Science education has become one of the priorities of education in the United States. Teachers in several schools have begun to use science kits as one tool to assist them in teaching science. Despite the wide use of science kits, little has been done to determine their effectiveness in promoting science learning. The purpose of this paper is to…

Designed to address conceptual problems associated with ecology, this module can be used with high school students or college nonscience majors including those in elementary education. The materials offer guidance to teachers in diagnosing student deficiencies, in creating dissatisfaction with misconceptions, and in providing opportunities for…

Designed to address major conceptual problems associated with heat and temperature, this module can be used with high school students or college nonscience majors including those in elementary education. The materials offer guidance to teachers in diagnosing student deficiencies, in creating dissatisfaction with misconceptions, and in providing…

Utilizing simple and inexpensive equipment, elementary and middle school science teachers can conduct interesting, exciting, and productive units on rockets, the oldest form of self-contained vehicles in existence. This teaching guide contains the following: (1) a brief history of experimentation and research on rockets and rocket propulsion from…

This is a two-part curriculum package for teaching the structure of atoms. The first part--the Teacher's Guide--contains information necessary for using the equipment in a typical classroom including learning goals, vocabulary, math skills, and sample data for each activity. The second part of the package consists of photocopy masters for a set of…

This is a two-part curriculum package for the teaching of chemistry and the periodic table. The first part, the Teacher's Guide, contains information necessary for using the equipment in a typical classroom including learning goals, vocabulary, math skills, and sample data for each activity. The second part of the package consists of photocopy…

Most science curriculum innovations seem to have their origins and emphases in urban intellectual concerns and their content generally caters to university bound students. The reason for the failure of rural students in science subjects may be the lack of relevancy of the program to the needs of individuals living in rural areas. This 22-hour…

Provides reviews of modular materials that contain a Science, Technology, Society (STS) theme. Specifies the criteria and distinguishing features of STS materials. Includes reviews of programs which address the topics of energy, genetics, human reproduction, and recombinant DNA research. (ML)

The science achievement of 226 5th graders from districts that have a kit-based inquiry science curriculum supported by intensive professional development (PD) is compared with data from a group of 173 5th graders from other districts that use nonkit science materials and do not have systematic science PD for teachers. Within the kit-based…

There are ways in which elementary teachers in general and rural elementary teachers in particular can overcome inadequate science preparation and can upgrade the science program resources of their small schools. Parents and children should be involved in obtaining free and inexpensive science-related materials throughout the year. These can be…