Discusses the fact that when the materials or interactions used as a basis for a science activity posses a high degree of familiarity, the student may rely on past experience rather than on gathering data to use in making judgments. In such cases, a simple request for observed evidence should be made. (MLH)

Describes how children can learn fundamental concepts of measurement by using nonstandard measuring devices and simple comparisons. (MLH)

Reports a study describing children's learning about controlling variables in an environment where student autonomy is maximized and teacher controlled instruction is minimized. (SL)

This Unified Sciences and Mathematics for Elementary Schools (USMES) unit challenges students to learn or teach someone certain things (spelling, geometry, metric system). The challenge is general enough to apply to many problem-solving situations in mathematics, science, social science, and language arts at any elementary school level (grades…