Ranger Rick's NatureScope is a creative education series dedicated to inspiring in children an understanding and appreciation of the natural world while developing the skills they will need to make responsible decisions about the environment. The topic of this issue is "Wading into Wetlands." Contents are organized into the following…

The concept of physical and chemical change is far from being the clearest and most self-explanatory concept in the world. If a number of chemists are asked to define physical and chemical change, there may well appear to be a fair degree of uniformity in their answers, until a few examples are suggested. When chemists are asked to place a variety…

Describes a reading assessment technique (different from most reading level evaluations) involving identification of the concepts for study, categorizing the statements about the concept, and analysis both within and between texts. Analysis allows teacher to make judgments relating to convenient order of concepts, rate of development, and…

Examined students' conceptions of the words "force" and "energy" using the interview-about-instances approach. Implications for science instruction and instructional strategies are discussed based on findings that many students have views of these concepts that are different from accepted scientific views. (JN)

Discusses the nature of naive conceptions and the influence of these conceptions on students' interpretations of instructional events. Also discusses implications of this research for designing instruction to facilitate the reconciliation of naive conceptions with scientific theories. (JN)

Provides background information and suggestions for concrete experiences to help nonscientists teaching 5- to 13-year-old children. Includes a list of 25 ideas for energy activities and a list of 10 key energy concepts. (JM)

Assessed Nussbaum's developmental model (SE 024 045) using a new sample given no special instructions in spherical earth/gravity concepts. Also identified distribution of notions among students (N=159 in grades three to eight), compared distribution of notions at each age level with those in other studies, and explored role of individual…

Effect of science instruction on young children's (N=64) concept of Piagetian physical causality was investigated. Results indicate, that pre/concrete-operational children can learn and apply a definition of living when that definition is taught through observable characteristics. Additional results and implications for elementary science…

Examines congruence between science content structure of instructional materials and students' structural representations before and after science instruction. Eighth-grade science students (N=30) were given concept-structuring tasks before and after studying instructional materials to assess changes in student structural representations.…

These four articles focus on developing basic reading, science, and job search skills: "Reading Program for Vocational Classes" by Augustus Luparelli; "Why Teach Employability Skills?" by Larry Siefferman; "Improving Vocabulary and Reading Skills" by Edythe Conway; and "Science in Everyday Life" by Virginia Eleazer and George Carney. (SK)

Describes an experimental setup which allows the student to investigate the resonance characteristics of a vibrating plate using a small, circular steel plate clamped around its perpiphery. (HM)

Describes a lecture demonstration illustrating Charles's Law with a balloon-balance thermometer. The technique allows a determination of the absolute minimum temperature to within an accuracy of 10 percent of the exact value: -273.15 degrees Celsius. (BT)

A program is described in which parent volunteers assist in science instruction at the kindergarten/first grade level. Examples of activities within the mini-units are given. (SA)

Evaluates an educational program carried out at the Institute for Desert Research in Israel, to test the possibilities of the desert as an educational resource for ecosystem study. The results of teaching a field-oriented ecology course are presented. (HM)

Describes some common misconceptions of children about the way the world works. Ways for teachers and curriculum developers to become aware of these misconceptions are also included. (HM)