Based on the premise that body experiences interfere inconveniently with scientific ideas in mechanics instruction. Suggests that learning processes start with body experiences and, with guidance, transform them into something scientific. Discusses this process for the static and kinetic aspects of force and for measurement. (MDH)

The ways in which the concept of acceleration is treated in physics textbooks is compared with understandings of the concept demonstrated by final-year secondary (n=30) and first-year university students (n=60). Some students' understanding are shown to be incomplete in ways that parallel misleading or inaccurate textbook treatment of the concept.…

Describes the preparation and importance of a project where junior high school students stenciled "No Dumping! Flows to the Bay!" on storm drains in the area of their school. (PR)

Presents and discusses a contract to encourage students to get involved in cleaning up the environment. (PR)

Provides a student worksheet and set-up instructions for a science experiment to demonstrate the concept of density. Students are asked to explain the phenomenon in which a liquid of lower density placed in the bottom of two vertical flasks flows up to replace the liquid of higher density in the upper flask. (MDH)

Describes an activity where students find the locations and elevations of their homes, school, favorite parks and lakes, and other significant places as they learn topographic skills and unique features of the community. (PR)

Presents an activity to help students understand the precepts of the Hardy-Weinberg principle and simultaneously permit observation of a model of evolution through natural selection in a nonthreatening setting. (PR)

Raises questions regarding what students are perceiving when concrete models are used to represent abstract scientific concepts. Discussion of several exploratory investigations on the role of models in science teaching is presented in three areas: (1) interactions with students; (2) effectiveness of models; and (3) spatial ability and models.…

Describes combining the simple activity of collecting monthly student height measurements with the technology of using a computer spreadsheet for a year-long activity that teaches measurement and data manipulation. (PR)

Describes a writing-across-the-curriculum course and its application to science courses. Shows how different kinds of writing instruction affect students' learning as well as students' attitudes, understandings, and approach to "writing to learn." (PR)

Presents a simple activity designed to allow students to experimentally verify Kepler's second law, sometimes called the law of equal areas. It states that areas swept out by a planet as it orbits the Sun are equal for equal time intervals. (PR)

Describes a study of factors in the development of reasoning on the balance beam (n=34 nonscience majors in a Physical Science class). From this study and others, the author developed a model of problem solving and problem-solving behaviors. The implications of this model for instruction are discussed. (PR)

Presents examples of evaluation studies of visitor interactions with science museum exhibits. Example one involves application of existing findings about naive notions of motion to task of engineering a novel encounter with parabolic trajectories. Example two is a student project evaluating a prototype exhibit on light pipes and concludes that…

Presents follow-up activities to learning scientific concepts that utilize concepts from books obtained from the school library. Suggests seven books and related science activities involving shadows, force, animals, nature, dinosaurs, machines, and mirror reflections. (Contains 10 references.) (MDH)

Describes a class activity where individual students ask the teacher "yes and no" questions to find the amount of force the bicep uses to lift a 1 kilogram mass. (PR)