Profile | NSTA

Nancy Bort
F C Hammond Middle School
VA

I have been teaching in Alexandria for 21 years. I began teaching in 1971 but moved around a lot and took some time off from teaching here and there. I primarily teach life science but have taught a lot of physical science. My goal is to be a resource for other science teachers and I have been working toward this for many years. I teach workshops to further the development of science teaching for other teachers. I have published three articles for NSTA Science Scope. I have many varied interests. I am a docent at the Smithsonian Forensic Lab which I really enjoy doing. I am there every other Sunday and would welcome visitors. I am also preparing to work with the orchids for the Smithsonian botanical garden. I enjoy reading, gardening, hand crafts.

Public Collections
Recent Public Collections by Nancy

reproduction and heredity

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resources and human impact

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Forum Posts
Recent Posts by Nancy

Mon, Jan 16, 2012 4:06 PM in What is *meaningful* PD, in your opinion?

I just read a reference to data and research--another pet peeve of mine.... I can take nearly any research data and use it to support just the opposite!! Especially when it involves humans. Use some common sense, not data. Two great examples of "break-through" research....A hugely extensive research project (over 600,000 participants if I remember correctly) found that teens who felt loved a...

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Mon, Jan 16, 2012 3:59 PM in What is *meaningful* PD, in your opinion?

The most valuable PD has been that which involved me learning by doing usually from a colleague and NOT some consultant. I have become very disenchanted with the PD in my district due to the fact that they use high paid consultants to "teach" us not only what we already know, but in addition, often do so in a condescending manner. Science type PD MUST involve the participants actually doing th...

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Sun, Jan 15, 2012 3:00 PM in Pre and Post assessments

I have never found pre-assessments to be of much value in science. When I taught math, I thought they were an excellent way to guide student learning. Not so much for science because there are too many facets to science concepts. Also, the reason I am anti-multiple choice tests as the ONLY means of assessment for science. I prefer to use the class time I have doing other activities than givi...

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Reviews
Recent Reviews by Nancy

Coral Reef Ecosystems

Sun, Jan 15, 2012 3:12 PM
Coral Ecosystems

I just finished working my way through this resource and think it would be great to use in a classroom. It is neatly divided into several sections so you could use small chunks of it with the students rather than having them work through the entire lesson. I like the questions at each section and then the over-all summary quiz at the end. I might use it with the class as a whole and have them keep track of their answers to the quiz questions as we went or even make up their own questions. I might have them each download if I had access to a class set of computers so they could do this as individuals. I would want the students to analyze each of the problems posed in the lesson and then propose solutions. For example, how can we reduce or eliminate run-off? What can be done about ocean acidification? I would like the students to be able to ascertain natural causes from those introduced by humans. We have no control over hurricanes but we can control trash. I would like the students to use this lesson to analyze issues and actions.

Science Sampler: Building student mental constructs of particle theory

Mon, Jan 31, 2011 5:36 PM
particle lesson

I did not see anything new in this article other than what is in the standard texts. I did like the chart of questions about various materials and asking the student to show evidence of why they decided what they did.

Science Sampler: Using seashells to teach classification

Mon, Jan 31, 2011 5:15 PM
sea shell classification

I like the idea in this article that the students construct their own classification key and system for the shells. However, shells have already been classified as such and maybe use objects that have not already been scientifically classified. Also, once the taxonomic key was created, it should have been perhaps exchanged with another group and "tested" to see if it works. I like the spreadsheet and detailed lab report format provided to include questions for a conclusion.

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