Describes exploratory activities for a young child seeking to become acquainted with the world in which he lives. (EB)

First of a series showing ways in which the preschool setting can provide exploratory activities for the young child seeking to become acquainted with the world about him. Suggests ways to present the concepts of climate, clean air, personal space, and noise level. (EB)

Some ways in which exploratory activities of the preschool child involve science concepts are described. The role of adults knowledgeable about both science and child development is stressed. Emphasis is placed on hands-on experiences. (EB)

The author describes the areas in the kindergarten classroom--blocks, toys, cooking, games, job charts--which can be used in furthering a child's developing mathematical skills. (KC)

Demonstrations are presented in which children can be introduced to evidence of specific concepts enabling them to participate in such a way that any conceptual conflicts that might arise in this learning situation can be gradually reduced. (EB)

Discusses ways in which block building represents the young child's art world, the use of blocks as an art medium, and art concepts that can be developed with the use of blocks. Suggests a methodology of block building that is designed to enhance artistic ability. (RJC)

Presents activities that utilize balloons to encourage students to explore questions related to scientific concepts. Concepts explored include light, heat, charged ions, polarization, and the sense of smell. (MDH)

Describes a unit on magnetism that utilizes hands-on activities in which students make hypotheses for discrepant behavior, discover whether a magnet attracts one object through another, measure the strength of magnets, explore levitating paper clips, and play a game dependent on magnetic attraction. (MDH)

Describes the Microworld Chance, a simulation-oriented computer environment that allows students to explore probability concepts in five subenvironments: coins, dice, spinners, thumbtacks, and marbles. Results of a teaching experiment to examine the effectiveness of the microworld in changing students' misconceptions about probability are…

Students experience the distinction between observable fact and scientific theory by taking a critical look at how spaghetti can be sucked up into the mouth. A demonstration shows that air is needed to suck up the spaghetti but that the scientific explanation is not as simple. (MDH)

Discusses five innovative social studies projects which employ conceptual frameworks, discovery learning, and multimedia presentations. The projects generally reflect the ideas of the "new social studies." Projects discussed are The Family of Man, From Subject to Citizen, Patterns in Human History, Geography in an Urban Age, and…

Describes the construction of durable, inexpensive and large sand-hourglasses for use in controlled experiments that allow students to observe, infer, measure, record data, and predict. This hands-on activity is designed to take place over a three-day interval. Includes materials needed, techniques, procedures, follow-up activities, and resource…

Challenged is the traditional model for the transmission of mathematics in the elementary school classroom. An inquiry approach to learning mathematics is proposed and supported with results of a year long research project that exposed second graders to mathematical learning experiences using this approach. (MDH)

Presents a series of 5 reproducible worksheets for grade levels 5-10 that provide hands-on activities to help develop the concept of slope. (MDH)

Proposes a novel method of introducing and promoting the topic of geometric sequences through the problem of calculating the number of games necessary to determine the winner of a single elimination tournament in which two, three, or more teams compete at a time. (MDH)