The July 2013 issues of NSTA‘s journals all feature a focus on argumentation and explanation. Explanation and Argumentation are both Practices of Science & Engineering in the new Next Generation Science Standards. These two practices connect nicely with the Common Core Math and ELA Standards and are typically not well understood or implemented in K-12 classrooms.

These journal articles might supply a much needed focus on explanation and argumentation while also providing some tools and resources for our own professional development. I happen to be working on multiple projects this coming year related to explanation and argumentation so I hope to have much to share as the year progresses.

As usual, NSTA provides a few articles for FREE.. see below:

Science & Children (elementary science)

• Free – Developing a Scientific Argument
• Free – Editor’s Note: Looking Forward

Science Scope (middle school)

• Free – Editor’s Roundtable: Nurturing Argumentation and Discourse
• Free – Turning the Science Classroom Into a Courtroom: Engaging in Argument From Evidence

The Science Teacher (high school)

• Free – Argumentation in Science Education
• Free – Editor’s Corner: Let’s Argue!