Integrated STEM activities are espoused as appropriate for enhancing student learning in relation to statistical concepts; however, a greater understanding of the way in which students' ideas about those concepts develop is needed to maximise the learning potential offered by engagement in STEM activities. For this study, plant growth was chosen…

We often say food and fuels "contain" energy. It is more accurate to say that energy is stored in the "fuel-oxygen system" generated during photosynthesis. It is definitely "not" stored in fuels or food (except for the very small amount of energy that can be obtained during anaerobic respiration). Aerobic respiration…

The aim of this research is to examine the effects of laboratory activities based on the predict-observe-explain (POE) strategy on the understanding of photosynthesis and respiration concepts of pre-service science teachers, and their attitudes towards biology science and course and biology laboratory. Pre- and post-test designs with an…

Germinating a seed is presumably the first experiment made by a child in his life. So, it has an important place both in child's scientific experience and understanding. Despite the significance of the experiment, the literature indicates that students possess various misconceptions related to the concepts of seed and seed germination. So, it is…

A set of core ideas in the life sciences revolve around genetics, variation, and inheritance. While the "Next Generation Science Standards" (NGSS; NGSS Lead States 2013) emphasize teaching and learning about these concepts across K-12 grades, it is critical for early learners to begin to develop understanding of them. By the end of fifth…

The theory of evolution can be a useful basis for developing students' understanding of ecology. Our study used concept maps to examine the development of sixth-grade students' understanding of the Antarctic ecosystem following several evolution 'Science Days' conducted at 'Nature Campus' -- an informal learning environment comprised of a natural…

In secondary science education, the learning and teaching of coherent conceptual understanding are often problematic. Context-based education has been proposed as a partial solution to this problem. This study aims to gain insight into the development of conceptual coherence and how context-embedded learning-teaching activities (LT) can promote…

Students need to be aware of plants in order to learn about, appreciate, care for, and protect them. However, research has found that many children are not aware of the plants in their environment. A way to address this issue might be integration of plants with various disciplines. I investigated the effectiveness of an instructional approach…

In March 1999, a ca. 45 m tall construction crane was installed in a highly diverse, mature temperate forest near the village of Hofstetten, south of Basel (Swiss Canopy Crane project, Switzerland). The crane provides access to the canopy using a gondola for in situ research. With a new type of FACE technique (Free Air CO[subscript 2] Enrichment),…

This study aims at highlighting the collaborative activity of two high school students (age 14) in the cases of modeling the complex biological process of plant growth with two different tools: the "paper & pencil" concept mapping technique and the computer-supported educational environment "ModelsCreator". Students' shared activity in both cases…

Presents a science activity to help students to explore the concept of primary productivity by growing lawn grass in the classroom. (HM)

This paper describes a study conducted on the lab sections of the general biology course for non-science majors at the University of New England, and reports findings of student misconceptions about photosynthesis and the mass/carbon uptake during plant growth. The current study placed high technology analytic tools in the hands of introductory…

Presents a study in which the conversations of primary school groups were collected in a botanical garden and analyzed for content. The data were examined for the effects of the presence or absence of an adult in the group, age, and the sex of the pupils. (Contains 27 references.) (Author/DDR)

Illustrates the concept of phototropism and the development of root systems using a classroom-constructed clinostat. Provides instructions to construct the clinostat and tips to promote plant growth. (MDH)

Last fall, "Science and Children" invited kindergarten to grade eight teachers to participate in a study investigating students' ideas about plants and plant growth (Barman et al. 2002). Two hundred twenty-seven individuals from 16 states in the United States, one U.S. Territory, and one Canadian Province responded to this invitation and…