Overview

Many foundational concepts in biology are notoriously difficult to teach. The challenge grows tougher when you add the need to align with the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS). This book makes your job easier by opening your mind to fresh and effective approaches for today’s high school classrooms. Hard-to-Teach Biology Concepts provides an Instructional Planning Framework that helps you understand students’ learning needs, incorporate appropriate teaching strategies, and interpret the framework and teaching tools through the lens of NGSS. Contributing authors show how they use the framework to teach four NGSS disciplinary core ideas: growth and development of organisms, ecosystems, heredity, and biological evolution. Although the teaching models are specific and illuminating, the book doesn’t dictate what’s right for you. Veteran teachers and those new to the classroom can use the framework to develop students’ conceptual understanding based on what works best for student and teacher.

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9781938946486

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Susan Koba, a science education consultant, works primarily with the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) on its professional development website, The NSTA Learning Center. She retired from the Omaha Public Schools (OPS) after 30 years, having taught on the middle and high school levels for more than 20 years and then having served as a curriculum specialist and district mentor. Koba ended her service to OPS as project director and professional development coordinator for the OPS Urban Systemic Program serving 60 schools. Koba has been named an Alice Buffett Outstanding Teacher, Outstanding Biology Teacher for Nebraska, Tandy Technology Scholar, and Access Excellence Fellow. She is also a recipient of a Christa McAuliffe Fellowship and a Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching. She received her BS degree in biology from Doane College, an MA in biology from the University of Nebraska- Omaha, and a PhD in science education from the University of Nebraska- Lincoln. Koba has published and presented on many topics, including school and teacher change, effective science instruction, equity in science, inquiry, and action research. She has developed curriculum at the local, state, and national levels and served as curriculum specialist for a U.S. Department of Energy Technology Innovation Challenge Grant. A past director of coordination and supervision on the NSTA Board and a past president of her state NSTA chapter, she currently serves NSTA on the Budget and Finance Committee. Other past NSTA work includes serving as the chairperson of the Professional Development Task Force, scope author for the NGSS SciPack currently in development, and the conference chairperson for the 2006 Area Conference in Omaha. She is also a past president of the National Science Education Leadership Association (NSELA) and served as NSELA's Interim Executive Director.

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