Provides a calendar for the month of November on which are placed directions and pictures for different activities that can be performed each day. Outlines materials and procedures for an experiment. Includes information on an acid rain teachers kit, availability, and price. (RT)

Describes "Parents and Children for Terrific Science (PACTS)" program sponsored by the American Chemical Society's Education Division for encouraging the development of family science projects at the elementary and intermediate school levels. Discusses some examples and the results of the project. (YP)

Reported are observational limits of detectability for several single stimulus and multi-stimuli observation tasks in secondary level chemistry. Provided are tables of actual results obtained including type of observation, chemical system used, method of determining stimulus magnitude, and observational thresholds. (Author/YP)

The comparability of scores on test forms that are constructed through examinee item choice is examined in an item response theory framework. The approach is illustrated with data from the College Board's Advanced Placement Test in Chemistry taken by over 18,000 examinees. (SLD)

Presents a distillation experiment that uses temperature sensors connected to a computer in place of thermometers, and enables the whole class to view the data on a monitor and interpret and discuss the data in real time. (JRH)

Presents a lesson plan that uses information about traditional African iron-smelting to highlight the scientific contributions of non-European cultures. Includes a laboratory activity on the reduction of metal oxides with a multicultural perspective that helps students grasp some of the chemistry concepts involved in smelting. (JRH)

Describes an experiment to investigate chemical changes, pH, dissolved oxygen content, light intensity, and temperature in water containing aquatic plants. (MKR)

Discusses simple activities with familiar materials to help children feel at home with chemistry and what the term "chemical" means. (PR)

Discussion of distance education activities at the University of the South Pacific focuses on chemistry courses that were developed for distance teaching. Problems with arranging a practical work component, including laboratory facilities, are addressed; the need for adequate tutorial assistance is discussed; and problems with slow turn-around…

Describes the development of an undergraduate program in environmental chemistry at California State University-Fullerton. The program's development illustrates how the needs of the local environmental community can shape such programs and ensure their support in a time of shrinking academic budgets. (LZ)

Describes how a high school chemistry teacher used reading, writing, discussion, and cooperative presentations to reshape examinations so as to teach students as well as assess them. Describes how students had multiple opportunities to express understanding of chemistry concepts and how the teacher could assess students' abilities to communicate…

Analyzes the performance of male and female high school students (n=43,000) on the Australian National Chemistry Quiz in 1991. Results showed that on many questions boys outperformed girls. Reasons why boys and girls might differ in the rates of solving some of the questions are discussed, and directions for identifying the nature, extent, and…

Describes the organization, operation, and evaluation of an experimental online electronic conference for 450 chemistry educators from 33 countries that was conducted on the Internet. Advantages and disadvantages of online conferencing compared to traditional methods of scholarly discourse are discussed, and future plans are described. (Author/LRW)

Describes CHMINF-L (Chemical Information Sources Discussion List), including the history of its development on the Internet, its place in today's chemical information environment, and its possible future developments. Typical postings are described, subscription information is included, and listserv features and the future of listserv and similar…