Provides an outline of course content for acid precipitation and two acid rain activities (introduction to pH and effects of acid rain on an organism). Information for obtaining 20 additional activities as well as an information packet containing booklets, pamphlets, and articles are also provided. (JN)

A group of representatives of colleges in western Massachusetts is developing curricula related to nuclear issues. Teaching such issues provides content for promoting liberal arts goals incorporating perspectives of science, engineering and social/political science, and provides opportunities to enlarge students' understanding of the whole domain…

Discusses challenges that should be implemented in chemistry teaching during the 1980s/1990s. These include a focus on social relevance and orientation to student (considering developmental stages, way of thinking, and direct environment). These efforts may change the current negative public image of chemistry. (JN)

Briefly describes NSF-funded weekend courses at Western Illinois University. Includes a list of 16 courses with topic and enrollment data and a list of topics in which teachers felt a need for more preparation. (SK)

Reports results of a survey of 0- (N=186) and A-level (N=277) chemistry students (before taking their examinations) and their teachers (N=40) to determine their perceptions of how difficult different topics were to learn or teach and to determine if ability, interest, and syllabus were related to perceived difficulty. (DC)

Reviews the movement to raise state university entrance requirements and presents opinions on the changes from educators in secondary and higher education. Suggests that higher standards will exacerbate shortages of mathematics and science teachers in the near future and will raise enrollments and hence costs for high school science courses. (RW)

The "Implementation Proneness Typology" was developed to facilitate examination of a teacher's implementation to new innovations in a quantitative manner. Dimensions considered include assertiveness, surgency, conscientiousness, venturesomeness, imaginativeness, shrewdness, experimentiveness, self-sufficiency, humanistic classroom…

Describes a course focusing on science, technology, and the nuclear arms race. Two sample homework exercises and course topics are provided. Topics, with lists of questions that might be addressed, focus on nuclear weapons, alternatives to deterrence, and arms control. Approaches to teaching about the nuclear arms race are also provided. (JN)

To assist in designing/implementing qualitative analysis courses, examines reliability/accuracy of several published separation schemes, notes methods where particular difficulties arise (focusing on Groups II/III), and presents alternative schemes for the separation of these groups. Only cation analyses are reviewed. Figures are presented in…

Describes two workshops for physics teachers in Hispaniola. Workshops demonstrated how mechanics could be developed from planetary motions and how basic mechanics concepts could be introduced through a guided discovery approach. Comments on workshop activities, organization, participant attitudes, and physics curriculum/instruction in Hispaniola…

Highlights an educational workshop sponsored by the American Chemical Society's Committee on Chemical Education. Workshop presenters suggested stressing experiment over theory in elementary school science classes and exposing teachers to more science. A list of 20 recommendations resulting from the workshop are listed. (Author/JN)

Suggests, by argument and example, that the views which children bring with them to science lessons are, to them, logical and coherent, and that these views have considerable influence on how and what children learn from their classroom experiences. (Author/SK)

Explains how an environmental education course using a small group format was successfully modified for a large class setting through the use of whole class lectures and small group sessions (N=20-25) led by graduate teaching assistants. Includes course format and evaluation results. (DC)

Discusses topics to aid in understanding animal behavior, including the value of the biological approach to psychology, functional systems, optimality and fitness, universality of environmental effects on behavior, and evolution of social behavior. (DS)

Describes the formation, chemical structure, and several uses of coal. The history of coal usage, production processes, coal tar products, and production of petroleum and other hydrocarbons from coal are also described. (DS)