Science and mathematics curricula have undergone major changes in the United States during the past 30 years. Many of the science courses developed and implemented in the 1960s were expensive, difficult, and too theoretical for students. Mathematics curricula suffered similar problems. Indonesia's 1994 curriculum-reform effort can learn from these…

This paper describes a curriculum unit developed in the domain of geometrical optics which has been incorporated into an activity-based physics course for prospective elementary teachers. The instructional goal was to help students develop a set of powerful ideas that could be applied both verbally and diagrammatically to account for optical…

This project is designed to engage students in investigating specific environmental problems through concrete activities and direct experiences. In doing so, it fosters an awareness of the importance of informed concern about environmental issues. This resource is directed toward accomplishing the following goals: promoting students' understanding…

Education is in the midst of a major effort to restructure its programs so learners will be prepared for the dramatic global changes which continue to occur at accelerating rates. This document, which focuses on environmental education, serves as a vehicle to model a multi-dimensional approach: reflecting a broad range of instructional objectives,…

Since 1985 the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) has supported Project 2061, a long-term effort to improve education in science, mathematics, and technology. This document is the report of a year-long evaluation of Project 2061 conducted from fall 1995 to fall 1996. The evaluation focused on the impacts that two major…

This book is a joint publication of the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) and the Society of Protozoologists and is the result of efforts to find a way in which protozoa research can be used to teach biology. This program puts cutting edge science into the hands of science teachers and enables students to experience a variety of…

While improved student achievement remains the ultimate goal for systemic reform activities, it may take several years for reforms to manifest themselves in measurable student performance outcomes. Included in this 8-panel brochure is a set of intermediate benchmarks that can be used to determine if states, school districts, and regions are making…

Since 1991, the National Science Foundation has conducted a series of annual competitions for awards to states under the Statewide Systemic Initiatives (SSI) program. This document reports on the progress of 21 SSI initiatives through the 1992-93 academic year. In chapter 1, "Introduction," a framework for assessing systemic reform is…

Many students face chemistry courses with a sense of fear and foreboding because it is a required course. Yet at the same time, fundamentals of chemistry have become intertwined in countless professions to say nothing of its growing importance in our everyday lives. Educators must bridge this dichotomy between attitude and importance. This paper…

This guide is intended to provide educators responsible for selecting elementary science curriculum materials for high ability learners with both quantitative and qualitative assessment data for 27 science curricula or materials. The review process attempted to balance sound practices of curriculum development (using standards required for any…

The Eisenhower National Clearinghouse for Mathematics and Science Education (ENC) helps teachers by offering a broad assortment of services that enable them to quickly locate educational resources. This document is one in a series of print catalogs designed to give educators information about curriculum resources available for teaching math and…

The Colorado Model Content Standards for Science specify what all students should know and be able to do in science as a result of their school studies. These standards reflect high expectations and outline the essential level of science knowledge and skills needed by all citizens to participate productively in an increasingly technological…

This volume of 66 promising practices in mathematics and science education developed by the 10 regional educational laboratories funded by the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Educational Research and Improvement. The laboratories' collection of programs emerged from a broad-based search, nomination, and review process reaching educators…

This literature review is the first phase of an extensive review of curriculum reform in science, mathematics and higher order thinking across the disciplines. The first of eight sections is an executive summary addressing the major themes of the document. The second section deals with several general issues of curricular reform concerning…

Many are aware that to secure a safe Earth for future generations means that people must know more about the Earth, its inhabitants, and the role that each plays in sustaining life on Earth. This lack of knowledge today has led to decisions such as the destruction of the rainforest, the growing and inefficient use of fossil fuels, and until…