When teaching how "tension" and "compression" relate to geometrical structures such as bridges, arches, and domes, The author shows a picture of the Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, completed in the 14th century, and presents a lesson on using the curve called a catenary to explain how he teaches about tension and compression…

Inquiry labs in the science classroom help students make connections and discover scientific relationships for themselves. This article describes an inquiry laboratory in which students explore the properties of a pendulum. Since most students are familiar with pendulums before they get to high school, they have discovered that the period is…

Explores changes that occur in surface area and volume as an object increases in size and examines the implications these changes have for living things. Students can discover and extend many surface area/volume relationships by arranging and rearranging blocks and then applying relationships they discover to living things. (Author/JN)