Reviews the biological importance of the lipids categorized as waxes and describes some of the organic chemistry of these compounds. Presents a short laboratory exercise on the extraction of plant waxes and their analysis by thin layer chromatography. (Author/CCM)

Introduces activities on nitrogen, nitrogen pollution from school commuters, nitrogen response in native and introduced species, and nutrient loading models. These activities help students determine the nitrogen contribution from their parents' cars, test native plant responses to nitrogen, and experiment with the results of removing water from…

Presents an embryology laboratory observing the development of Ginkgo biloba's embryos into trees. Explains the methodology for the lab and discusses research questions. (YDS)

Describes ways to examine leaf structure and shape using fractal geometry. Students can test hypotheses using the leaves of replicated plants to look for non-linear trends in leaf shape along the stems of plants, across species, and under different environmental growth conditions. (SAH)

Discusses nature activities that teachers can use with young children to help develop the children's observation and processing skills. Teachers and students can examine weeds in the spring, observe and understand the role that insects play in nature, study the many colors and sizes of leaves in the fall, and find and analyze animal tracks in the…

Classroom plant activities have long been inexpensive, easy to do, and fun for students, and have become more central to biology teaching. Introduces some plant science activities and their pleasures and pitfalls. (ASK)

Recommends using Amaryllis hippeastrum to teach young children about plant reproduction. Provides tips for growing these plants, discusses the fast growing rate of the plant, and explains the anatomy. (YDS)

Explains biosphere troubles due to tropical deforestation. Discusses long term consequences and effects. First published in 1988. (YDS)

Advances six practical suggestions in transpiration whereby teachers can support students in their struggle to put their thoughts, especially everyday mental models, in accordance with classroom experimental evidence. Discusses the wider implications for how to teach about living things and how to view the status of analogies in science generally.…

U.S. colleges of agriculture and technology transfer offices have historically been in conflict over the management of plant varieties. A simple model that would allow these competing systems to become integrated uses a decision tree. (Author/JOW)

Colors are powerful tools for engaging children, from the youngest years onward. We hang brightly patterned mobiles above their cribs and help them learn the names of colors as they begin to record their own ideas in pictures and words. Colors can also open the door to an invisible world of electromagnetism, even when children can barely imagine…

In this study, a close-ended questionnaire examining all aspects of photosynthesis simultaneously has been developed and administered to 290 Greek pupils aged 13. It contains complementary or logically related items that permitted us to assess the understanding of each aspect by carrying out crossanalysis. The main findings are: that pupils are…

The appeal as natural antidepressant is the major selling point of St. John's Wort, which is referred to as "Prozac from the plant kingdom". Hypericin and hyperforin, two major constituents with significant biological activity of St. John's Wort and which are complex molecules with unusual features, are examined.

When students use plants to investigate cellular respiration, they confront the misconception that plants only "perform" photosynthesis (Driver et. al., 1994). Because this is such a strong misconception, several experiences with plant respiration are needed before students accept the idea that plants use some of the food from photosynthesis. Part…

A group exercise, suggested to be most effective when used near the semester-end, enables entry-level students to appreciate the application of plant biology and makes botany labs experimental. It is believed that this series of labs helps students to appreciate their own learning when they teach and explain things to others.