Described is the Talcott Mountain Science Center for Student Involvement, Inc., near Hartford, Connecticut, and the programs in natural science offered at the facility and by center personnel in local schools. (SL)

This is intended to be a how-to-do guide for the elementary classroom teacher whose principal has recently said, "We usually teach more science. You know our children are living in a scientific age." It's for teachers who want to learn some down-to-earth things about how to begin to teach science if they don't know much subject matter,…

Describes a course offered to elementary education majors that attempts to combine chemistry theory with practice teaching and strives to instill positive attitudes toward the value of science in elementary schools. Course topics, student presentations, classroom teaching experience, discussion/observations about the experiences, and final paper…

Investigated effects of increasing middle school teachers' (N=40) wait time on general questioning skills in science teaching. Four groups (10 teachers each) were used: control; group receiving printed guides on discussion/techniques; group using an electronic feedback device; group using both guides and feedback device. Results, conclusions, and…

Suggestions are provided for organizing a computer club. Also provided are suggested club activities, including the creation of programs related to science units students are studying. A number of tips are included to help teachers make effective use of club time. (JN)

Project REM (Resources, Energy, Mankind) incorporates energy, ecology, and environmental topics into a sixth-grade science curriculum. Various activities of this year-long project are discussed, including those related to Mr. REM (a student-built "robot") and an all day exploration of energy held near the end of the school year. (JN)

The generative learning model is explored and linked to recent science education research findings. The implications of the model for the teaching and learning of science, the training of science teachers, and science educational research are discussed. (JN)

Reviews efforts by science educators to reduce sexism in science textbooks. While there is agreement about the extent of sexism found in the books, there is some confusion as to the best method of changing it. An analytic framework for clarifying the problem and possible affirmative action are proposed. (JN)

Describes laboratory activities which encourage students to develop and test hypotheses related to the effects of changing environmental factors on plant growth. Uniform (fair) testing and careful observation and measurement, supplemented by graphing, are emphasized as important in reaching valid conclusions. (JM)

Reviews research studies that investigated the relationship between attitude and achievement. Concludes that in general and for science the relationship is weak, indicating that science teachers should focus directly on improving achievement and not on improving attitudes towards science as a means of improving achievement. (DC)

Describes a Scottish research project--Technique for Assessment of Practical Skills in Foundation Science (TAPS)--to identify practical laboratory skills that students should acquire and to produce methods of formative and summative evaluation of these skills. Examples of appropriate practical objectives, test items, and evaluation criteria are…

Summarizes results of the meta-analysis of 105 research studies dealing with effects of new science curricula on student performance. Twenty-seven different new science curricula involving one or more measures of student performance were included in the analysis. Positive performance patterns were found in all new curricula examined. (JN)

Relationships which exist between self-perception in science and cognitive development were explored under two quantitatively different teaching strategies: the use or nonuse of directions, praise, and rejection. A less directive teaching strategy appears to provide a more positive environment for developing an independent self-perception in…

Discusses sources of energy education materials, including businesses, industries, and private organizations. Provides names/addresses of principle energy trade associations and guidelines for evaluating energy education materials developed by the private sector. (JN)

Discusses the basic issue between biology and the religious right, focusing on the strategies creationists use. Proposes formation of a symposium on the relationship between science, religious beliefs, and politics, outlining purposes of such a symposium and questions which might be addressed. (JN)