This paper examines the process of high school students' planning investigations in the chemistry laboratory across two consecutive academic years in terms of their actions and their progress. The context is a set of five inquiry-based laboratory tasks in which participants (9th and 10th graders, 14-15 and 15-16 years of age) are required to plan…

Construction of laboratory equipment from earthenware clay uses art as a way to incorporate the element of science history into an Introductory Physical Science (IPS) unit on distillation. Classroom techniques for working with clay to construct distilling apparatus are outlined. Other supplementary material from the arts, including slide…

Recognizing the problems and challenges associated with teaching general level or non-academic science courses in junior high school, a series of manuals was written to assist teachers in developing programs which focus on issues related to science and society. In the first in the series, how to make water fit to drink is investigated. Eight…

This manual is organized around the concept of chemical change as used to explain everyday phenomena. It concentrates on three interrelated aspects of chemical change: (l) scientific knowledge; (2) technological applications; and (3) societal issues. The unit is divided into four episodes or segments of instruction with suggested time allotments.…