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Coordinate with MS/HS level educators who have more extensive training in physical science (chemistry & physics). Typically those people have a strong working knowledge of the subject, and speak about it passionately. Hopefully they are willing to collaborate, I know I would be!

I am so thankful for the SciPacks. Physical science has to be my least studied scientific area, and now I have a whole year to learn more by studying them along with the resources you all so kindly post. Please keep up the great work, and thank you! All the best, Naomi Beverly

I think with the internet and forums such as this, there is no reason a person cannot become familiar with any science topic. There are so many resources out there that have such valuable information.

Hello Adah, I feel that a way to better preepare yourself as a teacher you must look for different resources on the internet or other colleagues/frineds who taught science. Now a days everything can be found online and their are also videos that people post to give you examples. Being a new teacher is hard but you just have to use resources that your school provides and look for things you will not only be ready to teach your studnets but you may always find different ways to do hands on activites.

Although I have been a teacher for many years it was not until recently that I became very interested in science education. My first couple of years I managed using the teacher's guides, books and other internet resources to become more familiar with content knowledge I was teaching. However as part of one of my graduate classes for the completion of my science certificate I was required to complete a Sci-Pack of choice. I chose to do the one about Atoms, Elements and Molecules and it has been the greatest learning experience ever. For the first time ever I completely understood all the concepts, experienced hands on and interactive activities, not only for my understanding but to bring them and adapt them to my teaching. The instruction is explicit, you complete it at your own pace, at you are able to monitor your understanding. I am an elementary school teacher and after completing my first Sci-pack I feel comfortable enough to teach these concepts to middle and high students. Looking forward to finish my next one, Forces and Motion!

To put it simply, I will say....learn...learn...learn..and continue to learn. There are just so many learning resources out there for teachers to utilize to further understand concepts. I think sometimes teachers forget that the classroom is essentially a community of learners and that teachers are part of this learning group. Teachers also need to collaborate with other teachers, professionals in the larger world and even parents in order to expand their knowledge base. Teachers should no longer see themselves as "experts" in the classroom. Instead, teachers are facilitators. Teachers should be instruments which enable their students to extract knowledge from the world around them. So in summary, exhort teachers to be lifelong learners, eager to collaborate, and move away from becoming "experts" on subject matter to a stance of facilitating learning.

I have been in the situation a lot and I have lessons called 'Teach the Teacher' - I openly discuss with the children where the gaps in my knowledge might be and we go on the road to discovery together as a class. They love knowing that they might be in a more 'informed' place than the teacher.