This resource is part of a series of reports about challenges facing statewide science assessments and innovative solutions states are enacting to meet those challenges. Deciding to implement a system of assessments is a critical step toward ensuring that all students are getting the high-quality science education they need--but it is also…

This document includes the strategies being used by the state of Maryland to reach five goals and six essential outcomes regarding science education for their students. Also included is a discussion of seven recommendations made by committee members and reviewers of this effort to improve the quality and use of science laboratories in Maryland.…

Following discussions between Itawamba Junior College (Fulton, Mississippi) and local high school science teachers, a periodic science competition was established for students in high schools located in the college's five-county area. The first competition was held in 1983 during which students took written tests in biology, chemistry, and…

Presented is one of a series of articles designed to help science teachers keep current on ideas in specific areas of biology. This article provides information about ion transport in plant cells. (PB)

The use of toluidine blue as a stain for plant tissues is advocated. Directions for hand-cut tissue staining are provided. (PEB)

This publication will provide managers and others with practical advice on how to plan, develop and model the Triple Science requirement, taking into account all the critical factors that need to be considered. This guidance concentrates on curriculum planning and design, including the use of the new (2006) specifications to provide Triple Science…

Discussed is the value of using essays and other popular writings as supplemental material for advanced placement biology courses. Their value as motivators and as views of the everyday work of scientists is stressed. (CW)

Discusses the important concepts involved in problem solving. Presents a chain representation of problem solving and gives an example of the application of this method. Provides a strategy for teaching controversial issues in a science classroom and gives an example of the implementation of the strategy. (CW)

Compares and contrasts the use of animals in English secondary schools and Australian high schools. Changes in animal usage in English schools over the last decade are described as are the influences that the National Curriculum in England has had on such work. Implications are indicated for Australian and English biology teachers. (Author/MKR)

Even if the reader has little formal training or background knowledge in science, "Tools & Traits for Highly Effective Science Teaching, K-8" pulls together cognitive and educational research to present an indispensable framework for science in the elementary and middle grades. Readers will discover teaching that increases students' engagement and…

Educators seeking support for continuation of science laboratory instruction can find information in the ERIC data base. Sections cover: (1) what's available; (2) beliefs about the role of laboratories; (3) what critics say; and (4) research evidence. (MP)

This software review focuses on five concept-related packages of programs in the Apple version and are viewed as well-written in terms of both educational sophistication and programing expertise. (MP)

Suggests that behind problems in public school science education lies the failure of effective supervision and administration. National Science Foundation documentation is used to substantiate this claim. The Connecticut plan, a state-mandated teacher evaluation plan, is described as a successfull attempt that has revitalized science teaching. (CS)

Described is a high school astronomy course developed by gifted students. Students are asked to apply contemporary astronomical principles in designing a consistent and scientifically plausible world in orbit around a nearby star. The course can be used in traditional high school settings and with students not initially favorably inclined toward…

Described are ways in which urban "rocks" (building stones, curbstones, sidewalks, etc.) can be used as resources for earth science teachers. Discussed are such activities as: classifying buildings according to rock type and mineral composition, extrapolating geologic history by examining common building materials, economics of stone industry, and…