The Scalable, Interactive Model of an Off-World Community (SIMOC) is a computer simulation of a human habitat on Mars. Built upon decades of NASA research and authentic science processes, SIMOC is both a research-grade simulation and an engaging web-based tool for science education. Users access an intuitive web interface to select mission…

Aristotle's wheel paradox is a fascinating example of a classical puzzle that can pique a student's interest. The existing explanations in the literature are limited to discussions of the wheel trajectory; in this paper, we study the paradox from the viewpoint of motion decomposition, an approach we consider more intuitive. The motion of the point…

Pedigree analysis has long been an essential tool in human genetics as well as a staple of genetics education. Students of genetics might be surprised to learn that human pedigrees were first popularized in the United States by proponents of eugenics, the pseudoscientific social movement aimed at improving the genetic quality of the human race.…

Here we demonstrate an inexpensive and straightforward electronic circuit that can be used to generate data in the form of counts, with the same statistical properties as those found in gamma-ray counting experiments. The circuit holds an avalanche Zener diode just below its Zener voltage, which allows for thermal electrons to traverse the in the…

An educational activity is proposed that uses software for proteomic analysis and databases available for free on the Internet to estimate the structure and function of a hypothetical protein from its coding nucleotide sequence. This bioinformatics activity is recommended for integrated introductory courses that address the structure function…

Computational chemistry modeling activities that took place as part of a course in physical chemistry are described. The main software tools used by the students were Avogadro and ORCA, which are freely available on the Internet for academic use. Avogadro is molecular visualization software, which can be used not only to prepare input files for a…

Design activities can serve as a concrete experience to address the similarities and differences between science and engineering, and also demarcate engineering from tinkering. They can lay the foundation for concept development of targeted disciplinary ideas. Minor, but crucial, changes to classroom tinkering activities along with targeting and…

Herbaria, collections of preserved plant specimens, have existed for 500 years as repositories of information about plants. Many of these collections are now being digitized, making them available to a much broader audience including students and teachers. Specimens can be used in a variety of different contexts in teaching biology, including from…

Many studies have characterized students' difficulties in understanding and reasoning about scientific mechanisms. Some of those studies have drawn implications on teaching mechanisms and how to guide students while reasoning mechanistically. In this theoretical article, I claim that one component that has not garnered much attention in the…

During their first physics courses, most students struggle with mathematical concepts that are used but not fully understood, for example, the appearance of infinity in introductory physics exercises. In many cases, these concepts are critical to understanding the underlying physical phenomenon. Typically, most books do not place much emphasis on…

Students have difficulty bridging the conceptual gap between Newtonian and relativistic physics, and, consequently, the teaching of special relativity has been discussed extensively in the literature. A comprehensive list of such references is too large to include, but a brief list is given. In this paper, the author presents several exercises,…

Hands-on chemistry experiments often stimulate students' curiosity about this subject, but blind or visually impaired (BVI) students usually do not get to participate in such hands-on activities. Thanks to adaptive methods and assisting technology, BVI students can actively participate in chemistry experiments. In this study, chemical laboratory…

Exploding pumpkins with rubber bands remains a popular demonstration of the conversion of spring potential energy into kinetic energy. Videos of laughing and squealing children and adults being pelted with pumpkin fragments have millions of hits on YouTube, and the activity has even been featured on talk shows like "The Tonight Show Starring…

The rapid evolution of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is profoundly shaping our society. Among various AI tools, ChatGPT stands out for its user-friendly nature and wide accessibility to the public. However, despite their countless potential benefits, these tools also face significant challenges, especially in sensitive areas like Education. In this…

We present herein a module of pigment synthesis experiments that could be adapted and implemented in a variety of curricular settings. At the conclusion of each of the past two spring terms at our high school, we offered a 4 day short course on the chemical synthesis of pigments used in art. As part of the course, our students synthesized four…