The "electric grid" is the system of power generators, power lines, and other equipment that transports electricity from where it is generated to where it is used. Electricity and its distribution are crucial to the functioning of modern society, yet its dynamics often go unseen and unnoticed by the public. Teaching about the sources…

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are a family of synthetic chemicals consisting of carbon, hydrogen, and chlorine atoms. PCBs have been produced commercially since 1929 in hundreds of industrial applications. Their continued production in the United States was phased out in the late 1970s, and strict disposal guidelines were regulated as adverse…

The authors developed a lesson for teachers to integrate chemistry and culinary arts, providing students with an opportunity to participate in three-dimensional learning, engage in science and engineering practices, and apply disciplinary core content and crosscutting concepts (Krajcik et al. 2014). The project involved five classes: three…

The Bold Fold, which is presented in this article, is a 45-minute activity in which students create a protein model while learning the processes of transcription, translation, protein folding, and delivery, which are often difficult to understand and have led to common misconceptions (Wright, Fisk, and Newman 2014). This activity has been used…

Many Earth science lessons today still focus on memorizing the names of rocks and minerals. This led the author to develop a lesson that reveals the fascinating stories told by rocks through the study of their physical properties. He first designed the lesson for Puerto Rican teachers, hence its Spanish title: "Las Rocas Nos Cuentan Su Historia."…

The Generate an Argument instructional model was designed to engage students in scientific argumentation. By using this model, students develop complex reasoning and critical-thinking skills, understand the nature and development of scientific knowledge, and improve their communication skills (Duschl and Osborne 2002). This article describes the…

This article describes a thought-provoking lesson that compares various arrangements of lamp-battery circuits to help students develop the motivation and competence to participate in scientific discourse for knowledge construction. Through experimentation and discourse, students explore concepts about voltage, current, resistance, and Ohm's law.…

The Earthquake Machine (EML), a mechanical model of stick-slip fault systems, can increase student engagement and facilitate opportunities to participate in the scientific process. This article introduces the EML model and an activity that challenges ninth-grade students' misconceptions about earthquakes. The activity emphasizes the role of models…

At Oklahoma City Community College, they have developed gel electrophoresis activities that support active learning of many scientific concepts, including: pH, electrolysis, oxidation reduction, electrical currents, potentials, conductivity, molarity, gel electrophoresis, DNA and protein separation, and DNA fingerprinting. This article presents…

The ability to sequence genes has vastly altered our understanding of higher-level relationships among organisms such as those found at the kingdom level. It is important for biology teachers to incorporate these new views and not retain outdated concepts still present in some textbooks. This article provides an overview of our new understanding…

Described are Charles W. Eliot's contributions to science education and academia. Eliot's achievements include changing college admission standards and support for laboratory courses in physics, chemistry, biology, and geography. (DS)

Describes a simple and inexpensive apparatus which can be easily constructed and which provides a highly visible example of an apparently reversible reaction for undergraduates. (DF)

A practical magnetotropism experiment with seeds is presented. The procedures, needed controls, and observations of results are described. (DF)

Reviews a science open house held at regular intervals at Yuba College, California. Enumerates the motivation for and the organization of the open house. Reports community wide attendance and participation. Lists the exhibits used at the open house with descriptions. (CW)

Describes potential radiation hazards from surplus or donated military equipment. Examines hazards by providing descriptions of situations in which radiation hazards have been found. (DS)