Students need to be aware of plants in order to learn about, appreciate, care for, and protect them. However, research has found that many children are not aware of the plants in their environment. A way to address this issue might be integration of plants with various disciplines. I investigated the effectiveness of an instructional approach…

The activities presented in this paper, which are addressed to elementary school, are focused on the pioneering work of the Portuguese King Carlos I in oceanography and involve the exploration of the exhibits belonging to two different science museums, the Aquarium Vasco da Gama and the Maritime Museum. Students were asked to study fish…

While there has been a remarkable worldwide convergence in the emphases of primary science curricula over the last four decades, the cognitive and knowledge demands that they make on learners have not been well-researched. Without knowing what these intellectual or epistemic requirements are when learning science in school, issues concerning…

The current review examined modeling literature in top science education journals to better understand the pedagogical functions of modeling instruction reported over the last decade. Additionally, the review sought to understand the extent to which different modeling pedagogies were employed, the discursive acts that were identified as important,…

The goal of the Howard Hughes Science Institute (HHMI) supported science program is to train one staff member to become a science lead within each of the elementary schools in the Montgomery County (Maryland) Public Schools (MCPS) district. The specific objectives of the first year of HHMI grant project were to: (1) provide approximately 20…

In this article, the author addresses the issue of bias in language used in conventional training in scientific writing that encourages adherence to the rule: "don't use 'I' when writing science reports." Such writing is to be objective rather than subjective; it is to be dispassionate, detached, fact-based, and…

Researches carried out all around the world showed that students learn more effectively if they are able to make connections between subjects. This case reports based on an investigation of how mathematics concepts were connected to science concepts by a science teacher in an elementary science classroom, and on the science teacher's views about…

This study investigated the effects of a peer-delivered system of least prompts intervention and adapted grade-level science read-alouds on correct listening comprehension responses for participants with moderate intellectual disability. The intervention package included prompts in which selected text was read again. Participants directed the…

This study investigate the effectiveness of adding an "explicit general problem solving teaching strategy" (EGPS) to guided inquiry (GI) on pre-service elementary school teachers' ability to solve heat transfer problems. The pre-service elementary teachers in this study were enrolled in two sections of a chemistry course for pre-service…

This study examined the effects of scripted lessons (SLs) alone and in combination with guided notes during science instruction on science quiz scores of three elementary students with moderate to severe intellectual disability and autism. This study used a multiple probe across three science units design with replication across students and…

Whether playing soccer at recess, walking to lunch, or sitting at their desk, children encounter forces every moment of their lives. The connection between force and motion is absolutely amazing to children, so anyone working with them better be prepared for the battery of tough questions they ask: "What made the ball move that way? Why does a…

Being able to distinguish between physical and chemical changes of matter is a foundational chemistry concept that at first seems like a simple elementary concept to teach, but students often have misconceptions that hinder their understanding. These misconceptions are seen among elementary students, but these ideas are perpetuated throughout…

With the pervasiveness of digital technology, elementary students almost instinctively begin inquiry-based instruction with a bias. Visual information from digital devices competes with elementary science inquiry. To counteract this effect, teachers can use advance organizers. The advance organizer is a tool or a mental learning aid to help…

As a primary teacher in a large junior school the author would spend many Sunday afternoons planning exciting science lessons only to find they did not include sufficient mathematical knowledge and skills. At the time, the Numeracy Strategy was spreading through classrooms like wildfire. Meanwhile, science lessons were progressing under the…

Assessing children's learning is a key part of teaching. In all curriculum areas it is used for informing planning of future learning experiences and assessing pupil progress. Specifically in science, it identifies knowledge and understanding of scientific concepts, reasoning, and practical skill development. There are various ways to assess,…