Scientific reasoning skills are not just for researchers, they are also increasingly relevant for making informed decisions in our everyday lives. How can these skills be facilitated? The current state of research on supporting scientific reasoning includes intervention studies but lacks an integrated analysis of the approaches to foster…

Opportunities for science learnings at a woodworking bench are listed and described. Scientific inquiry is promoted through free experimentation; opportunities to grasp spatial and mathematical understanding are two examples presented. Helpful information related to use of this instructional procedure is included. (Author/EB)

The Young Scholars' Program of the National Science Foundation is designed to stimulate and extend the interests in science and mathematics of students entering grades 7 through 12. An additional goal of the program is to encourage them to investigate and pursue careers in science, mathematics, engineering, and technology. The program strongly…

Chapter I provides a rationale for teaching science to young children; Chapter II discusses various ways children can learn science concepts; Chapter III gives suggestions on collecting and making materials and equipment, arranging the science area, planning outdoor learning, making science experiences happen, asking questions, etc. Chapter IV…

This book describes inquiry learning during a year-long classroom exploration with 4th graders, which began with setting up a bird feeder and a journal for students to record observations. The authors argue that schools have been organized to make things easy for learners, shielding them from the messiness, ambiguity, and change of intellectual…

Provides a rationale for a learning environment in science classrooms that integrates science, mathematics, and technology while solving authentic problems. Describes activities that can be used in such an environment and presents data regarding students' attitudes toward the described activities. (MDH)