Describes an experimental project that uses plant tissue culture techniques to examine cell differentiation in the carrot. Allows students to gain experience in some important techniques and to explore fundamental questions about cell differentiation. (DDR)

Presents a creative way to teach photosynthesis. Revolves around the growth of a lily planted and stored in the classroom. Combines the concepts of particle theory, transformation, and changes of phase and mass in a holistic approach. The six-step teaching sequence is founded on the notions of challenge, variation, and drama. (Author/NB)

Describes a project in which students collect native seeds and build a greenhouse to propagate native plants in a desert laboratory. (DDR)

Presents an activity to create a garden to attract butterflies and hummingbirds. Students increase their environmental awareness and discover the rewards of community service. (NB)

Describes the Sonoran Desert, the hottest desert in North America. Discusses management challenges, recreation, exotic plants, threatened and endangered species, American Indian traditional cultural places, and riparian areas. Presents classroom activities aimed at educating youth about the area's many distinctive features and the importance of…

Presents ideas for spring flower displays. Has students constructing their own interactive flower displays as extra-credit assignments to reinforce vocabulary and scientific concepts, and modeling flowers with household items. (JRH)

Describes an investigation of leaf relations including leaf perimeter and area using pink oak and red maple. Provides some instructional guides with typical data and graphs. (YP)

Presented is an activity that uses ground ivy to display different growth forms under different light intensities. Specimen preparation, materials, procedures, and probable results are discussed. Examples of graphs of the data are provided. (CW)

Describes a project by secondary-level students of constructing a rain forest in a 14-by-14-by-8 meter space in a shopping mall. (PR)

The emphasis of this field study is on the management of natural resources with the specific goal of multiple-use management for a selected woodlot. Working in small groups, students observe, identify, and measure various characteristics of the forest in order to generate a management plan. (LZ)

This article describes a simple and rapid method for using summer squash to investigate born deficiency in plants. Author asserts that students are likely to feel challenged by laboratory exercises and projects that focus on the role boron plays in plant growth because it is an unresolved problem in biology. (PR)

The carpel is a highly modified leaf enclosing the ovules. This article describes methods for teaching about the evolution of the carpel and the nature of carpel fusion. Presents an illustration of the evolution of the most common types of compound pistil arrangement from the ancestral single-carpel marginal type of placentation. (PR)

Describes how to observe and study the fascinating world of insects in public parks, backyards, and gardens. Discusses the activities and habits of several common insects. Includes addresses for sources of beneficial insects, seeds, and plants. (nine references) (JJK)

Describes a simple, relatively inexpensive laboratory activity that allows students to examine the requirements for the fungal decay of wood and devise methods for prevention. (ZWH)