Describes a unit on magnetism that utilizes hands-on activities in which students make hypotheses for discrepant behavior, discover whether a magnet attracts one object through another, measure the strength of magnets, explore levitating paper clips, and play a game dependent on magnetic attraction. (MDH)

Reports on a questionnaire completed by 73 universities. Results indicate that laboratory instruction is part of almost all introductory biology classes. The majority (62%) of these institutions offer separate biology courses for majors and nonmajors. There is renewed interest in investigative types of laboratories. Most laboratory instruction…

Describes the use of an indicator made from the pigment in red cabbage. Cabbage is grated then soaked in water. When the water is a strong red, the cabbage is strained out. The cabbage-juice indicator is then used to test for acids and bases. Includes a list of good foods to test for acidity and alkalinity. (PVD)

Explores measuring the specific heat of a metal ball. The ball is heated to a known temperature then placed in cold water. Students measure the temperature gain of the water in this investigation of the principle of Conservation of Energy. As a second task, students make a precise determination of the density of the ball. (PVD)

Describes the use of a mystery substance, Oobleck, in a graduate-level course for secondary special-education teachers that considered ways to teach science. Principles of science instruction, teaching students with diverse disabilities, instructional congruence, student assessment, and modifications are addressed. (DB)

Analyzes undergraduate general-chemistry laboratory manuals (n=10) and identifies illustrative verbs representative of the types of cognitive skills given in Bloom's Taxonomy. Finds that, although the majority of the manuals are similar in their lack of promoting higher-order cognition, a few newer manuals possess the requisite activities for…

Describes the authors' research behind the Historic Cancellation of Fact method, a solution to the information explosion crisis. Each existing paper is evaluated in the light of new papers published the day before, and any "old" paper which has suffered obsolescence is immediately pulled and republished in its entirety in SCRUB (Science Culling…

Presents protocols for setting up a Winogradsky column and biofilm slides, interpreting the chemical transformations that occur in the column as a result of color changes in the soil, identifying common microorganisms, and determining the microbial composition of the column over specified intervals of time. (WRM)

Describes a set-up for sending the infrared signal from a common remote control device to an oscilloscope in order to "see" the infrared signal. (WRM)

Describes the construction and use of a magnetic needle that is stronger than those conventionally used for experiments with electromagnetism. (WRM)

Discusses environmental resource assessment research conducted by undergraduate students as part of a non-science majors' chemistry course at Santa Clara University. Describes project procedures and course grading, chemistry connections, learning goals and outcomes, and implementing change on campus. (WRM)

Presents ideas for teaching elementary school children about scientific inquiry methods. Recommends a Planning Board to scaffold students' thinking as they plan and conduct scientific investigations. (WRM)

A major cause of the difficulty undergraduate mathematics majors have with the transition from elementary to advanced mathematics courses is that advanced courses require students to understand how mathematics is created. Describes a course whose main purpose is to introduce students to the creative process in mathematics. The course consists of…

Telling stories can be an effective way of introducing science concepts. This article provides an annotated bibliography of fiction and nonfiction books for K-12 students and adults on static electricity, surface tension, bubbles, chromatography, slugs and other creatures, plants, physical and chemical change, strength of shapes, collections of…

Presents two quantitative Faraday's law experiments using a computer-assisted data-logging system. (Author/ASK)