Manuscript Guidelines and Format Specification

Manuscript Guidelines

Articles should:

  • Describe exemplary state-of-the-art tested classroom activities or resources for K-12 Earth and Space Science educators, or updates on background science topics that are relevant to the K-12 Earth and Space Science curriculum.
  • Describe proven innovations in pedagogical approaches and classroom tools for the Earth and Space Science classroom.
  • Include original material only; references must be properly cited according to APA style manual
  • Use clean and concise writing style, spell and grammar checked
  • Demonstrate clear classroom relevance

Format Specifications

  • Use Microsoft Word (PC or Mac), Appleworks, size 10 font, single-spaced.
  • Submit manuscripts electronically.
  • Include a summary/abstract with submission.
  • Limit length of manuscript to 2000 words.
  • Include author names, school/organizations, mailing address, home and work phone numbers, and e-mail addresses.
  • Number all figures and include captions (Figure 1. XYZ).
  • Follow guidelines for photos and graphs: all photos and graphs should be of excellent quality and in jpeg format. (300 dpi minimum, high resolution)
  • Provide a signed model release for EACH recognizable individual pictured in any photo.

Manuscripts will be reviewed for relevance and accuracy. The editor will reply to the author to inform him/her if the article has been accepted as is, accepted with revisions, or declined. When the article is accepted, the editor will send the author the Copyright Transfer form. Once the signed Copyright Transfer form has been received, article revisions completed, and journal layout finalized, the author will be billed for page charges. Articles which are declined may be revised and resubmitted for future publication, if the author desires.


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Current Issue

This Summer 2013 issue of The Earth Scientist (TES) is the third special issue of The Earth Scientist sponsored by the Penn State TESSE team! Transforming Earth System Science Education (TESSE) was funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF GEOTeach Award #0631377) with The Pennsylvania State University as one of four institutions involved in intensive and sustained teacher professional development, targeting the teaching and learning of Earth system science.

In the summers of 2011 and 2012, with funding from a Targeted Math Science Partnership (MSP) grant (NSF Award #DUE-0962792), middle and high school Earth and Space science teachers from partner school districts in Pennsylvania were welcomed at summer workshops in plate tectonics, solar system astronomy, energy production, and climate change. The Penn State Earth and Space Science Partnership (ESSP) presented each discipline-based workshop with a common pedagogical approach including content storyline, formative assessment, and claims-evidence-reasoning.

In addition to the summer workshop offerings, teachers were encouraged to pursue other avenues of professional development. Certainly, publishing curricular innovations in The Earth Scientist not only empowers teachers but helps to elevate the teaching profession and provide a voice for advocacy in the discipline (see Guertin and Furman, 2013). TESSE Team leaders have worked hard alongside teachers to establish and sustain the Pennsylvania Earth Science Teachers Association (PAESTA, http://www.paesta.org/), the Pennsylvania chapter of NESTA. PAESTA offers the opportunity for leadership and engagement for the teaching community online and at our annual conference. The articles featured in this issue reflect the enthusiasm, hard work and success of the teachers and Penn State project leaders in developing quality classroom activities and professional development opportunities available through PAESTA. It is hoped that you will enjoy these articles, incorporate some of these innovative ideas and resources into your own classroom, and join up in supporting PAESTA and NESTA!