Describes an activity in which students monitor the plastic waste production in their households, research its effects on freshwater and marine life, and propose ways to lessen the problem. Provides objectives, background information, materials, procedures, extension activities, and an evaluation for students. (Author/RT)

Outlines a one day chemistry seminar which is part of the Elementary Science Fellows Programs at the Wisconsin Regional Staff Development Center. Lists the topics of the program and some activities that were used. Discusses the status of the program. (MVL)

Reports that young children in the pedestrian accident prone age range of four-eight years hold a variety of naive conceptions regarding speed. Proposes a primary science unit using a conceptual change approach. (MVL)

Outlines a lesson on the study of rocks including classification, identification, and observation techniques. Provides a listing of activities which integrate rocks with art, mathematics, and language arts. (RT)

Discusses the drop out rate and the at-risk youth problem. Summarizes what some implemented federal and state programs are doing and what some will do. Lists goals of several states. (MVL)

Examines relations between the philosophy of science, scientific research methods, and the methods of school science teaching. Discusses a "Standard Philosophy of Science" and a "New Philosophy of Science." Proposes that the epistemological, sociological, and psychological aspects of scientific knowledge are important…

Investigates commonsense knowledge schemes connecting the elements weight, air, and gravity to the phenomena of free fall of a range of students from primary school children to adults. Finds that majority of people from the secondary education level onwards held alternative schemes. Discusses educational impacts of mass media. (Author/YP)

Describes the Assessment of Performance Unit (APU) Science project. Discusses the findings including perceptions of problems, procedural understanding, control of variables, and measurement strategies. Suggests a change from traditional learning strategies to more student-centered ones. (YP)

Examined the extent to which students' alternative conceptions changed as a function of age. Reports that many alternative views remain intact throughout the school years. Provides several suggestions for teaching and research within the context of a neoconstructivist view of learning. (Author/YP)

Provides six fully developed library media activities that are designed to be used with specific curriculum units in guidance, 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 described…

This study investigated the effectiveness of introducing e-mail applications into preservice elementary science methods courses at two distant universities. Interviews with instructors and analysis of correspondence between students indicated that, despite problems of incorporating e-mail into the course, interest level in and attitudes toward…

Making books is a creative and enjoyable way to integrate science with other subjects, to extend learning, and to make science relevant to children's lives. Presents successful book-making techniques and procedures. (PR)

Discusses the integration of technology into the curriculum and how to design an interactive technological learning environment based on the concept of scientific sense-making. Highlights include the importance of sense-making in science education and an experiment on curriculum design for a fifth- to sixth-grade unit on seasonal change. (Contains…

Provides six fully developed library media activities that are designed to be used with specific curriculum units in art, music, reading/language arts, science, and social studies. Library media skills objectives, curriculum objectives, grade levels, resources, instructional roles, evaluation, and follow-up are described for each activity. (LRW)

Examines the potential for site-based management and shared decision making to impact the curriculum, particularly in science and mathematics teaching and learning. Information comes from studies in two school districts that had experimented with both strategies over the years. In both districts, the strategies significantly impacted curriculum…