routines that help students access prior knowledge and lived experiences. This sets the stage for learning utilizing centering… Read more: A Multimodal Approach to Science Education

In the 24th episode of the It’s Time for Science podcast, we focus on student-centered learning and successful implementation! Tom talks to science specialists Lynn Gutzwiller and Rachael Coleman from Jordan School District in Utah about how they best support teachers and how they were able to use ELA and technology funds to help purchase their science… Read more: Student-Centered Learning and Successful Implementation

It’s Time for Science, and it’s time to discuss providing access to STEM for all students and also chat about technology integration! Tom talks to Dr. Leena Bakshi McLean (founder of STEM4Real and author of the book STEM for All: How to Connect, Create, and Cultivate STEM Education for All Learners”) and Nicole Czaplicki, a principal… Read more: STEM for All Students and Technology Integration

It’s Time for Science Podcast Episode 22 It’s Time for Science, and it’s time to discuss fostering safer, hands-on science environments! In this month’s podcast, Tom talks to safety expert Dr. Kenneth R. Roy (Director of Environmental Health & Safety for Glastonbury Public Schools in Connecticut) and 2025 Paul DeHart Hurd Award winner Kenneth L. Huff! Dr.… Read more: Fostering Safe Hands-On Science Environments

It’s Time for Science, and it’s time to talk again about implementing elementary science effectively! Tom talks with the science team from the Syracuse City School District about what they’ve done to successfully implement the FOSS® Program. This well-oiled team is comprised of Science and Technology Director Dr. Dana Corcoran and elementary science instructional coaches Amy MacDonough… Read more: Elementary Science Implementation Strategies

A new It’s Time for Science podcast is out and it’s time to talk about taking science education outdoors! Host Tom Racine converses with Dr. April Holton and educator Elisa Slee about outdoor learning and the value it brings both students and teachers. Tom also talks with Erica Beck Spencer about the history and importance of… Read more: Outdoor Learning

The It’s Time for Science Podcast is back in 2025, celebrating FOSS being awarded a design review badge by Johns Hopkins University! Host Tom Racine talks with Dr. Steven Ross and Dr. Alan Reid from Johns Hopkins, and then chats with FOSS director Linda De Lucchi. Steven M. Ross, PhD is a professor and Executive Director at… Read more: FOSS Pathways Awarded Instructional Design Review Badge

Closing out the second season of It’s Time for Science, it’s time to talk about STEM learning and women in STEM! Host Tom Racine talks with teacher Stacy Gale and science communicator Dr. Alex Dainis! Stacy Gale is a 4th grade teacher and the former STEM specialist at Paul Cuffee School in Providence, RI. Her… Read more: STEM Learning

This month on It’s Time for Science, it’s time to talk about ELD (English language development) and science instruction! Host Tom Racine chats with Diana B. Vélez  and Veronica Gallardo. Diana B. Vélez is a curriculum developer and professional learning provider for the Full Option Science System Project (FOSS) at the Lawrence Hall of Science. She specializes in English language development and… Read more: ELD and Science Instruction

This month on It’s Time for Science, it’s time to talk about the Science of Reading and how FOSS®, The Full Option Science System™ incorporates everyday English Language Arts skills to support student literacy in conjunction with hands-on science learning! Host Tom Racine talks with Leslie Lausten, M. Ed  and Dr. Jennifer Slavick, Ed. D., authors… Read more: The Science of Reading

This month on It’s Time for Science, it’s time to talk about implementation strategies! Host Tom Racine talks with Nicole Krefting, the Elementary Curriculum Coordinator for Grand Forks Public Schools in North Dakota. Tom and Nicole discuss tips on implementation strategies for a core science curriculum. They talk about the importance of supporting teachers throughout the… Read more: Implementation Strategies with FOSS®

This month on It’s Time for Science, it’s time to talk about going back to school! Host Tom Racine talks with Dr. Anne Farley Schoeffler, the president of the National Middle Level Science Teachers Association, and award-winning outside educator Rachel Arbor. Tom and Dr. Schoeffler discuss tips on preparing for back to school, such as… Read more: Back to School Readiness

This month on It’s Time for Science, it’s time to talk about summer science at home and nature journaling! Host Tom Racine talks with John Muir Laws, a principal innovator in the global nature journaling movement, as well as curriculum specialist and educator Erica Beck Spencer. Tom talks with John Muir Laws about nature journaling… Read more: Summer Science at Home with Nature Journaling

