Igniting Curiosity with Real-World Data in Idaho Classrooms
Barbara Nelson is an instructional coach and veteran science educator serving Region 6 in eastern Idaho. With more than 27 years of teaching experience and a deep background in chemistry, physics, and biology, Barbara is helping teachers bring data-rich, hands-on science learning to students across the state. Her work spans elementary through high school classrooms, dual-credit chemistry at the College of Southern Idaho, and teaching through Idaho Digital Learning.
Today, she is leading teachers in using databot to open the door to inquiry, modeling, and exploration—whether students are measuring CO₂ in the air, comparing temperatures, or tackling challenges designed to build sensor fluency.
Meet Barbara Nelson
Barbara’s background includes:
- Instructional Coach, Region 6 (Idaho Science Pathway Project)
- Chemistry and Dual-Credit Chemistry Teacher, Hillcrest High School
- Adjunct Faculty, College of Southern Idaho
- Adjunct Instructor, Boise State University (Idaho Science & Aerospace Scholars)
- Instructor, Idaho Digital Learning
Education:
- M.S. in Genetics, University of Washington
- B.S. in Biology, University of Washington
- Teaching Certification, Idaho State University (Biology major, Math minor)
Outside the classroom, Barbara enjoys hiking, reading legal thrillers, and is planning a rim-to-rim Grand Canyon hike. She and her husband raised two sons—one now a teacher and one a radiation technologist—and share their home with a beloved cat.
How Barbara Brings Science to Life with databot
As a science coach, Barbara works closely with teachers who have received classroom sets of databots and want practical ways to integrate them into instruction. Many educators—especially in elementary grades—are excited about sensors but unsure how to begin. Barbara’s approach is simple: start with playful challenges that help students build comfort with the probes. She often begins by connecting databots to iPads and letting students try quick sensor-based challenges such as:
- Who can generate the most acceleration?
- Who has the warmest surface temperature?
- Who can create the largest CO₂ change?
This early exploration helps students understand the sensors before shifting into structured science learning. Once the “play” phase is out of their system, Barbara guides them into deeper investigations.
Using databot for Meaningful Science Experiences
Barbara helps teachers design lessons that connect directly to Idaho science standards, including labs such as:
- Flame color testing with the color sensor to explore electrons and energy.
- Evaporation and cooling using the temperature probe.
- Pressure and temperature patterns demonstrated with classic demonstrations like the drinking bird and egg-in-a-bottle.
In professional development sessions, Barbara combines demonstrations with data collection so teachers can reason through phenomena without a lecture. Even elementary teachers are able to explain the drinking bird’s motion using databot temperature data.
Barbara also continues to integrate databot into her high school chemistry courses. When students have a choice between traditional probeware and databot, the preference is clear—they pick databot every time because connecting it is fast, reliable, and familiar.
What This Means for Science Teachers
Barbara’s work highlights several important ideas for educators:
databot reduces barriers to data-driven science
Students—even in early elementary—can connect and collect data independently.
One device supports many NGSS-aligned investigations.
With sensors for temperature, CO₂, acceleration, light, and more, students can explore motion, energy, matter, and environmental science without needing a full cart of equipment.
databot encourages true three-dimensional learning
Teachers can launch lessons with hands-on phenomena and let students figure out the science using evidence, patterns, and models.
High Schools value the reliability and speed
With tight schedules and standards-driven pacing, databot offers quick setup, instant results, and consistent performance.
Conclusion & Lesson Resources from Barbara
Barbara Nelson’s work shows how teachers at every grade level can use databot to make science more engaging, accessible, and data-driven. Her commitment to hands-on learning is helping educators across Idaho build stronger connections between real-world phenomena and classroom exploration. The following links are to labs authored and tested by Barbara and her students using databot.