Greg Benedis-Grab
Greg Benedis-Grab was formerly a programmer analyst at Bloomberg Financial Markets. He has taught science for 12 years including schools in rural Tanzania and New York City. He currently teaches second and fifth grade at The School at Columbia University. He is an adjunct instructor at Bank Street College Graduate School of Education. He also leads professional development workshops on science and technology, has given presentations across the country, and has published articles in magazines for the National Science Teachers Association.
Designing the Learning Plan
Once I completed stages 1 and 2 of the UbD template I was ready to begin developing my learning plan. I started to think about what activities would help me [...]
The Twin Sins of Curriculum Design
Using the Understanding by Design template is no easy task. It can take so long to get the enduring understandings and essential questions right. You have to give yourself time [...]
Curriculum Planning using Understanding by Design
This year I am teaching a new grade level at my school. I am now the 6th grade science teacher. This change is both exciting and overwhelming. I am excited [...]
Can 5th Graders Do Cutting Edge Science?
Giving students opportunities to do experiments and explore the world is important on many levels. It helps them build their science practices. It helps them understand the nature of science [...]
The Science Practices – Analyze and Interpret Data
The next generation science standards strongly emphasize the science practices and the importance of interweaving their development into the science classroom. A critical part of the science practices that sometimes [...]
Making Scientist Connections
Universities have many resources that are often under-utilized and can be made available for schools. More importantly universities are filled with young people studying science who can serve as powerful [...]
Use Science to Make the World Better
I was speaking to a colleague the other day, who had been in a car accident that was caused by another car breaking a traffic law. Luckily she was not [...]
iPads in the Science Classroom
The iPad has become a very popular educational tool perhaps because it is such a popular new electronic device in general. I am considering incorporating iPads in my fifth grade [...]
Peer Review in 5th Grade
In my fifth grade science class I put a lot of emphasis on experimentation. Students write scientific questions, design experiments, implement their experimental plans, and analyze and explain the evidence [...]
Science Expo
On Saturday, March 3rd, 2012 The School at Columbia University held its second Science Expo. The Science Expo is collaboration between my K-8 school and the scientists at Columbia University. [...]
