Suggested are activities about whales for children in schools not near the ocean. Activities designed to pique students' interest in whales and to investigate the size, breathing, buoyancy, and feeding strategies of whales are discussed. (CW)

Relates how a classroom can support and house a mini-museum of natural science. Describes the various types of exhibits and the range of activities that can be developed from them. Explains student involvement in exhibit design and use. (ML)

Described is a third-grade science unit using feathers. Children use the feathers to learn about measurement, observation, and inference. Procedures and results are discussed. (CW)

Presented is an in-class earth science activity on the weathering of rocks. The materials, procedures, and results of this activity are discussed. (CW)

In the project described, high school students became familiarized with a material-centered inquiry approach to teaching science, and introduced science activities to children in the lower grades' open-classrooms. The project has encouraged meaningful interaction between the secondary and elementary schools and prompted changes in teaching styles.…

Explains the principles of the Language Experience Approach (LEA) and discusses its application to science lessons. Provides a five-day plan for extending an LEA activity. Illustrates the LEA approach with a lesson involving a turtle. (ML)

Describes a 3-day program sponsored by the Orange County Marine Institute that provides biological, cultural, and historical learning experiences. Discusses the setting and activities of the five ecosystems explored by the students. The Chaparral to Ocean Science Camp includes chaparral, riparian, woodland, intertidal, and pelagic environments.…

A hands-on science lesson which allows young students to apply stains in the classroom and then try to remove them is presented. Included are a list of materials, procedures, and a discussion of probable results. (CW)

Describes activities which help students understand several basic scientific concepts regarding water. Outlines objectives, materials needed, procedures, and questions to ask about student observations. Investigations include working with the self-sealing property of water, talcum powder, paper clips, and making water wetter. (RT)

Ideas for the collection of hands-on science materials and their storage in sealable plastic bags are presented. The advantages of using this method of preplanning and prepackaging science lessons at the elementary level are explored. (CW)

Describes how a science challenge program was modeled after the Olympics to offer a variety of science events in a competitive setting. Reviews organizational factors, suggests sources for events, and identifies rules and scoring procedures. (ML)

Describes a 10 week Saturday program in open-ended, hands-on science activity. Sessions emphasize three stages of learning: (1) messing about with concrete materials; (2) introduction of new equipment and probing questions; and (3) large group sharing session. Discusses the teacher's role and extended activities. (MA)

Discusses a research project of testing detergents that resulted from students' classroom observations of and questions about water pollution and suds. Outlines procedures and responsibilities necessary for conducting the experiment. A sample student data sheet is included. (RT)

Describes a study in which elementary school children received different types of instruction about terminology used in explaining the water cycle. Results indicated that the group of students receiving hands-on instruction demonstrated a better understanding of the terms than did the other groups involved in the study. (TW)

Suggests that the effectiveness of non-directive, activity-centered teaching methods can be enhanced when the teacher spends less time interacting with students and more time observing them. (MLH)