Middle school students often struggle when writing testable problems, planning valid and reliable procedures, and drawing meaningful evidence-based conclusions. To address this issue, the author created a student-centered lab handout to facilitate the inquiry process for students. This handout has reduced students' frustration and helped them…

The "What's the "matter" With XOD" activity addresses students' misconceptions and refines their ideas about phases of matter. This activity introduces the characteristics for solids, liquids, and gases, and begins a discussion about physical and chemical changes and how matter can cycle through different phases. Depending on class size and…

In the last After the Bell column, the importance of algebraic thinking was discussed, with respect to a common practice used in scientific inquiry-the importance of rates. This column discusses the importance of functions in preparing students for empirical and experimental inquiry. Functions are not only a necessary mathematical tool for…

As every parent knows, children are no slouches at generating questions. But the scientific potential in a child's spontaneous question can easily be lost; children often fail to take the step beyond casual curiosity into systematic inquiry. Questioning is indeed robustly rooted in children's everyday ways of thinking about the world, but serious…

Discusses the importance of observation in science education, how to foster students' observation skills in the classroom, and how to facilitate what they observe when learning. Includes a list of components of good scientific observing. (KHR)

Inquiry. It's a word that every teacher has heard repeatedly since the publication of the National Science Education Standards. Given the challenges of teaching core content, preparing students for inquiry may seem like a daunting task. Yet there are many different approaches to inquiry. Examining the nature of the scientific method and reducing…

Presents three articles that describe different ways of teaching the scientific method using cookies ("The One-Hour Science Fair"), cola ("Are All Medium Colas the Same Size"), and television ("Timing Televiewing"). (PR)

Describes a research project that allows students to behave like scientists studying something as simple as the arrival of spring. Gives students practice in stating logical predictions and hypotheses, designing sound research, and collecting reliable data. Exposes them to the successes, failures, and biases inherent in scientific research.…

Describes an approach to teaching the scientific method where an outbreak of cholera within the school is simulated. Students act like epidemiologists in an attempt to track down the source of the contamination. (PR)

The nature of science is a vital part of students' educational experience. It includes understanding what science is and how it works, in accordance with Content Standard G of the "National Science Education Standards" (NRC 1996). Effective science instruction requires incorporation of science content, science processes, and the nature of science.…