Maureen Fitzgerald

English Language Development (ELD) and Translanguaging

In this episode of It’s Time for Science, host Tom welcomes two incredible guests, Diana Vélez and Claudio Vargas, to talk about English Language Development (ELD) and translanguaging in the science classroom. Together, they explore how multilingual learners can use all of their language resources to make sense of scientific ideas, and how teachers can shift…
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Designing Scaffolds That Preserve Rigor in the Science Classroom

High-quality science instruction should challenge students to think deeply and grapple with complex ideas. It should also provide them with the support they need to succeed. This recorded edWebinar, led by Eric Benton and Kelly Turner, explores how to strike that balance by designing scaffolds that maintain cognitive rigor, promote productive struggle, and ensure equitable access to…
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Making Sense of Science: Bringing Sensemaking to Life in the Elementary Classroom

Have you ever planned a hands-on science lesson that seemed to go perfectly? Students were busy, engaged, and having fun, only to realize afterward that they missed the big science idea entirely. You’re not alone. The truth is, even the most exciting activities can fall flat if students don’t have a chance to make sense…
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Exploring Science Communication: From Space to the Deep Sea

In Episode 28 of It’s Time for Science, host Tom explores the world of science communication: what it is, why it matters, and how it connects us all to discovery. This episode features two inspiring guests who are helping make STEM and STEAM education more engaging and accessible: Erin Winick Anthony, science communicator and founder…
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Student Voices in the Classroom

It’s back-to-school season, and we’re kicking things off with something new on It’s Time for Science: conversations with students themselves! In this episode, Tom sits down with third-grade teacher Lisa Lacey to talk about embedded assessment, student collaboration, academic vocabulary, and more. Lisa Lacey teaches third grade in England and has spent her career working…
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Cross-Cutting Concepts and Sense-Making Discussions

It’s Time for Science! Today, we’re diving into crosscutting concepts and sense-making in the classroom. Tom sits down with Dr. Samantha Messier and professional learning specialist Leslie Lausten to explore the big ideas that connect all areas of science. They also talk about helping students make sense of the data they collect and the phenomena…
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A Multimodal Approach to Science Education

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…
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Student-Centered Learning and Successful Implementation

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…
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Award-Winning FOSS Active-Learning Science Program

Readers of THE Journal, the premier resource for K-12 senior-level district and school administrators, named the Full Option Science System™ (FOSS) a best science program for the second consecutive year. The program won silver in THE Journal’s third annual Readers’ Choice Awards in the Best Science Program category, competing against the software, hardware, and services…
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STEM for All Students and Technology Integration

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…
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