Assessment serves many purposes in the elementary classroom. Formative assessment, often called assessment for learning, is characterized by its primary purpose--promoting learning. It takes place both formally and informally, is embedded in various stages of an instructional cycle, informs the teacher about appropriate next steps for instruction,…

Forty-seven elementary school teachers and principals participated in a six-week summer workshop to prepare them for teaching American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)-Science A Process Approach. The workshop participants had a pre-test mean score of 66.7 on Form A of the AAAS Science Process Measure for Teachers. The post-test…

This Dwight D. Eisenhower Mathematics and Science Education in-service project in northwest Indiana, based on a contextual constructivist perspective, sought to enhance science learning by improving science teaching in grades K-8. Elementary and middle school teachers from urban, suburban, and rural public and parochial schools attended a summer…

This seven-part book provides the first detailed analysis and assessment of the development of primary science prior to and following a national survey of primary schools in 1978. Key issues central to contemporary policy and practice are identified, set in context, and interrelated for teachers, students, and policymakers. Part I examines several…