HEARTS (Higher Education, the Arts and Schools) project was established with the intention of strengthening the arts element of initial training of primary school teachers. During the academic years 2004/6, six higher education institutes (HEIs) were given financial and practical support to introduce new programmes of arts work into their…

Describes systems used to introduce students to the concept of torque and discusses the effects that puzzle the beginner in the introductory lab. (JRH)

Presents a method to measure the mass of a definite amount of a gas that occupies a known volume at a given pressure in order to determine experimentally the root mean square speed of molecules of a gas. (JRH)

Describes a simple manual apparatus designed to serve as an effective demonstration of the differences between isothermal and adiabatic processes for the general or elementary physics student. Enables students to verify Boyle's law for slow processes and identify the departure from this law for rapid processes and can also be used to give a clear…

This document provides a laboratory manual for an experiment whose objectives are: (1) measure the constant acceleration of a body; (2) calculate the moment of inertia for various symmetrical shape objects; and (3) use the moment of inertia to solve for the constant acceleration of the body. The paper includes a list of materials needed, theory,…

This article gives examples of science teaching for gifted students from the Young Persons' Institute for the Promotion of Art and Science in Tel Aviv (Israel). Emphasis is on fostering curiosity and experimentation. Examples are offered in teaching about the weather, water, and light and color. A model experiment to teach electricity principles…

Describes the construction and operation of an apparatus used to study the optical properties of solids using reflection. (JRH)

Describes the function of the various parts of the microscope and their integration in the formation of an optical image. Presents a procedure for setting up a microscope to obtain maximum resolution and contrast for each objective lens at all magnifications. (JRH)

Presents a simple experiment--a marble rolling on a tilted desk--to introduce students to moving bodies. Makes difficult subjects such as measurement, calculus, modeling, and uncertainty easier to identify by putting them into a simple context. Discusses misconceptions, models, and measurements. (JRH)

This article examines the 11-year Soviet experiment with boys' schools as a way to cast new light on scholarly research and public debates about single-sex education. Drawing on archival and published materials by educators who described school conditions, identified problems, suggested reforms, and evaluated remedies, the author argues that…

Young children in Australia enter early childhood education settings eager to make sense of the world that surrounds them. Their interest in every day experiences is evident in the range of questions asked, many of which are scientific in nature. Intended as a resource for adults working with 4-to 8-year-old children, this booklet provides an…

Suggests a threefold rationale for practical work in science: in developing laboratory skills, in learning to work as a scientist, and in acquiring a feel for phenomena. Three types of pupil practical work (exercises, investigations, and experiences) are then discussed. (Author/JN)

Presents experiments that use the Mattel's Hot Wheels Top Speed toy set to show that work is a measure of energy transferred to or from a system. (JRH)

Discusses the uses of thermistors in teaching electronics and semiconductors. Describes how to experimentally measure and graph the characteristics of a thermistor. Suggests one possible approach to understand the shapes of the characteristics. (CW)

Examines backward chaining, a method of producing demonstration films in which sequential steps in a procedure are taught backwards; that is, the last step is taught first, then the next to the last step, and so on. A film designed to teach procedures used in a science experiment is used as an example. (JJD)