This paper will describe a guided inquiry activity for teaching ligand field theory. Previous research suggests the guided inquiry approach is highly effective for student learning. This activity familiarizes students with the key concepts of molecular orbital theory applied to coordination complexes. Students will learn to identify factors that…

Understanding how the periodic table of elements is organized and how to read information from it is fundamental for understanding chemistry. Introductory chemistry courses usually include discussions detailing what elemental information can be determined by virtue of its position on the periodic table. Although many people have been exposed to…

Studies comparing virtual and physical manipulative environments (VME and PME) in inquiry-based science learning have mostly focused on students' learning outcomes but not on the actual processes they engage in during the learning activities. In this paper, we examined experimentation strategies in an inquiry activity and their relation to…

Tangible technologies and shared interfaces create new paradigms for mediating collaboration through dynamic, synchronous environments, where action is as important as speech for participating and contributing to the activity. However, interaction with shared interfaces has been shown to be inherently susceptible to peer interference, potentially…

The impulse to investigate the natural world is deeply rooted in our earliest childhood experiences. This notion has long guided researchers to uncover the cognitive mechanisms underlying the development of scientific reasoning in children. Until recently, however, research in cognitive development and education followed largely independent…

In this article, the author shares her experience in successfully teaching elementary students how to create a tornado using a guided-inquiry approach. The guided-inquiry approach is a form of teaching in which the teacher poses the question, but lets the students decide how to answer the question. Students were so excited about the process they…

Eleanor Duckworth's teaching techniques, based on Jean Piaget's learning theories and the Elementary Science Study, are applied to teaching deaf students. The method calls for painstaking explorations that enable pupils to be confident they really know something and are not just parroting facts. (JDD)

Relates a kindergarten teacher's classroom experience where play is not considered a primary medium for learning. Describes a strategy used to establish play, specifically investigative play, as a legitimate activity in the classroom. Discusses issues associated with play-based curriculum and how, with the renewed interest in science education, it…

The new role of the museum science center in science education is presented. Various innovative programs for amateurs, aspiring scientists, and casual visitors at several leading science centers are discussed. (SA)

This article explores how students learned to measure tall objects using a clinometer and some basic calculations. Such activities provide opportunities for students and teachers to learn the usefulness of linking mathematics content and science content to real-world problem-solving situations. (Contains 7 figures.)

Described is the nature of scientific enterprise, the nature of thinking and problem solving, and the nature of science as an adventure. It is suggested that teachers of science could use this book to help make science education a liberating and intellectually stimulating experience. It is a book which treats exhaustively the theoretical and…

Describes the science buddies program that pairs a 7th grade life science class with a 2nd or 3rd grade class in a yearlong partnership of science adventures. Includes sample activities and National Science Education Standards related to the activities. (Author/KHR)

Describes the Slanting Leaf Beds Project in Oregon in which fifth and sixth graders participated in hands-on, long-term research projects designed to provide students with an understanding of scientific processes and concepts. Students first worked in pairs obtaining samples and making tentative identifications. Group data was pooled and compared…

A series of modules designed for teaching energy concepts in a manner related to the classroom, school, and environmental settings is presented. The unit is seen as able to provide both teachers and students with a concept which has far-reaching implications. (MP)

Discusses ways science can be included in every activity of the preschoolers' day. Describes four characteristics of young children that are important to remember when planning science activities. Provides guidelines for developing and evaluating science activities. Presents a preschool unit on insects and offers suggestions for incorporating…