We describe a third-year undergraduate course that focuses on multiscale modeling and protein folding and has as its primary goal the encouragement of students to integrate thinking across and beyond disciplinary boundaries. The ability to perform innovative and successful research work in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics)…

This paper analyzes the educational impact of the OpenOrbiter Small Spacecraft Development Initiative, a CubeSat development program underway at the University of North Dakota. OpenOrbiter includes traditional STEM activities (e.g., spacecraft engineering, software development); it also incorporates students from non-STEM disciplines not generally…

The acronym STEM--the teaching of science, technology, engineering, and math--now a familiar term in education, is evolving into STEAM--STEM plus "A" for art. Educational researcher Martin Storksdieck's studies have shown that infusing art into STEM allows for "a different way of perceiving and knowing and dealing with the world, as a means to…

This study contextualized the use of the engineering design process by providing descriptions of how each element in a design process was integrated in an eleventh grade industry and engineering systems course. The guiding research question for this inquiry was: How do students engage in the engineering design process in a course where technology…

We report on a two-year NSF-funded project to strengthen connections among science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines. One component of this project was to produce some initial data on the effectiveness of Interdisciplinary Lively Applications Projects (ILAPs) in teaching science and engineering undergraduates. ILAPs are…

This guide contains Parts III and IV of the students' guide to the first year of the three-year integrated biology, chemistry, and physics courses being prepared by the Portland Project Committee. Part III is titled "Energy and Work" and Part IV is titled "Ecology." (GR)

Parts I and II of the students' guide to the three-year integrated biology, chemistry, and physics course being prepared by the Portland Project Committee are contained in this guide. A committee reviewed and selected material developed by the national course improvement groups--Physical Science Study Committee, Chemical Bond Approach, Chemical…

This book provides a complete Scope Sequence and Coordination teaching module. First, craters are introduced as a generally observable phenomena. Then, by making craters and by investigating the results, students gain close-up, hands-on experience with impact events and their products. Real crater examples from the Moon and elsewhere are included…

This guide is designed to encourage people to keep animals of all kinds in the classroom and to use them in teaching language arts, mathematics, and social studies, as well as science and nature study. The booklet is divided into four sections. The first section contains an account of a year with desert animals in an ungraded classroom of six- to…

An approach to mapping work in the elementary classroom is presented. Described is a sixth-grade class working with mapping activities for the first time over a three-week span. Activities described include mapping of a classroom, the importance of a key, and important map characteristics. (DS)

Presented is a teacher's guide from the Elementary Science Study offering suggested mapping activities. This guide is organized into four general sections: (1) Finding a Place; (2) Finding Your Way; (3) Looking at Scale; and (4) Outdoor Mapping. Each section suggests activities for several lessons; materials and questions are listed for each…

This guide contains Parts III and IV of the teacher's guide to the first year of the three-year integrated biology, chemistry, and physics courses being prepared by the Portland Project Committee. It continues the integration of material from the science course improvement projects with that specially prepared for the course by the committee. Part…

This is one of two teacher's guides for a three-year integrated biology, chemistry, and physics course being prepared by the Portland Project Committee. This committee reviewed and selected material developed by the national course improvement groups--Physical Science Study Committee, Chemical Bond Approach, Chemical Education Materials Study,…

Presented is a series of activity cards developed in order to help children explore mapping ideas in a variety of ways. Children work with concrete materials such as blocks, puzzles, checkerboards, and three-dimensional graphs. Concepts covered include scale, the usefulness of symbols, and relationships. The games can be used with individuals,…

This guide provides opportunities for students to investigate several aspects of balancing including weighing, equilibrium, symmetry, gravity, and center of gravity, bringing mathematics and science together in activities involving graphing, inequalities, and number relations. This is divided into five major sections: (1) introduction, (2)…