Nine sixth-grade students were asked to identify plants by their common names. In the event that students did not know the correct response, researchers observed a variety of avoidance strategies. The study demonstrated that students at the elementary level should be introduced to the concept of genus before more abstract levels of the botanical…

Considers theoretical perspectives on teaching and learning science concepts and ways that such insights can be useful to science teachers in interpreting their pupils' difficulties. (Author/MKR)

Examines 4 biology and 10 chemistry textbooks to determine the types of analogies, their ranges of presentation style, and their efficacy to effect students' conceptual understandings. Presents recommendations to teachers for improving the teaching and learning of biology and chemistry by investigating instructional strategies and clarifying their…

Tested Richard Duschl's triadic model of the growth of scientific knowledge against research practices of 10 accomplished life scientists. Reports that the scientists were willing to change their aims, methods, or theories and were both realists and relativists depending on the scientific discourse about the phenomena in question. Discusses…

Reports on interviews with 28 high school biology students in Jerusalem concerning teleological and anthropomorphic formulations and reasoning. Results indicate acceptance of anthropomorphic formulations does not imply a prevalence of anthropomorphic reasoning. Most high school students can distinguish between anthropomorphic formulations and…

Discusses how early notions about celestial mechanics were restructured, one by one, involving the following concepts: the celestial sphere and its rotation; the spherical earth; planetary motion; and models for the solar system initiated by Eudoxus, Hipparchus, Ptolemy, and Copernicus. (JJK)

Explores the role played by the conceptual structure of science in scientific literacy. Examines the role of scientific models in scientific literacy. (ZWH)

Describes a hands-on activity that helps students to better transfer the abstract concept of atoms into a concrete understanding of atomic structure. (ZWH)

Describes a method for developing a paper-and-pencil test to evaluate students' understanding of the mole concept in chemistry. (ZWH)

Presents general information on vision and magnification to aid in increasing students knowledge of why magnification works. (ZWH)

Discussed is the physical concept of conservation as it is framed within the laws of conservation of mass, of momentum, and of energy. The derivation of Ohm's Law as a generalization of the relationship between the observed measurements of voltage and current serves as the exemplar of how conservation theories are formed. (JJK)

Rebuts the Burgess and Molenaar commentary in this issue on the authors' paper concerning sociobiology and human development, maintaining that genes (nature) cannot usefully be construed as independent of the coactional developmental system of which they are a part. (BB)

Describes a safer, less expensive, preparation-efficient lab (microchemistry and mole) to aid teachers in teaching chemistry. Equipped with small-scale, hands-on activities, teachers can provide students an activity that allow them to collect, analyze, and discuss data all within a single class period. (ZWH)

Describes the geology and ecology of Chesapeake Bay. (PR)

Several science activities are provided for use with middle and high school students to aid in their understanding of chirality (left and right handedness). (ZWH)