Maintaining a balance between population and the resources needed to sustain life on earth is a critical challenge. This teaching unit focuses on this challenge by providing teachers with information and activities on both the national and global impacts of population growth. The document contains: (1) basic information about the population…

The Portland Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement (MESA) program was designed to remedy the underrepresentation of particular ethnic groups in mathematics and science-based careers and professions. It provides enrichment instruction on a weekly basis in eight middle schools and three high schools to enhance mathematics and science skills…

This science curriculum guide provides a framework for science teachers of grades K-12 in the Leominster Public School System, Massachusetts. It represents the efforts of teachers and higher education faculty. An introductory section provides a philosophical statement on the nature of science and perspectives in the learning and teaching of…

Perspectives on the nature of subject matter in science are offered in this paper. It is proposed that science and its context are better viewed as shifting rather than remaining fixed. The rational, moral, and authentic nature of science is explained in reference to education in general and more specifically to the contexts of the science teacher…

Questions of ethics and social responsibility are considered by many to be important issues in science education. Teachers are being exposed to the difficult task of dealing with global problems and values. This book contains papers which deal with this apparent dilemma, raising questions about the responsibilities of science educators in the…

Abstracts and abstractors' critiques of ten articles dealing with various aspects of teacher education are presented in this journal issue. Studies reviewed focused on: (1) preservice secondary science teachers' understanding of the nature of science; (2) laboratory teaching skills; (3) science backgrounds of elementary teachers; (4) use of…

The activities in this booklet were designed to provide second grade children with opportunities to explore areas of natural interest to them while gaining knowledge and practice in math skills and with science processes. Seasonal activities which are appropriate for the first half of the school year are offered on the topics of: holidays, seeds…

This review of research in science education consists of 432 reports published in 1985. Data sources include science education journals that regularly appear in the "Current Index to Journals in Education," reports entered into the ERIC system in "Resources in Education," and dissertations reported in "Dissertation…

Designed primarily for practicing teachers and for use in pre- and in-service courses in science education, this book focuses on how 10- to 15-year-old children learn science. Findings are analyzed and suggestions are offered for improving the teaching/learning process. Issues are discussed and organized into five major sections. These include:…

Science fairs have the potential to help students develop new ways of solving problems using a scientific approach. This document is intended to be used by junior high students in planning and developing a science fair project. Several suggestions are offered to help students decide on a project, with a listing of 60 topical areas in science…

People use and extend their knowledge of the physical world constantly. Understanding how this fluency is achieved would be an important milestone in understanding human learning and intelligence, as well as a useful guide for constructing machines that learn. This paper presents a theoretical framework that is being developed in an attempt to…

Forty-five educators, mathematicians, scientists, cognitive scientists, and curriculum and technology experts met during January 16-19, 1986, in an attempt to synthesize the current state of knowledge about science education and to recommend actions designed to strengthen the field. This report describes the themes that emerged from the…

The Science in Action series is designed to teach practical science concepts to special-needs students. It is intended to develop students' problem-solving skills by teaching them to observe, record, analyze, conclude, and predict. This document contains a student workbook which deals with basic principles of life science. Six separate units…

This curriculum guide, developed to establish statewide curriculum standards for the Louisiana Competency-based Education Program, contains the minimum competencies and process skills that should be included in a general science course. It consists of: (1) a rationale for an effective science program; (2) a list and description of four major goals…

This curriculum guide, developed to establish statewide curriculum standards for the Louisiana Competency-based Education Program, encompasses those standards that must be included in the elementary school (kindergarten to grade 6) science program. It consists of: (1) a rationale for an effective elementary school science program; (2) a list and…