High quality science teaching builds pupils' curiosity and critical thinking, helping them to develop a coherent understanding of the world around them. Primary science teaching plays a crucial role in shaping pupils' attitudes toward the subject, nurturing participation that can support future pathways into science, technology, engineering, and…

This book examines learning science from multiple perspectives--especially a child's. The whimsical character of Mary Froggins guides readers through the steps of igniting students' natural sense of wonder, incorporating brain research, integrating science concepts with other subjects, and applying science to daily life. The authors demonstrate…

Science education is viewed from a framework that integrated sources of knowledge with the traditional processes of scientific inquiry. Sciencing is then described, and how it could be implemented with young children is discussed. (MNS)

An overview is provided of 50 years of research on naive theories in human biology. A set of recommendations aimed at confronting student misconceptions and facilitating conceptual change about the structure and function of the human body is presented, with five lessons described. (MNS)

Describes how discrepant events can be employed as a viable teaching strategy. Reviews the theory of cognitive dissonance and provides examples and approaches in its resolution. Offers samples of discrepancy events and unexpected situations. (ML)

Discusses the applications of Piaget's theory of cognitive development to elementary and junior high school science teaching. Topics include planning concrete experiences, inductive and hypothetical deductive reasoning, measurement concepts, combinatorial logic, scientific experimentation and reflexive thinking. (SA)

Describes an activity using a large balloon to help children understand that, even though the horizon appears to be flat, the Earth is, indeed, round. Uses a toy ship to reinforce evidence from the first part of the activity. Stresses the importance of confronting naive theories at an early age. (CW)

Describes a teaching method that actively involves elementary school children in science lessons by having them teach lessons to their peers. Gives examples of teacher and student strategies. Describes evaluation of the students and student progress with time. Reviews depth of thinking and questioning by students in this activity. (CW)

Developed to explore how individuals receive and process sensory information, this paper describes a curriculum designed for elementary students concerning the brain and information processing. The course is entitled "Mind Adventuring: Learning about How We Learn" and is structured into eight units of study. Descriptive accounts are…

This K-12 science curriculum guide includes the following: (1) a philosophy statement; (2) related district educational goals; (3) components and major objectives; (4) scope and sequence; (5) instructional objectives; (6) guidelines for the evaluation of student performance; (7) instructional units; (8) curriculum guide evaluation forms; and (9) a…

This guide is designed to help elementary classroom teachers develop the knowledge and skills necessary to bring process skills to the classroom. The text is presented in two parts. The first part covers the basic science skills which are intended for grades K-3. The basic skills are observing, inferring, measuring, communicating, classifying and…

This booklet contains simple movements and activities that are used with students in Educational Kinesiology to enhance their experience of whole brain learning. Whole brain learning through movement repatterning and Brain Gym activities enable students to access those parts of the brain previously unavailable to them. These movements of body and…

Science activities with soap bubbles for primary school children are described in this article. Another activity involves children in determining the whereabouts of sugar as it dissolves in water. (SA)

Presented is a list of over 50 commonly held misconceptions based on a literature review found in students and adults. The list covers earth science topics such as space, the lithosphere, the biosphere, the atmosphere, the hydrosphere, and the cryosphere. (KR)

There is a group of terrestrial crustaceans, the isopods or sowbugs, that spend their lives in the cool, damp and dark microhabitats beneath rocks, decaying logs, and leaf litter. Although these animals are well adapted to exploit these moist niches, they are obligated to live where they do because of their need for moisture and high humidity to…