Another step in the process of teacher education reform under the leadership of the Indiana Professional Standards Board (IPSB), this paper presents the draft framework for the initial licensure of professional educators in the state of Indiana. The preface discusses the composition of the committee, the process, selections, the "house"…

Contrary to what many students think, heat flows from hot to cold. Working in groups of 3-4, students investigate the properties of insulators in attempts to keep a cup of water from freezing and, once it is frozen, to keep it from melting. This activity requires a 4.5-hour time period for completion. (Author/SOE)

The Urban Systemic Initiatives (USI) program is an effort sponsored by the National Science Foundation (NSF) that targets large urban school systems with the goal of sustainable implementation of high-quality, standards-based teaching for the purpose of attaining system-wide increases in students' learning of challenging mathematics and science.…

This curriculum guide is divided into five lessons, each containing several activities that reflect the natural path of inquiry that third or fourth grade students might take in considering the water that arrives in their bathroom sinks each morning. Starting from the familiar faucet, the students are encouraged to reflect on their own habits and…

This document was created to establish competency goals and objectives for teaching and learning science in North Carolina for grades K-12. It contains the concepts and theories, strands, skills, and processes upon which all science instruction should be based. In addition, the curriculum defines and illustrates the connections between the…

This paper reviews the literature supporting a discovery- or inquiry-based learning approach to science and describes its benefits for students and teachers. The creation and evaluation of a website related to discovery-based learning is also described. (Contains 20 references.) (WRM)

In a fifth-grade transitional bilingual class in Hartford (Connecticut), a project was conducted to focus on writing to learn in science. The process of writing facilitates development of critical thinking, deepens understanding of science content, and develops collaborative learning skills. The example of a set of lessons on the skeleton…

A science classroom was used to study the effects of a shared intranet environment on students' problem-solving ability and metacognitive reflection skills through shared contextualization. Subjects were first-time 9th- and 10th-grade biology students from three public high schools. An evaluative analysis of the CourseInfo software (Blackboard,…

How shall a project be organized so that the subjects in the school program shall properly function and shall contribute to the effective working out of the central idea around which the project must concentrate? How shall an untrained teacher be able to formulate her subject matter in terms of projects unless she understands the function of each…

The Congress of the United States, in passing the National Defense Education Act of 1958, reflected an ever increasing desire on the part of the Nation to improve the teaching of science and mathematics in its schools. The lack of adequate facilities and equipment had long been considered a major handicap to effective science and mathematics…

The phenomenal growth of science and technology in the past decade has made science teaching more important, and at the same time more difficult. An awareness of these changes has caused an unprecedented public support for sound science programs in the schools. A good science program makes effective use of equipment and materials in teaching basic…

Discusses rationale for developing the Exploratorium at San Francisco's Museum of Science, Art, and Perception. Describes typical exhibits, hands-on nature of exhibits, and function of Explainers. Presents information about Exploratorium workshops (currently oriented toward upper elementary/junior high teachers), emphasizing the nature of science…

Provided are examples of science/society scenarios for biology, chemistry, and physics classes, as well as those of an interdisciplinary nature. These scenarios present some social or ethical problems related to the discipline and pose questions for student discussions. (Includes description of a project involved in developing/piloting such…

Presents a critical review of laboratory adaptations for visually impaired students in general science, biology, chemistry, and physics over the past 30 years. Learning modes used by these students (since these are considered when making adaptations) and ways students benefit working independently in a science laboratory are discussed. (JN)

Papers presented include: (1) discussion in science lessons; (2) research on science interests of South Australian 12-year-olds (N=753); (3) chemistry and science philosophy; (4) methods/goals of teaching science to slow learners; (5) uses of industrial applications in science lessons; (6) nature of scientific observations; and (7) pros/cons of…