Reports on an investigation of young children's (n=15) spontaneously constructed or naive understanding of the particulate nature of matter to any formal instruction in the domain. Speculates that children first develop local frameworks particular to different classes of substances, then slowly expand those frameworks to include a wide range of…

Examined the relationship between prior knowledge, learning-strategy use, interest, learning goals, and conceptual understanding among fifth-grade science students. Results of student knowledge tests and a self-report measure of learning goals, interest, and strategy use indicated that the study variables were positively related to each other and…

Describes a study that investigated whether second grade students internalized content and concepts embedded in a science computer simulation as opposed to treating it as a game to be played. Discusses cognitive outcomes and processes, thinking skills, use of scientific language, transfer to other contexts, and partner and gender considerations.…

Provides six fully developed library media activities that are designed to be used with specific curriculum units in industrial arts, reading/language arts, science, and social studies. Library media skills objectives, curriculum objectives, grade levels, instructional roles, activity and procedures for completion, evaluation, and follow-up are…

Describes a case study of one teacher's interpretation of "inquiry science teaching" in her fourth grade classroom. Finds that the collaborative development of inquiry teaching that worked for this instructor was a delicate process of the negotiation of meanings for inquiry. (Contains 20 references.) (WRM)

Because the National Science Education Standards (1996) outline specific things K-8 students should know about plants, and previous data indicated that elementary students had difficulty understanding some major ideas about plants and plant growth, the authors of this article thought it appropriate to initiate an investigation to determine the…

This article uses a functional view of language to frame and analyze issues of language and content in mainstream classrooms. Describing a Western Canadian grade one/two science class, it examines how a teacher and her class of young ESL students were able to build up a simple theory of magnetism in a scientific register, link its technical terms…

Living in a drug-using society presents even children of primary age with many hazards. There are physical hazards: for example, finding used syringes and needles in the park or on the beach, or being exposed to alcohol at a family party. There are other hazards, too--legal, social and medical. Therefore, education about drugs helps children and…

The purpose of this study was primarily to explore the effects of constructivist-oriented instruction on fifth graders' cognitive structures about biological reproduction. Furthermore, such effects on different science achievers were also investigated. The subjects of this study were 69 eleven year olds in Taiwan, who were assigned to either a…

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of small group discussion on students' conceptual understanding of chemical equilibrium. Students' understanding of chemical equilibrium concepts was measured using the Misconception Identification Test. The test consisted of 30 items and administered as pre-posttests to a total of 81…

The purpose of this study is to refine Japanese elementary science activity structures by using a CSCL approach to transform the classroom into a knowledge-building community. We report design studies on two science lessons in two consecutive years and describe the progressive refinement of the activity structures. Through comparisons of student…

In this activity, teachers in one state create and share an "exchange box" of environmental and cultural items with students of another state. The Environmental Exchange Box activity enables teachers to improve students' skills in scientific inquiry and develop attitudes and values conducive to science learning such as wonder, curiosity,…

This study reports on student experiences in an inquiry-oriented elementary science methods course. Students in this course designed and conducted an independent investigation, and then adapted that investigation to develop an inquiry-oriented lesson and a corresponding performance assessment. Students' written reflections expressed increased…

In various western countries, preservice teachers are electing to learn how to teach primary science education though online coursework. Debate arises over the quality of online coursework to deliver adequate knowledge and skills for teaching primary science and how to improve online pedagogy. Using a post-test design, responses from 26 third-year…

The National Alliance of State Science and Mathematics Coalitions reports that American 12th graders ranked near the bottom of 21 nations that participated in the Third International Mathematics and Science Survey. This article describes several free Web resources designed to supplement rigorous classroom instruction, support NCLB initiatives, and…