This month on It’s Time for Science, we talked about student engagement with a special guest. Host Tom Racine interviewed award-winning science communicator Maynard Okereke, the Hip Hop MD. Tom talks with Maynard about the importance of staying curious and keeping students and ourselves engaged. They discuss why you don’t need to be an expert to… Read more: Student Engagement with Hands-on Science

This month on It’s Time for Science, it’s time to talk about social and emotional learning (SEL)! Host Tom Racine interviews Dr. Kenneth Wesson, a consultant on the science of education, learning, and the brain, and Ilyse Opas, Independent Educational Consultant specializing in SEL. Tom begins by discussing with Dr. Wesson what SEL is and what… Read more: Social and Emotional Learning in Science

This month on It’s Time for Science, it’s time to talk about community engagement and citizen scientists! Host Tom Racine talks with Dr. Mwenda KudumuBiggs from the Fleet Science Center and Emma Giles from SciStarter. In this episode, Tom speaks with Dr. KudumuBiggs about her position at the Fleet Science Center, why it’s so important to… Read more: Community Engagement and Citizen Scientists

This month on It’s Time for Science, it’s time for extended learning! Host Tom Racine talks with Dr. Bryan Méndez about the upcoming solar eclipse and curriculum specialist Erica Beck Spencer about getting kids outside. Tom talks with Dr. Méndez about what an eclipse is, including what to expect from a total solar eclipse, how to… Read more: Extended Learning Opportunities

Welcome to It’s Time for Science! For our first episode of 2024, host Tom Racine continues our conversation on equity in science education! Tom talks with Meagan Sternberg, a K-12 Science Instructional Coach in Oregon, and Channon Jackson, a Program Director at the Alameda County Office of Education. Tom discusses with Ms. Sternberg and Ms. Jackson… Read more: Equity in Science Education, Part 2

This month on It’s Time for Science, host Tom Racine talks with Claudio Vargas and Holly Gil about equity in science education. Claudio Vargas Claudio Vargas, a Science Education Consultant with a focus on Equity in STEM, works with Sci-Lingual Education and FOSS at the Lawrence Hall of Science. He provides keynote presentations on equity in… Read more: Equity in Science Education, Part 1

It’s Time for Science! In this episode, host Tom Racine talks with Leonor Rebosura from Newark Unified School District and Kimberly Astle from the Washington State Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction. We also remember the life and legacy of FOSS co-director Larry Malone. Leonor Rebosura Leonor Rebosura, Director of Teacher Induction at Newark Unified… Read more: Getting Families Involved in Science

It’s Time for Science—outdoors! At the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) conference in Atlanta, host Tom Racine interviewed two amazing educators about the importance of going outside when you teach. Autumn Rivera Autumn Rivera, the 2022 Colorado Teacher of the Year and a Finalist for National Teacher of the Year, discusses the importance of taking… Read more: Taking Science Education Outside

For this episode of It’s Time for Science, we went to the world-renowned San Diego Comic Convention! We looked high and low for folks to talk with about the importance of science education and graphic novels, and it turns out it was super easy to find people on the same page! Tracy Edmunds Tom speaks first… Read more: Comics in the Classroom

For this episode of It’s Time For Science, we’re talking about going back to school (yes, already!). Host Tom Racine talks with education leader Rosanna Ayers and also facilitates a round table discussion with instructional coach Lauren Brown and curriculum developer Brian Campbell.  Rosanna Ayers is the former director of youth education at the Biomimicry Institute and has… Read more: Back to School With Science

For this episode of It’s Time For Science, we’re going to space! Host Tom Racine talks with renowned astrophysicist Dr. Erika Hamden and science teacher Dave Curry. Dave Curry is an experienced middle school science teacher and the 2023 recipient of the Paul DeHart Hurd Award, presented by the National Middle Level Science Teachers Association (NMLSTA), an… Read more: Teaching Inspirations and Exploring the Galaxy

For the first episode of It’s Time For Science, we traveled to the National Science Teaching Association (NSTA) conference in Atlanta, Georgia. Host Tom Racine sat down with three educators from South Carolina: Yolanda Bennett, Ed Emmer, and Felipe AndreSilva. We couldn’t have asked for a more engaging and diverse group, and our conversation includes… Read more: Educator Insights from NSTA