Genetics is a core topic in the biology curriculum of many countries. Learning genetics is difficult for multiple reasons, including the need to reason about complex mechanisms--and to link mechanisms--that occur at different time and space scales. Previous research in genetics education explores students' understandings of inheritance patterns or…

The teaching of conceptual understanding is a key objective in the field of science education. But students, on average, do not adequately understand the concepts in a large number of science subjects. This is the case with Ethiopia's students as well. Additionally, conventional instruction is the primary method used by Ethiopian school teachers.…

Arguing from evidence is one of eight key science practices in which students should engage. It is an essential component of science, yet students have difficulties with this practice. We describe a scaffolded claims-evidence-reasoning (CER) argumentation framework that is embedded within a new eight-week, freely available curriculum unit…

The mechanics by which unique individuals are built from the instructions encoded in DNA is too advanced for elementary-age children. However, students can easily understand that organisms have observable traits and that each individual has a unique combination of traits, ideas that are included in the "Next Generation Science Standards"…

This article describes a self-guided, story-like game with creative drawing for grades 3-5 that teaches the evolution concepts of adaptation, natural selection, ecosystem dynamics, inheritance, and mutation following the "Next Generation Science Standards" ("NGSS"). Drawing reinforces concepts through emphasis on students'…

Recent developments in genomic-based knowledge is challenging educators to learn more about the early precursors of various difficulties children experience in learning and how they can use this information to identify preventative strategies or strategies that minimise their effect. The purpose of this article is to provide a brief outline of…

The inclusion of Nature of Science (NOS) in the science curriculum has been advocated around the world for several decades. One way of defining NOS is related to the family resemblance approach (FRA). The family resemblance idea was originally described by Wittgenstein. Subsequently, philosophers and educators have applied Wittgenstein's idea to…