The physical science activities contained in this guide extend the natural curiosity of K-2 students (can be adapted for Prekindergarten) by providing them with: (1) objects and time for free exploration; (2) challenges to focus further explorations; and (3) opportunities for meaningful reflection. Throughout the unit students engage in many of…

This book is based on the premise that students apply thinking skills to learning science concepts and principles by doing through direct, firsthand experiences in an interactive, open atmosphere; constructing by building their knowledge through guided inquiry; and connecting by relating their learning to the world around them. The contents of…

The Collaborative Ukrainian Experiment (CUE) was a joint mission between the United States and the Ukraine (Russia) whose projects were designed to address specific questions about prior plant science microgravity experiments. The education project that grew out of this, Teachers and Students Investigating Plants in Space (TSIPS), involved…

Hands-on science is not a new idea. It has been implemented successfully in many schools. But it is far from being universally used in American elementary schools. Several problems must be overcome in order to implement a successful hands-on science program. This booklet contains guidelines to eliminate some of the difficulties involved in…

A new module in a first year mechanical drawing course was designed with the primary goal of exciting chemical engineering students about mechanical things. Other goals included increasing student ability and confidence to explain how things work. A variety of high intensity, hands-on, facilitated group activities using pumps and valves were…

How learners learn to take responsibility for their own learning remains a challenge for educators. One concept that has not been widely considered that we propose is an important requirement in successful independent learning is the concept of Gumption (Pirsig, 1974). Gumption is all about initiative and creativity, zeal and vigour--the practical…

This teacher's guide presents a unit on acid rain and introduces hands-on activities for sixth through eighth grade students. In each unit, students act as real scientists and gather evidence by using science process skills such as observing, measuring and recording data, classifying, role playing, problem solving, critical thinking, synthesizing…

This monograph presents a view of teachers and scientists cooperating in a co-learning experience. The CO-LEARNERS program is based on constructivism and provides opportunities for teachers to experience science process skills. Contents include: (1) "Impact of Scientific Research Experiences: Preservice Teachers' Ideas on How They Think About and…

Our research question was whether we could develop a feasible technique, using Bayesian networks, to diagnose gaps in student knowledge. Thirty-four college-age participants completed tasks designed to measure conceptual knowledge, procedural knowledge, and problem-solving skills related to circuit analysis. A Bayesian network was used to model…

This resource book provides 48 science crafts that involve children in creative and inventive learning experiences. The opening chapter focuses on the construction of a science log that will be used in the colorfully illustrated activities that follow. Four broad topics provide the organization for the text: (1) Earth; (2) Air; (3) Water; and (4)…

This paper discusses the elaboration and application of "scientific culture" categories to the analysis of students' discourse while solving problems in inquiry contexts. Scientific culture means the particular domain culture of science, the culture of science practitioners. The categories proposed include both epistemic operations and…

This book explores what can be accomplished when effective classroom techniques for teaching students to become good thinkers are combined with effective strategies to engage students in thoughtful learning of the regular secondary school science curriculum. The technique of lesson design and instruction that results is called infusing critical…

From the late 1950s through today, hands-on science has been promoted as a method of science instruction. Currently, recent national science reform efforts seek to temper its role. However, no consensus has been reached on the relationship of hands-on science to student achievement, though this has been researched since the turn of the 20th…

Many of today's popular sports are based around the use of a ball yet none are alike. In fact, they are all designed with specific characteristics in mind. In this activity, students investigate different balls' ability to bounce and represent the data they collect graphically. This activity uses a time frame of 100 minutes. (Author/SOE)

Depending upon the climate, the features of a house will be different to satisfy particular needs: hot, cold, windy, and/or rainy weather. In this activity, students investigate different types of roofs found on various houses in different environments throughout the world. Books and photos are used to provide information. Models of the houses are…