This study aims to investigate the effect of the Project-based Learning (PjBL) learning model and class differences based on online learning settings (synchronous, asynchronous, and mixed) on the analytical abilities of the Discovery Learning (DL), Interactive Demonstration (ID), and Inquiry Lessons (IL) models after adjusting for IQ of…

By bringing everyday phenomena into the classroom, teachers can more readily engage students in authentic scientific inquiry. When working with young children, the best phenomena are those that students can directly experience and investigate. Meaningful phenomena can be identified by watching children at play, listening to the conversations they…

When carbonated beverages (which are supersaturated solutions of aqueous carbon dioxide) are confined within a narrow-necked container, events which rapidly release the gas from solution produce a fountain out of the beverage. One well-known variant of this experiment is the addition of Mentos candies to a bottle of Diet Coke. Previous reports…

This study investigates how individual differences in 7- to 9-year-olds' curiosity relate to the inquiry-learning process and outcomes in environments differing in structure. The focus on curiosity as individual differences variable was motivated by the importance of curiosity in science education, and uncertainty being central to both the…

The implications of Earth's ocean being little explored may not be immediately evident to individuals who are not ocean literate. For this reason, initiatives to improve ocean literacy must articulate compelling reasons for ocean exploration. A lesson plan that addresses this issue has been developed as part of the education and outreach program…

Although teachers in principle are prepared to make use of science centers, such excursions often fail to facilitate learning processes. Therefore, it is necessary to improve the link between science centers and schools. The design and evaluation of valuable outreach projects may enhance students' out-of-school science learning. In our study, we…

The impulse to investigate the natural world is deeply rooted in our earliest childhood experiences. This notion has long guided researchers to uncover the cognitive mechanisms underlying the development of scientific reasoning in children. Until recently, however, research in cognitive development and education followed largely independent…

In this article, the author shares her experience in successfully teaching elementary students how to create a tornado using a guided-inquiry approach. The guided-inquiry approach is a form of teaching in which the teacher poses the question, but lets the students decide how to answer the question. Students were so excited about the process they…

Children possess a genuine curiosity for exploring the natural world around them. One third grade teacher capitalized on this inherent trait by leading her students on "A Geometric Scavenger Hunt." The four-lesson inquiry investigation described in this article integrates mathematics and science. Among the students' discoveries was the fact that…

Samara (winged seeds from maple and ash trees) can be used for open-ended inquiry or a series of directed science activities. Attributes, observations/inferences, drawing, motion, floating, seed structure, creative design, and measurement are some of the suggestions for classroom use of these seeds. (DH)

Describes an activity for introducing elementary school students to the surprising Mobius band. Incorporates elements of experimentation and exposes the deceptively simple Mobius band as a rich resource for discovery. Provides an opportunity for young learners to participate in the process of scientific inquiry within a mathematical framework.…

Science educators are encouraged to adopt teaching techniques to help children learn to solve problems through inquiry or discovery. Included are several sample problems and method for finding other appropriate science related problems. (SL)