Socio-scientific issues (SSI) instruction positions the understanding and practice of science in the context of issues that are informed by science but require reasoning about their societal dimensions to respond to those issues effectively. For this reason, instruction in the context of SSI has been considered the gateway to contemporary visions…

Mathematical modeling has been highlighted recently as Common Core State Standards for Mathematics (CCSSM) included Model with Mathematics as one of the Standards for Mathematical Practices (SMP) and a modeling strand in the high school standards. This common aspect of standards across most states in the United States intended by CCSSM authors and…

The purpose of this descriptive study was to examine teacher instructional dilemmas and opportunities that emerged when students worked with interactive computer-based simulation models during the High-Adventure Science (HAS) project. The intervention included the HAS digital curriculum, designed for grades 7-12. Each curricular unit was framed to…

The purpose of this three-year case study was to understand how a beginning biology teacher (Alice) designed and taught a 5E unit on natural selection, how the unit changed when she took a position in a different school district, and why the changes occurred. We examined Alice's developing beliefs about science teaching and learning,…

This study took place at a mid-sized, Midwestern university located in a mid-sized town. The researchers developed the BAR model to teach mathematics methods both in the classroom and in the field. The preservice teachers took Enochs, Smith, and Huinker's Mathematics Teaching Efficacy Beliefs Instrument (MTEBI) on the first and last day of class.…

This study examines the support structures and strategies utilized by beginning mathematics and science teachers. The qualitative case study of 18 teachers (0-3 years of experience) includes teachers from rural, suburban and urban schools. Data collection consisted of one-hour interviews. The findings indicate participants utilized formal and…

Science education reform has four major goals: (1) science for all; (2) teaching for understanding and application of science knowledge and processes; (3) inclusion of broader views of science in the curriculum; and (4) less is better. Focuses on teaching for understanding and application of science, and recommends using an embedded assessment…

This article suggests the use of the circuit box to illustrate the processes involved in the scientific method. Construction and wiring diagrams and a materials list are presented. (BB)

Describes the Science Activity Teaching model, which incorporates five teacher managerial behaviors into a model with these subcomponents: focus activity, student instructions, student group activity, synthesizing, and evaluation. This plan provides for the development of fate control, language formation, and social skills. (CS)

Described is a model for planning and conducting an investigation designed to teach science process skills. Use of this model illustrates the generalizability of process skills and facilitates their inclusion in novel curriculum areas and beyond the classroom. (DS)

Presents a practical model for planning and implementing a field trip as an integral part of the science curriculum. Reviews the literature related to the role of field trips in the learning process; describes the model; and provides an example implementing the learning cycle method. (Contains 17 references.) (MDH)

Discusses aspects of using anecdotes in the classroom including vividness, the downside, high inferential risks, and low inferential risks. Reviews research underpinnings. (MVL)

Described is a three-phase model for teaching problem solving to the middle school student. Phases include cue attendance, thinking aloud, and developing diagrams of steps to solutions. Because middle school students are in a transitional period in their cognitive processes, implementation of problem solving skills seems appropriate. (Author/DS)

Presents a teaching model as an activity to introduce preservice secondary mathematics teachers to the law of cosines. The activity is student-centered in which students construct figures; measure angles and segments; calculate areas; investigate relationships; and communicate their results. (MDH)