This male-specific study examined the development of integrated process skill in the context of open-inquiry laboratory sessions. Findings from this qualitative study indicate that male students develop higher-order process skills through nontraditional laboratory experiences that provided the students with freedom to perform experiments of…

There is a great deal of confusion in physics and chemistry textbooks, dictionaries, manuals, and handbooks about the definition of Avogadro's number and the term "mole." Avogadro's number is defined simply as the number of atomic mass units in one gram. Mole is defined as the mass of one Avogadro number of identical items. (Author/PR)

Activities involving concave rubber disks are utilized to illustrate the scientific principles of kinetic and potential energy. Provides teacher instructions and questions related to the activity. (MDH)

Discusses difficulties of learning and teaching science at the secondary school level. Highlights include the nature of science concepts; multilevel thought; the use of scientific experiments; language problems; students' learning processes; and an information processing model that can be used to guide thinking and research in this area. (10…

Presents a reproducible page for students dealing with the following topics: plate tectonics, magma, crust, and earthquakes. Provides a plate tectonics activity that uses cardboard and clay. (PR)

Presents historical background and modern explanations for the popular demonstration of showing conductivity of solutions through the insertion of a light-bulb conductivity tester into deionized water and water with salt in it. (PR)

Describes an experiment where students test the furcula or wishbone of a bird for its springlike properties. (PR)

Utilizing the vast diversity of planktonic communities that exist in local, temperate ponds and lakes, the authors describe a simple exercise that gives students both a field and classroom experience in biodiversity. (ZWH)

Demonstrates the use of a proactive approach to aid teachers in the prevention of behavior or management problems during a class field trip. An outdoor field exercise using string to define each groups' study area and focus student attention is included. (ZWH)

Provides a graphing exercise designed to help students understand the coevolution of the physical environment and the biosphere during the last four billion years of Earth's history. The ideas are based upon the Gaia theory, which is the belief that the Earth is a self-regulating network of interdependent physical and biological systems. (ZWH)

Provides a framework for objectively selecting a biology textbook based upon credible recommendations from the professional literature. This framework especially draws from recent research findings in science, learning theory, and instruction. (Contains 25 references.) (PR)

This laboratory provides an easy and rapid way to introduce students to some of the exciting principles of gene regulation by analyzing expression of the lac operon of Escherichia coli. (PR)

Presents the philosophical, methodological, and conceptual contributions of earth science to the biology curriculum. Explores how the curriculum can build on these contributions to achieve greater relevance for students as a basis for decision making. Gives examples of computer networks that accomplish that goal. (11 references) (MDH)

Describes the importance of the psychological factors of motivation, learned helplessness, and self-esteem in learning at the community college level. (PR)

Describes the history, chemistry, and uses of sulfuric acid. Presents demonstrations with this the cheapest bulk acid that is available in every country of the world. (PR)