Presents a lesson designed to help students understand the concept of density. Provides students with a concrete experience to help them understand an abstract concept thereby providing another strategy for learning the concept. (JRH)

New, unplanned uses for digital photography in the preschool classroom emerged as a Head Start teacher photographed her class participating in a science curriculum development project called Building Structures Exploration. The photographs enabled children to revisit and extend their investigations, to reflect on their building experiences and…

Presents an instrumental analysis laboratory section of a problem-based format that includes elements of authentic, investigative, and cooperative learning. Discusses students' attitudes, achievement, and effects of the problem-based instruction on the learning process and higher order thinking in laboratory students. (KHR)

Recommends the use of puzzles to help elementary school children sharpen their problem solving skills. Describes the use of a Puzzle Day to promote problem solving. (DDR)

Describes an open-ended, inquiry-based chemistry lab in which students design and construct snow globes. Encourages the development of problem solving skills. (DDR)

Introduces a weekend science program for early childhood and elementary school students. Uses kites to teach about lightening as a source of electricity and aerodynamics. Includes directions on how to make a kite. (YDS)

Presents two environmental modeling activities, biosphere bubbles and a crystal ball of population growth, along with a related online exercise and explains proven teaching methods that make demonstrations less teacher-centered and more engaging for groups of collaborating students. (KHR)

Describes a hands-on activity, Hitting the Mark, which is found in the "Healthy Water, Healthy People Water Quality Educators Guide" in terms of its objectives, materials, background, procedures, activities, and assessment. (KHR)

Presents an interdisciplinary unit on consumer product testing. Introduces students to term bias in predictions and investigates the claims in advertisements with research to make a decision on products. (YDS)

Provides details of an activity in which students in grades 5-12 study businesses in their community to discover what efforts are being made to reduce pollution. Integrates science and social studies content. (DDR)

Proposes a model for conceptualizing changes in novelty experienced by students in informal settings. Presents a case study and discusses patterns of verbal and non-verbal student behavior with reference to the level of novelty experienced. Reports that student behavior was found to vary with changes in the level of novelty experienced. Contains…

Discusses strategies for teachers to get back in touch with the earth and re-connect with the environment. Argues that the teacher's appreciation for nature's beauty will bring about a sensitivity not experienced before and help students develop a reverence and awe for the natural world. (JRH)

Describes a science carnival where children and adults share in the excitement of the carnival atmosphere and participate in doing science together. Discusses creating a carnival, gathering ideas, traditional booth redesign, and science topic booths. (JRH)

Describes how to use paper analogies as models to illustrate various concepts in biology, human anatomy, and physiology classes. Models include biochemical paper models, protein papergrams, a paper model of early brain development, and a 3-D paper model of a eukaryotic cell. (AIM)

Presents the idea that several points should be considered in animal dissection: (1) ethics; (2) the animal's position; (3) the law; and (4) the actual benefits to society. Recommends that students be carefully prepared for animal dissection. Contains 21 references. (DDR)