The number of students majoring in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) is declining due in part to a lack of student interest (Fairweather 2008; NRC 2012; PCAST 2010). One reason may be the difference between how science is done in school and how it is done in the field (Osborne, Simon, and Collins 2003). An interdisciplinary…

One author shares the unique opportunity to be immersed in the science of "sound at work" through participation in NOAA's (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) Teacher at Sea Program. A third- through fifth-grade learning outcome within the Nature of Science section of the "Next Generation Science Standards"…

With 101 easy and inexpensive activities to do on school grounds, "Schoolyard Science" can help students develop their observation and inquiry skills as well as an appreciation of their outdoor environment. Covering topics such as lower plants, gardens, insects and other invertebrates, energy, and Earth science, Thomas Lord and Holly Travis…

The many activities contained in this teaching guide emphasize hands-on involvement, prediction, data collection and interpretation, teamwork, and problem solving. The guide also contains background information about aeronautical research that can help students learn how airplanes fly. Following the background sections are a series of activities…

As teachers of first-year college mathematics and science students, the authors are constantly on the lookout for simple classroom exercises that improve their students' analytical and computational skills. In this article, the authors outline a project entitled "Predicting Precipitation in Darwin." In this project, students: (1) analyze…

This teacher's guide suggests activities that provide opportunities for upper elementary students to explore, by direct experiment, many of the properties of light. Equipment is listed and construction of a light source is detailed. Instructions are given for setting up a classroom with electrical equipment. Activities are described in units…

NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) Engineers at Marshall Space Flight Center along with their partners at other NASA centers, and in private industry, are designing and beginning to develop the next generation of spacecraft to transport cargo, equipment, and human explorers to space. These vehicles are part of the Constellation…

Ropes and their uses for the sailor are the focus of this unit. Students begin the study by taking apart a section of rope and putting it back together, testing strength at various stages. They also practice tying different knots and learn about the uses of ropes in sailing. After investigating the mechanics of a block and tackle, students…

This teacher's guide suggests a number of ways to use a spinning table to explore circular motion. Activities are described which are appropriate for children in kindergarten through third grade. Suggestions are made for exploratory activities using the equipment rather than supplying detailed instructions for formal activities. Equipment and…

Presented are building activities, for elementary school children, using a variety of different materials. Weak materials, such as clay, straws and pins, paper tubes and index cards, are used as examples; structures built with these materials are displayed in photographs and discussed. Problems are suggested from which additional activities can be…

The Science Mentor Program at Ruffing Montessori School East allows students to visit scientists at work. These visits, along with readings, classes, and essay assignments, help students gain a better understanding of the work of scientists and the conduct of scientific research. (MDM)

Presented are a student workbook and teacher's manual for a unit which combines a study of water pollution with instruction in critical reading skills. In the two activities students study the types and effects of pollution in Lake Erie. At the same time they learn how to read critically, evaluate their reading skills, and analyze written material…

The disappearance of planes and ships in the Great Lakes area is the focus of the three activities in this unit. Activity A involves studying the locations of missing craft and personnel. Activity B, which treats the loss of the freighter Edmund Fitzgerald as an example of a Great Lakes tragedy, consists of plotting bathymetric contours,…

Presented is book two in a series of six books in the University of Illinois Astronomy Program which introduces astronomy to upper elementary and junior high school students. This guidebook is concerned with how celestial bodies move in space and how these motions are observed by astronomers. Topics discussed include: a study of the daily motion…

Describes the reordering of a ninth-grade physics course that aimed at making core concepts clear to the students while at the same time developing students' skills and depth of understanding. Discusses its benefits and associated problems. (JRH)