Discusses the need to examine critically the methods, programs, and materials used with American Indian students. It is suggested that individual differences among students in the classroom can provide an incentive for teachers to provide a rich variety of lessons, teaching strategies, learning activities, and testing challenges. (Author/VWL)

Presents a reproducible page for students dealing with the following topics: plate tectonics, magma, crust, and earthquakes. Provides a plate tectonics activity that uses cardboard and clay. (PR)

Describes an innovative, but not revolutionary, secondary education science program that is modeled after American graduate education. Discussions include a comparison of pedagogical approaches, implementation, the teacher, facilities, and teaching strategies. (ZWH)

Provides a framework for objectively selecting a biology textbook based upon credible recommendations from the professional literature. This framework especially draws from recent research findings in science, learning theory, and instruction. (Contains 25 references.) (PR)

Describes activities to help students overcome "microbe phobia" through "kitchen microbiology." Directions for making yogurt, sauerkraut, and root beer are provided. (PR)

Describes procedures for identifying the protein ribonuclease from plant tissue extracts using mini-gel electrophoresis. (PR)

Describes approaches and benefits of having students make observations and inferences from tracking-pattern diagrams and actual tracks made in sandboxes. (PR)

Describes an exercise where a team of students constructs a scale map of objects located on their laboratory tabletop. Another group then tries to reorient the objects to fit the groups map. This leads to a discussion concerning the aspects of good and bad maps. (PR)

Explains how fur color in domestic cats can be used as the basis of a science laboratory activity to teach the Castle-Hardy-Weinberg Law. (PR)

Focuses on identifying the educational effects of "activity oriented" instructional techniques. Examines which instructional methods produce enhanced learning and comprehension. Discusses the problem of learning "sorting algorithms," a major topic in every Computer Science curriculum. Presents a low-tech, hands-on teaching method for sorting…

Describes and evaluates a technology source, Strategic Teaching Framework (STF), to support elementary school teachers in adopting a situated, constructivist approach to teaching mathematics. Presents three case studies of teachers as well as a cross-case analysis. Discusses changes in teaching practices and the conceptualization of those changes.…

Examines research indicating that while homework assigned at the middle school level does improve achievement, homework in the lower grades appears to undermine children's school attitudes and to have little effect on their school performance. Suggests goals and characteristics of useful homework assignments. (HTH)

Discusses the case for self-assessment and examines its value as a teaching and learning aid, its usefulness to business, and as a means of coping with high student numbers. Describes learning tasks that may develop this skill and argues that these need to be put into a coordinated framework. (Author/AEF)

Argues that the Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) is a useful tool to help teachers understand their students' differences and learning preferences. Describes the use of the MBTI at a Catholic elementary school and a related project to link the appreciation of differences to a field trip to a flower show. (MAB)

Presents activities for use during and after nature walks to help young children learn about trees. (PR)