Presents an alternative approach to teaching Systematic Transition Metal Chemistry with the transition metal chemistry skeleton features of interest. The "skeleton" is intended as a guide to predicting the chemistry of a selected compound. (Author/SA)

The theory of plate tectonics is discussed as it relates to connection, purported to be the driving force involved in the movements of the earth's crust. (SA)

Focuses on recent research on currents and eddies of the earth's oceans. Special emphasis is given to instrumentation involved in studying the oceans. (SA)

Reviews Piaget's theory of cognitive development and discusses how science concepts can be taught to secondary school students at different cognitive levels. (MLH)

For most students textbooks are the main source of their information about scientific concepts; however, there are a number of errors which frequently appear in textbooks and are consequently transmitted to both teachers and students. Some of these errors which may represent widespread misconceptions of teachers are outlined. (Author)

Describes activities that use Froot Loops breakfast cereal to help students master the concepts of valence electrons and chemical bonding and the implications of the duet and octet rules. Involves students working in groups to create electron dot structures for various compounds. (JRH)

Describes an activity designed to make the abstract concept of atomic structure somewhat concrete for students. (JRH)

A veteran teacher educator has guided future teachers on an open-ended adventure into past landscapes, using various literary works, paintings, historical volumes, and curriculum history. Enlightenment thinkers assumed every question had only one possible answer. Science is one of many symbol systems used to construct meaning. Metaphors deepen and…

Discusses ideas for water rocket investigations. Highlights safety precautions that should be considered when using water rockets with soda bottles. (JRH)

Describes an activity for introducing elementary school students to the surprising Mobius band. Incorporates elements of experimentation and exposes the deceptively simple Mobius band as a rich resource for discovery. Provides an opportunity for young learners to participate in the process of scientific inquiry within a mathematical framework.…

Presents activities for elementary students that lay the conceptual foundation for developing an understanding of heredity and identification. Uses analogies and firsthand experiences to demystify the science of DNA. (JRH)

Describes the experiences of children in a program that highlights the process of inquiry by allowing and encouraging children to raise questions, develop investigation strategies, formulate theories, and report findings in a variety of ways. Discusses the teacher's role in observing, respecting, and supporting children's work. (JRH)

Outlines some strategies used in primary schools in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) to teach science. Teachers wanting to investigate freshwater conducted experiments and drew concepts for reuse, recycling, and conservation. Presents two case studies using these activities to show how this theme can be used to introduce and consolidate a…

Presents a creative way to teach photosynthesis. Revolves around the growth of a lily planted and stored in the classroom. Combines the concepts of particle theory, transformation, and changes of phase and mass in a holistic approach. The six-step teaching sequence is founded on the notions of challenge, variation, and drama. (Author/NB)

This study uses a conceptual problem-solving test to investigate the effect of a series of pictorial analogies on the concepts of density, pressure, and atmospheric pressure in Year Eight classrooms. Findings indicate that students taught with the pictorial analogies scored significantly higher than their counterparts. Low achievers were the most…