The Scalable, Interactive Model of an Off-World Community (SIMOC) is a computer simulation of a human habitat on Mars. Built upon decades of NASA research and authentic science processes, SIMOC is both a research-grade simulation and an engaging web-based tool for science education. Users access an intuitive web interface to select mission…

A culinary exploration of the role of CO[subscript 2] in leavening is described. This demonstration substitutes dry ice for chemical leaveners in order to achieve the same pancake fluffiness. Under the universal framework of food and cooking, we developed this activity to bring aspects of phase transitions and chemical transformations to a broad…

The article tells stories of how meaning can occur and be made in educational settings, using insights from the work of Patricia Carini and John Dewey to reflect. Dewey's description of what makes an experience meaningful and Carini's calls for an education grounded in meaning and value, along with the role of the Prospect descriptive processes as…

There are several 'cool' mechanisms that result in materials luminescing or emitting light. Artificial luminescence has often been created by mimicking nature and there are many examples of applications in society. It is very likely that most of your students will have observed luminescence in one form or another, such as glow sticks,…

There are hundreds of satellites in orbit around Earth. Readily available data about them can be a treasure trove for investigations by students at all levels. Orbital parameters and energy changes can be explored. Many of these satellites transmit signals that can be detected by an inexpensive radio receiver--a scanner--designed to receive FM…

Here, we propose a laboratory exercise to quickly determine single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in human "alcohol dehydrogenase 1B (ADH1B)" and "aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2)" genes involved in alcohol metabolism. In this exercise, two different genotyping methods based on polymerase chain reaction (PCR), namely…

Thermal cameras have shown to have utility in secondary school classrooms and undergraduate courses. In this paper, the author argues for their potential in the primary school classroom and presents a range of activities that can be undertaken with thermal cameras (or supplied images). With limited access in mind, the activities in this paper have…

Science educators now broadly recognize the multimodal nature of learning in science, where learners make meanings within modes (linguistic, mathematical, visual, and actional) by using the conventions of different sign systems or grammars in these modes. However, how teachers guide students to link and infer new meanings across modes, called…

Learning media is a tool that makes it easier for educators to convey material to students effectively and efficiently to improve the quality of learning. Biology subjects in the essential enzymes and cell metabolism competencies require precision and accuracy, so appropriate learning media are needed. Booklets are a medium that can make it easier…

A novel teaching approach is aimed at elucidating the concept of bond enthalpy for general chemistry students. Through the integration of a hands-on candy pulling activity, students in a large lecture class were provided a tangible experience to explore bond strengths using rope candy and a luggage scale. Feedback from students indicated a clear…

The term "science practice" has drawn increasing attention in the current science education literature. In this study, the methodology of content analysis was adopted to examine the presentation of science practice in 20 historical cases compiled in a popular science book. Three aspects and eight categories of science practice constitute…

Changing where, when, and how objects are studied is central to lab-based science (Knorr Cetina, 1999). Science involves changing the scale of objects--particularly scales of size, time, and intensity--from what is experienced in the world. Similar to investigations conducted in science laboratories, classroom investigations involve…

A symmetry activity using student-built models was developed in line with faculty-developed pedagogical goals and a collaborative learning framework. The activity took place in a 3-h laboratory portion of an upper-division inorganic chemistry course. It required students to identify symmetry elements for seven molecules using common 2D…

Cyclopropane can be hydrogenated to produce propane under moderately high temperatures ([tilde]175 [degrees]C). Using a nanoparticle palladium catalyst, undergraduate students can explore the reaction and draw conclusions regarding the conditions for reaction. When deuterium is used, conclusions pertaining to the reaction mechanism are possible.…

Three computer-based activities focusing on fundamentals of binding interactions are described that are powered by Desmos, freely available web-based software. The software allows the instructor to monitor the progress of each student completing the activity by privately viewing their answers in real time, to enforce class pacing by modulating…