This instructional packet deals with inventions and presents activities that enable students to learn about past inventions and inventors and also create their own inventions in a variety of ways: centers, individual work, and group work. (JRH)

Methods used to investigate problems in the sciences include building-up strategies, insight, and change (or serendipitous discovery). Discusses appropriate learning experiences for the undergraduate science students so they are more likely to benefit from the second method of scientific discovery as they make a career in their chosen field. (JN)

Presents a demonstration that attracts and then repels soap bubbles to a Van de Graaff generator. Discusses theory and describes the event that led to the development of this demonstration. (JRH)

This book is a collection of 50 stories of the people, events, and processes that give us our rich scientific heritage with the goal of fostering an appreciation for the process of science and for the great variety of personalities that have graced the world of science. In addition to the actual text, each story in this book contains focusing and…

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)

Studies time intervals in a list of critical ideas in physics. Infers that the rate of growth of ideas has been proportional to the totality of known ideas multiplied by the totality of people in the world. Indicates that the rate of discovery in physics has been decreasing. (CW)

Describes a 10 week Saturday program in open-ended, hands-on science activity. Sessions emphasize three stages of learning: (1) messing about with concrete materials; (2) introduction of new equipment and probing questions; and (3) large group sharing session. Discusses the teacher's role and extended activities. (MA)

Introduced is a notation to map out an experiment as an active process in a real-world environment and display the human aspect written out of most narratives. Comparing maps of accounts can show how knowledge-construction depends on narrative reconstruction. Emphasized are nonverbal and procedural aspects of discovery and invention. (KR)

Discussed is the role of serendipity in the scientific method. Several examples from science history are provided. Described is the value of intuition on the part of the scientist. Six quotes from famous scientists are included. (CW)

Describes the poster developed for National Science and Technology Week 1992 that encourages the exploitation of student curiosity to study three themes: (1) science in sports; (2) ecosystems; and (3) exploration, discovery, and invention. (MDH)

Describes a unit on magnetism that utilizes hands-on activities in which students make hypotheses for discrepant behavior, discover whether a magnet attracts one object through another, measure the strength of magnets, explore levitating paper clips, and play a game dependent on magnetic attraction. (MDH)

Examines how the aquarium has attempted to move from a transfer view of knowledge to a constructivist approach in its most popular general public program--the killer whale presentation. The process of change that staff underwent is similar to conceptual change processes among learners of science. Describes constructivist strategies of conceptual…

Examples from research that incorporate plants to illustrate biological principles are presented. Topics include dried pea shape, homeotic genes, gene transcription in plants that are touched or wounded, production of grasslands, seaweed defenses, migrating plants, camouflage, and family rivalry. (KR)

The Invent America program addresses the need to provide K-8 students with opportunities to learn critical and creative thinking skills through the process of inventing. Students apply problem-solving skills as they turn their own creative ideas into inventions. It is an effort to integrate the curriculum, help students synthesize knowledge, and…

Describes the teacher's guide made up of 125 student activities encompassing 1 year of high school physics instruction called Physics Resources and Instructional Strategies for Motivating Students (PRISMS). The learning cycle of each activity includes three phases: exploration, concept introduction, and concept application. Provides exploration…